These Snickers cupcakes combine soft chocolate cupcakes, creamy peanut butter frosting, salted caramel sauce, and chopped Snickers bars for the ultimate chocolate-caramel-peanut butter dessert.
I originally published this recipe in 2015, and I’ve since updated it with new photos and additional success tips. The chocolate cupcake base has been changed to the same one we use for cream-filled chocolate cupcakes, and we are now filling these cupcakes with salted caramel sauce, for an even more indulgent Snickers cupcake experience!
These Snickers cupcakes are everything you love about the candy bar in cupcake form. The combination of moist chocolate cupcakes, creamy peanut butter frosting, gooey caramel sauce, and chopped Snickers on top is unapologetically over-the-top—in the very best way.
If you love chocolate and peanut butter desserts, this recipe deserves a spot in your regular cupcake rotation. The cupcakes themselves are deeply chocolatey and ultra soft, with a buttery salted caramel center hiding inside. Topped with creamy, fluffy peanut butter frosting, every bite tastes like the ultimate Snickers-inspired dessert. Finish each one with a caramel drizzle and chopped Snickers bars for the ultimate bakery-style cupcake.
Why You’ll Love These Snickers Cupcakes
- The cupcakes are basically this popular chocolate cake, but scaled down
- Extra soft & moist, not dense or dry
- Extreme chocolate flavor; hot liquid “blooms” the cocoa
- Creamy peanut butter frosting that pipes beautifully
- Salted caramel surprise hiding inside!
4 Parts to Snickers Cupcakes
- Chocolate Cupcakes: This is my favorite chocolate cupcake base because it stays incredibly soft and flavorful. Cocoa powder can easily dry out cupcakes, so we use a careful combination of oil, eggs, buttermilk, and hot liquid to keep the crumb tender and rich.
- Caramel Filling: You can absolutely use store-bought caramel sauce, but homemade salted caramel takes these cupcakes to another level. We’re filling the cupcakes with it, and then drizzling a little more on top, because we can.
- Peanut Butter Frosting: Snickers bars are packed with peanuts, so a creamy peanut butter frosting feels right at home here. The frosting is silky, lightly salty, and sturdy enough for piping. Use regular creamy peanut butter, not natural-style peanut butter, for the best consistency.
- Chopped Snickers Bars: The final touch! Sprinkle chopped fun-size Snickers bars over the caramel while it’s still sticky so everything stays in place.
Even for an assembled/decorated cupcake, the process is still pretty straightforward. Make the cupcakes, carve a little hole in the center of the cooled cupcakes, fill with salted caramel sauce, and top with peanut butter frosting.
Let me explain some key ingredients and show you this process in photos.
Make the Chocolate Cupcakes First
My regular super moist chocolate cupcakes are great, but they can be quite fragile. I love this newer cupcake recipe below, and even use it for these chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting, cream-filled chocolate cupcakes, and these Easter cupcakes. It’s my go-to chocolate cupcake.
For the BEST texture and flavor, you need these key ingredients:
- Natural Cocoa Powder: Use unsweetened, natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-process). You can read about the difference in this post: Dutch-process vs. Natural Cocoa Powder.
- Oil: Cocoa powder is a very drying ingredient, so you’ll usually find it paired with oil in cake and cupcake recipes. Oil provides moisture and doesn’t weigh down a baked good. Vegetable oil is ideal, but melted coconut oil, avocado oil, or even light olive oil can be used instead.
- Buttermilk: The team and I tested these cupcakes with buttermilk and with sour cream. Made with buttermilk, they have the best flavor, but can be a little soft and sticky, so slightly more difficult to cut and fill. Made with sour cream, they have a sturdier crumb, but the chocolate flavor isn’t as strong. We liked the buttermilk cupcakes best, and a quick chill in the refrigerator after they’ve fully cooled helps make the filling/assembly process easier.
- Hot Coffee or Hot Water: Hot liquid enhances the cocoa powder’s flavor. It also encourages it to bloom and dissolve appropriately. I promise these cupcakes don’t taste like coffee at all! If you don’t drink coffee, you can use hot water. For deeper and richer flavor, though, use coffee. You can either brew it in a coffee maker or make instant coffee. Decaf coffee works!
You also need all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, egg, & vanilla extract.
Spoon/pour the thin batter into a 12-count muffin pan lined with cupcake liners—you should have enough batter to make 15 cupcakes, so you will either need 2 muffin pans or you can divide and bake them in 2 batches. Fill the liners about 2/3 full. If you use the batter to make fewer than 15 cupcakes, you are overfilling the lined cups and your cupcakes will spill over the sides.
Optional (but recommended) step: When the cupcakes are completely—or nearly completely—cool, place them in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes to make them a bit easier to carve into and fill.
