Christmas tree cupcakes decorated with green frosting, sprinkles, and stars in waffle cones

Christmas Tree Cupcake Cones

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Fun, festive & easy holiday baking idea 🎄🧁

Bring extra holiday magic to your kitchen with these Christmas Tree Cupcake Cones an adorable treat that’s perfect for parties, kids, and cozy baking days! 🎄✨ Soft, fluffy cupcakes are baked inside ice cream cones, then topped with swirls of green frosting, sprinkles, and candy stars to look just like mini Christmas trees. They’re fun to make, easy to decorate, and completely edible no extra dishes needed! Whether you’re hosting a Christmas party, baking with the kids, or creating festive gifts, this Emma’s Cake Studio recipe guarantees smiles all around.

Time Breakdown

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Bake Time: 18 minutes
  • Decorating Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 58 minutes
  • Servings: 12 cones

Ingredients List

For the Cupcakes

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup milk
  • 12 flat-bottom ice cream cones

For the Frosting

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2–3 tablespoons milk or cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Green gel food coloring

For Decoration

  • Sprinkles (red, white, gold, or multicolored)
  • Mini star candies or fondant stars
  • Mini chocolate chips (optional, for ornaments)

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

This recipe doesn’t require fancy gadgets, just a few reliable kitchen basics to keep everything simple and stress-free.

  • Mixing bowls (large & medium)
  • Electric hand or stand mixer
  • Measuring cups & spoons
  • Muffin pan (for holding cones while baking)
  • Piping bag with star tip
  • Cooling rack
  • Offset spatula

Step-by-Step Beginner-Friendly Instructions

  1. Preheat & prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Place ice cream cones upright in a muffin pan (to keep them steady while baking).
  2. Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Cream butter & sugar: In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
  4. Add wet ingredients: Mix in eggs and vanilla, then alternate adding dry ingredients and milk until the batter is smooth.
  5. Fill cones: Spoon batter into each cone, filling about ¾ full. Be careful not to overfill!
  6. Bake: Bake for 16–18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely on a rack. 🎂
  7. Make frosting: Beat butter until creamy, then gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Tint green with food coloring and beat until fluffy.
  8. Decorate: Pipe frosting in a swirling motion to form “tree” shapes on top of each cupcake cone.
  9. Add festive touches: Decorate with sprinkles, chocolate chips, and a candy star on top. 🎄✨

Pro Tips

  • Kid-friendly hack: Use store-bought cake mix and frosting for a quick, mess-free version.
  • Stability tip: Secure cones in the muffin tin with a bit of foil to prevent tipping.
  • Color ideas: Use white frosting for “snowy trees” or red & green swirls for extra holiday fun!
  • Serving idea: Arrange your trees on a platter with powdered sugar “snow” and mini candy presents underneath. 🎁

Nutrition Table

Serving SizeCaloriesProteinCarbsFatFiberSugar
1 cone2803g36g14g0g27g