Go Back Email Link
image of a snickers cupcake that's been decorated with peanut butter buttercream and caramel and chocolate ganache
Print Recipe
4.95 from 59 ratings

Snickers Cupcakes

These Snickers cupcakes are moist, filled with peanut caramel, and topped with the most delicious peanut butter buttercream! They taste just like our favorite candy bar!!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time18 minutes
Additional Time15 minutes
Total Time53 minutes
Course: Cupcakes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Calories: 442kcal
Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Caramel Filling & Drizzle

  • 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature 85g
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 60g
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt 2g
  • 1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped 75g

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • 3/4 cup water, warm 180g
  • 1 1/2 tsp instant espresso or coffee - optional 3g
  • 1/3 cup milk or dark chocolate chips, melted 60g
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 30g
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature 112g
  • 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil 75g
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
  • 1 tsp white vinegar 4g
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 100g
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150g
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda 3g
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt 2g

Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 113g
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 125g
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt 2g
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 454g or a 1 lb. bag
  • 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 80g

Chocolate Drip - Optional

  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 95g
  • 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 80g

Additional Decorations

  • 6 mini Snickers bars, cut in half
  • 1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped 75g

Suggested Equipment

Instructions

Peanut Caramel Filling & Drizzle

  • Make the caramel first, because it needs time to cool and thicken before it's used to fill and drizzle over the cupcakes.
  • Turn the stove to medium heat and place a saucepan over the element.
  • Once the saucepan has warmed up, pour in 1 cup of sugar gradually, adding 1/4 cup at a time. Wait until the sugar is mostly liquified, then add in the next bit of sugar. As the sugar melts it will slowly deepen in color. If you feel like the sugar is burning, remove the pan from the element and turn down the heat a bit.
  • Stir as needed until the sugar is fully dissolved and is an amber color. Turn off the heat.
  • Slowly mix in 6 Tbsp of butter, 2 Tbsp at a time. Stir until each addition of butter is fully incorporated before adding the next bit. Then stir in 1/4 cup of heavy cream and 1/4 tsp salt. The mixture will be very thin but will thicken as it cools. Pour the caramel into a separate container and set aside to cool.
  • Once the caramel has reached room temperature, whip it with a hand mixer or stand mixer on a medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes, until it becomes lighter in color and looks thicker. Place 1/3 cup of the caramel into a small dish and set aside. Then fold in 1/2 cup of salted, chopped peanuts into the remaining caramel. Set aside.

Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175 C. Line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners and set aside.
  • Pour 3/4 cup of warm water into a large bowl. Mix in 1 1/2 tsp of coffee or espresso powder (optional) and stir until dissolved.
  • Add 1/3 cup of chocolate chips that have been melted and 1/3 cup of cocoa powder. Whisk together until the ingredients are fully combined.
  • Whisk 2 large eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tsp vinegar into the cocoa mixture.
  • Add 3/4 cup flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt into the chocolate espresso mixture and whisk until just combined. The batter will be thin, but that’s how it’s supposed to be.
  • Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pan halfway through to help the cupcakes bake more evenly. Remove the pan from the oven.
  • Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then place them on a wire rack to finish cooling. If you're in a rush, place the whole pan in the freezer for 30 minutes to accelerate the cooling process.

Peanut Butter Buttercream

  • While the cupcakes bake and cool, make the peanut butter buttercream. In a large glass bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 1/2 cup of room-temperature butter and 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a hand mixer or paddle attachment until smooth and combined.
  • Mix in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp salt on a low speed.
  • Slowly mix in 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and 1/3 cup of heavy cream on a low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. Mix on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. If the frosting seems too thick, add an extra Tbsp of heavy cream. If it's too thin, add another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.
  • Stir by hand with a rubber spatula for a couple of minutes to make the frosting SUPER smooth. Place the frosting in a large piping bag fit with a Wilton 1M tip and seal the top of the bag with a rubber band or clip. Set aside.

Chocolate Ganache Drip

  • Place 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl and set aside.
  • Heat 1/3 cup heavy cream in a heatproof bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until it's steaming and just starting to bubble. If you don’t have a microwave or prefer to use the stovetop, you can heat the cream over medium heat in a pan until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat.
  • Gently pour the heavy cream over the chocolate. Make sure the chocolate is fully covered by the cream. Let the mixture sit for 1-2 minutes.
  • Stir the mixture together until the cream and chocolate are fully combined and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool for about 10 minutes, until the mixture is slightly warm to the touch.

Decorating These Snickers Cupcakes

  • Use the wide opening of a large frosting tip or a small knife to remove the center from each cooled cupcake.
  • Fill each cupcake with a little less than a Tbsp of the peanut caramel.
  • Pipe swirls of peanut butter frosting on top of each cupcake. Chill the cupcakes in the fridge for 15 minutes or the freezer for 5 minutes to help the frosting firm up.
  • While the cupcakes chill, warm up the remaining caramel in 10-second intervals until it is thin enough to be drizzled.
  • Remove the cupcakes from the fridge or freezer and drizzle with warm chocolate ganache and caramel. Add a sprinkle of chopped peanuts and a slice of a Snickers bar, then enjoy!

Video

Notes

Ingredient Swaps & Substitutions

For a detailed list of ingredient swaps and substitutions that can be made in each component of this recipe, please refer to the "swaps and substitutions" section above.

Making Mini Snickers Cupcakes

If you want to make mini chocolate cupcakes, this recipe can be baked in mini muffin tins! It makes about 40 mini cupcakes, and they only need to bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 F / 175 C.

Tips for Making the Best Snickers Cupcakes

  • Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
  • Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure and then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
  • Once you add the flour, mix the cupcake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure the cupcakes are tender and fluffy.
  • Use a large cookie scoop to easily fill your cupcake liners. It also makes sure the cupcakes end up being the same height.
  • Seal off the top of your piping bag with a rubber band to prevent any frosting from seeping out the top of the bag and make the piping bag easier to use.

Snickers Cupcake Variations

To make gluten-free Snickers cupcakes, swap in your favorite gluten-free flour blend for the AP flour this recipe calls for. Be sure to over-mix your batter and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before baking for best results.

Making These Chocolate Snickers Cupcakes in Advance & Storage Tips

You can make these cupcakes in advance! Frosted cupcakes can sit at room temperature overnight or be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
They can also last up to a month in the freezer. If you plan to freeze them, I suggest waiting to fill and frost them until they're thawed.
The caramel can also be made up to a month in advance. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container. When you're ready to use it, heat it in 10-second intervals until it reaches the right consistency to fill and drizzle over the cupcakes.
You can also make the buttercream ahead of time or save any leftovers. This buttercream frosting will last in the fridge for up to a month or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Be sure to give the frosting a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
You can also store buttercream in a piping bag in the fridge. I find buttercream keeps its consistency well in piping bags and doesn't require any mixing after it's thawed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 442kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 282mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 55g