Easy Peeps Cupcakes – The Cutest Easter Treat

They come together in under an hour and require zero fancy decorating skills. If you love a showstopper dessert that’s also totally doable on a weeknight, these are it. 

For more easy Easter treats, try these Cocoa Rice Krispie Easter Egg Nests or grab some fun inspiration from these Easter Chocolate Covered Oreos.

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy enough for anyone: The chocolate cupcake base uses pantry staples and a stand mixer — no special techniques required. Even beginner bakers will feel confident making these.
• Made for Easter: The green grass-inspired frosting and Peeps marshmallow topper make these instantly recognizable as an Easter dessert, perfect for parties, baskets, and spring get-togethers.
• Incredibly delicious: The chocolate cupcake is rich and moist, and the buttery green frosting balances it out with sweetness. The Peeps marshmallow on top adds a fun, pillowy bite.
• Ready in under an hour: With a 30-minute prep and 14–16 minutes in the oven, these cupcakes are quick to put together and just need time to cool before decorating.

Peeps Cupcakes Ingredients

See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.

For the Cupcakes:

• Sugar — Granulated sugar sweetens the batter and helps create a tender, moist crumb.
• All-purpose flour — Gives the cupcakes their structure and holds everything together without making them dense.
• Cocoa powder — This is where all that rich chocolate flavor comes from. Use a good-quality unsweetened cocoa for the best results.
• Baking powder — Helps the cupcakes rise and get that slightly domed top.
• Baking soda — Works alongside the baking powder to create a light, fluffy texture.
• Salt — Just a little brings out the chocolate flavor and balances the sweetness.
• Vanilla extract — A teaspoon rounds out all the flavors in the batter.
• Eggs — Two large eggs add richness and help the cupcakes hold their shape.
• Milk — Adds moisture and keeps the crumb soft. Whole milk works best here.
• Oil — Keeps the cupcakes extra moist even after they’ve cooled.

For the Frosting:

• Unsalted butter, softened — The base of the buttercream. Make sure it’s truly at room temperature so it blends smoothly.
• Powdered sugar — Gives the frosting its thick, pipeable consistency and sweetness.
• Vanilla extract — Adds flavor depth to the buttercream.
• Salt — Balances the sweetness of all that powdered sugar.
• Milk — Just a few tablespoons to loosen the frosting to the right consistency for piping.
• Green food coloring — Creates that grass-green Easter look. Add it gradually until you reach your desired shade.
• Easter sprinkles — For a little extra festive flair right after frosting.
• Peeps marshmallows — The star of the show! Press one into the center of each frosted cupcake while the frosting is still fresh.

Substitutions and Additions

• Food coloring: Gel food coloring gives you a more vibrant green with less product than liquid coloring.
• Milk: Any non-dairy milk works here if needed — oat milk or almond milk both hold up well in the batter and frosting.
• Peeps variety: Use chick-shaped, bunny-shaped, or any Peeps variety you like. Different colors can make each cupcake a little different.
• Sprinkles: Pastel Easter sprinkles, mini eggs, or even shredded coconut tinted green all work well as a finishing touch.
• Chocolate variation: Add a tablespoon of instant espresso powder to the batter to deepen the chocolate flavor without any noticeable coffee taste.

How to Make Peeps Cupcakes (step-by-step directions)

STEP 1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two standard muffin tins with cupcake liners. Set them aside while you pull together the batter. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk them together until well combined. (Photo 1)

STEP 2. Add in the vanilla, eggs, milk, and oil, then mix on low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl frequently to make sure everything gets incorporated evenly. (Photos 2 & 3)

STEP 3. Using a measuring cup or cookie scoop, divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 14–16 minutes or until the centers are set and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before you touch the frosting — this step matters, so don’t rush it. (Photos 4 & 5)

STEP 4. To make the frosting, combine the softened butter with about half of the powdered sugar in a clean stand mixer bowl. Mix on low until combined, then add the remaining powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and milk. Continue mixing until smooth. (Photos 6 & 7)

STEP 5. Add your green food coloring a little at a time, mixing and checking the color until you get the grass-green shade you want. (Photos 8 & 9)

STEP 6: Transfer the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe a generous mound of frosting onto each cooled cupcake, then immediately press on the Easter sprinkles and nestle a Peeps marshmallow into the center. The frosting needs to be fresh and slightly soft so the Peeps stick in place. (Photos 10, 11 & 12)

Recipe Tips

• Make sure your butter is genuinely softened before making the frosting. Cold butter will leave you with a lumpy, uneven buttercream that’s hard to pipe.
• Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners using a measuring cup or ice cream scoop for evenly sized cupcakes that bake at the same rate.
• Let the cupcakes cool completely — even 10 minutes of warmth will cause the frosting to slide and melt.
• Start with a small drop of food coloring and add more gradually. It’s much easier to deepen the green than to try to lighten it.
• Press the Peeps in right after piping while the frosting is still soft, so they hold their position and don’t tip over once the frosting sets.
• If you want a more defined “grass” look, use a grass tip on your piping bag instead of a star tip for a textured, lawn-like effect.

Storing Tips

• Storage: These cupcakes are best stored in the refrigerator due to the buttercream frosting.
• Refrigerator: Keep finished cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The Peeps marshmallows may begin to soften slightly over time, but will still taste great.
• Freezing: You can freeze the unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw at room temperature before frosting and decorating.
• Make ahead: Bake and fully cool the cupcakes up to a day in advance. Store unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature, then frost and decorate the day of serving.

Serving Suggestions

These Peeps cupcakes are perfect alongside other Easter sweets on a holiday dessert table. Try pairing them with Easter Thumbprint Cookies filled with pastel candy melts for a colorful spread, or add a batch of cake mix cookies with sprinkles to round out the table. 

If you want a no-bake option in the mix, those Cocoa Rice Krispie Easter Egg Nests are always a crowd pleaser and take barely any time to make.

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