By Wendy Stoltz / Last Modified On January 15, 2023

Gluten-Free White Peppermint Cupcakes that are tender, bursting with vanilla and peppermint, and perfect for any holiday gathering. They are the ultimate gluten-free Christmas dessert.

This cupcake recipe is based off my Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe. If you are looking for more festive cupcakes, try my Gluten Free Champagne Cupcakes.

Peppermint Cupcakes

Decorate the table with gluten-free, dairy-free peppermint cupcakes... fah-la-la-la-lah-la-la-la-lah. These cupcakes are so perfectly peppermint-y and will melt in your mouth.

I love the holidays and spending time with family and friends. I like to spread holiday cheer by baking fresh and sweet seasonal treats. These peppermint cupcakes bring everyone holiday cheer and will make just about anyone smile (anyone that loves peppermint that is).

I originally posted these cupcakes in December of 2014 but have recently given them a refresh.

Peppermint Cupcake Recipe

These fluffy cupcakes have a wonderful peppermint flavor throughout and are topped with a smooth and creamy peppermint frosting. Its peppermint on peppermint. Oh, and did I mention this is an easy one bowl recipe?

Yes! That's my kind of recipe.

That's right. No messy kitchen. No time spent scrubbing the counters and the dishes. Just whip them up, pop them in the oven and go. These fancy little cupcakes look professional and taste amazing.

Can you use butter & milk in this recipe with favorable results?

Yes. You can use regular butter and milk in this recipe. It won't change the taste, texture, or integrity of this recipe. Go for it!

Look out peppermint latte, these just might replace you on the list of top ten best peppermint indulgences.

When I'm in a hurry, or I don't necessarily need a fancy frosting design, I scoop the frosting into a zip-lock bag and cut the corner off with scissors.

One good thing about using a bag, is you get full control over the size of the frosting you pipe onto your cupcake. The other is that its easy to clean up (you can throw away the bag vs. cleaning your piping set).

Once you have your frosting in your  piping bag, or in your zip-lock bag, simply fold the bag over the top (or twist it) and pipe. Remember to always squeeze your frosting from the top, as it helps move the frosting down and gives you the force that you need to pipe your frosting.

Tips for making gluten free cupcakes

There are a couple of tips and tricks to getting the right texture with gluten-free cupcakes. First, you have to follow the recipe. So many people comment on recipe posts saying that they made a ton of substitutions and the recipe didn’t turn out.

Second, you want to mix at the right time and not over-mix. When you are beating the ingredients you’ll want to beat it for the time listed. This adds air which in turn helps the cupcakes rise.

Why did my cupcakes sink?

There are several reason why cupcakes sink, one is from over beating the batter and adding too much air. Also, cupcakes often will sink when there is too much moisture. This is more common in humid climates where added moisture can collect naturally in ingredients such as flour. When this occurs, cupcakes may rise rapidly and then fall during baking. In higher elevations, the leavening agent works twice as hard and may cause the batter to rise rapidly and sink before it’s had a chance to set up.

If you are like me and you like to fancy up your cupcakes, or maybe you like to try new flavors, you might also enjoy my Root Beer Float Cupcakes.

Did you make these gluten free peppermint cupcakes? Please leave a comment below letting me know what you thought.

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Yield: 12 cupcakes

White Peppermint Cupcakes

Print

Please your holiday dessert cravings with these scrumptious White Peppermint Cupcakes. Smooth, creamy, and just the right amount of peppermint - they are quit the crown pleaser!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes-

• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose gluten-free flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ¾ teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
• ½ cup oil
• ½ cup dairy-free milk
• 2 teaspoons peppermint extract

For the frosting-

• ¼ cup dairy-free butter (½ stick), room temperature
• ¼ cup palm shortening, room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2-3 tablespoons dairy-free milk
• crushed candy canes for decoration

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 12-serving cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and eggs with an electric mixer at medium speed for 1 minute. Add flour, salt, baking powder, oil, dairy-free milk and peppermint extract. Continue to beat at medium speed for 1 more minute.
3. Divide batter among liners, filling ⅔ full (about ¼ cup of batter per cupcake). Bake for 23-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
4. For the frosting - In a medium mixing bowl, beat dairy-free butter and palm shortening with an electric mixer until creamy. Add peppermint extract and mix until combined. Beat in 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time, alternating with 1 tablespoon of dairy-free milk. Add more or less dairy-free milk for desired consistency. Pipe frosting onto each cupcake. Sprinkle with crushed candy cane pieces.
5. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1 cupcake
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 341Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 166mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 0gSugar: 31gProtein: 3g