Easy & Festive Christmas Light Cupcakes
Cupcakes are already a hit at holiday parties, but turn them into Christmas light cupcakes and suddenly they’re the star of the dessert table. These festive treats are simple to decorate, colorful, and guaranteed to bring holiday cheer.
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This is one of those recipes that looks like you spent ages decorating, but really only takes a few extra minutes. A swirl of frosting, a quick black icing “string,” and some M&M “lights” make them fun and eye-catching. They’re perfect for Christmas parties, bake sales, or even as a decorating activity with kids.
Have more M&Ms to use for the holiday season? Be sure to try my Reindeer Chocolate Candy Bark and Christmas Popcorn (Made with White Chocolate).
❤️Don’t Leave Before You Check Out These Fun Ideas!❤️
Ingredients Needed for Christmas Light Cupcakes
Cupcakes – use your favorite homemade recipe or store-bought
Vanilla frosting – smooth and easy for piping swirls
Black decorating icing – creates the “string” for your lights
M&Ms – bright, colorful “lights” that make the cupcakes pop
How to Make Cupcakes That Look Like Christmas Lights
Frost the cupcakes in a swirl pattern using vanilla frosting.
Pipe a line of black icing around the top to create the look of a string of lights.
Add M&Ms along the string as colorful Christmas lights.
Repeat for all of the remaining cupcakes.
Time to serve and enjoy!
Helpful Tips
- Use a 1A frosting tip for smooth, professional-looking swirls.
- A small round tip works best for the icing string.
- Stick to bright M&M colors (red, green, yellow, blue) for the most festive look.
- If you don’t have piping bags, use zip-top bags with the corners snipped off.
- For extra sparkle, dust lightly with edible glitter.
Substitutions and Variations
Swap vanilla frosting for chocolate for a darker background.
Use Skittles or jellybeans instead of M&Ms for different “lights.”
Add sprinkles or shimmer dust to make the string sparkle.
Bake chocolate cupcakes for a richer holiday treat.
How to Store
Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days.
For longer storage, refrigerate up to 5 days, bring to room temp before serving.
Freeze undecorated cupcakes for up to 2 months; thaw before decorating.
Common FAQs
Yes! Bake and frost the cupcakes the day before, then add the black icing and M&Ms just before serving so the colors stay vibrant.
Not at all. Piping bags make it neater, but a small spatula and zip-top bags work fine too.
Vanilla and chocolate both look great, but red velvet is especially festive.
Let’s be honest…these cupcakes are more about the decorating than the baking, and that’s what makes them so much fun. They’re colorful, a little silly, and the kind of treat that people actually stop to admire before they eat. If your holiday spread needs a dessert that makes everyone smile, this is it.
Holiday Light Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 12 cupcakes
- 16 oz can vanilla frosting
- Black decorating icing
- M&Ms
Instructions
- Fit a piping bag with a 1A frosting tip and fill with vanilla frosting. Pipe a swirl onto each cupcake.
- Add black icing to a piping bag with a small round tip. Pipe a line around the frosted cupcake to create the “string.”
- Place 7–8 M&Ms along each string to make the lights.
Notes
- Bright-colored candies work best for the “lights.”
- Add decorations just before serving to keep colors crisp.
- Great for parties, bake sales, or kid-friendly holiday activities.