Make the Peanut Butter Frosting
For the peanut butter frosting, be sure to use a creamy/smooth processed peanut butter, such as Skippy or Jif. Natural-style peanut butter is great for many things, but it makes for a grainy, oily, and separated peanut butter frosting. Not ideal!
You also need room-temperature butter, confectioners’ sugar, a little cream, vanilla extract, and salt.
It comes together quickly with an electric mixer. Look how smooth and creamy it is!
How to Fill & Assemble Snickers Cupcakes
Now it’s time to assemble them. The process is just like filling my strawberry shortcake cupcakes and lemon raspberry jam cupcakes. With a sharp knife, cut a circle in the cupcake, and remove the center, which will be roughly the shape of a cone.
Using a small spoon, fill the middle of the cupcake with as much salted caramel sauce as you can. (Usually between 1–2 teaspoons.) Slice/tear off the pointed tip of the cone-shaped piece of cupcake, and gently press the round piece back on top of the filling. If you need any extra help with this step, see my How to Fill Cupcakes tutorial and video.
These cupcakes are extra soft and moist, so this step can get a little messy. That’s fine, you’re covering up the mess with frosting!
Key Success Tips for Snickers Cupcakes
- Fill the Liners Only 2/3 Full: The batter is thin, and these cupcakes rise in the oven. Filling the liners only 2/3 of the way full helps prevent overflowing mushroom tops.
- Use Natural Cocoa Powder: You need natural cocoa powder to react properly with the baking soda and acidic ingredients in the batter. Dutch-process cocoa won’t give the same rise or flavor balance in this recipe. If you only have Dutch-process cocoa, make brownies instead!
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Once the wet and dry ingredients come together, stop whisking. Overmixing/over-whisking creates dense cupcakes instead of soft, fluffy ones.
- Cool Completely Before Assembling: Warm cupcakes will melt the peanut butter frosting, plus they are difficult to cut and fill. Let them cool completely before filling and frosting; even better, give them a quick chill in the refrigerator to make them easier to cut into.
Ultimate Snickers Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 20 minutes
- Yield: 15 cupcakes
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These ultimate Snickers cupcakes are made with ultra-moist chocolate cupcakes, salted caramel filling, creamy peanut butter frosting, and chopped Snickers bars on top. Every bite tastes like your favorite candy bar in cupcake form.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 cup (42g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup (75g/80ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120g/ml) buttermilk*, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120g/ml) hot water or hot coffee (decaf is fine)
Peanut Butter Frosting
- 5 Tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (250g) creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/3 cup (80g/ml) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Filling & Topping
- 1/2 cup (145g) store-bought or homemade caramel sauce (cooled & thickened)*
- 5–6 fun-size Snickers bars, chopped
Instructions
- Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. This recipe yields about 15 cupcakes, so line a second muffin pan with 3 more liners or bake in batches.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl, preferably with a pour spout, whisk the oil, sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and buttermilk together until combined. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, add the hot coffee/water, and whisk until the batter is completely combined. The batter is thin.
- Pour/spoon the batter into the liners, filling only 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides. You should have enough batter for 15 cupcakes.
- Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cupcakes must be completely cooled—and even chilled for 20–30 minutes in the refrigerator if they’re particularly sticky on top—before assembling.
- Make the frosting: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on medium speed for 1 minute until completely smooth and creamy. Add the peanut butter and beat on medium-high speed until completely combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar, cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on low speed for about 20 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 minute.
- Fill the cupcakes: Using a sharp knife, cut a circle into the center of the cooled cupcakes to create a little pocket about 1 inch deep. The piece you removed will be roughly cone-shaped. Spoon cooled salted caramel sauce inside each carved-out cupcake; use however much will fit. (Usually you can fit between 1–2 teaspoons of caramel in each.) Slice/tear off the pointed end of the “cone” piece of cupcake you removed, and gently press the round piece back on top of the filling. See my How to Fill Cupcakes post if you need extra visuals or help with this step.
- Frost the cupcakes: Pipe or spread the peanut butter frosting on top of the cupcakes. I used a Wilton #1A round tip. Top with a drizzle of caramel sauce and chopped Snickers bars.
- Serve immediately or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 day before serving. (Bring to room temperature before serving.) Cover and store leftover cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend a cupcake carrier for storing and transporting decorated cupcakes.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Cupcakes can be made ahead 1 day in advance, covered, and stored in the refrigerator. Frosting can also be made 1 day in advance, covered, and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. (Beat the cold frosting with an electric mixer on medium speed to loosen it up, if needed.) Salted caramel sauce can be made ahead and stored in a tightly covered jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Fill and frost cupcakes the day you plan to serve them. Unfrosted, unfilled cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then continue with step 7.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-count Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Wilton #1A Round Tip | Cupcake Carrier
- Cocoa Powder: Do not use Dutch-process cocoa in this recipe. Dutch-process cocoa is treated with an alkali to neutralize its acids and therefore will not react with the alkaline baking soda in the batter. Learn more about the difference between Dutch-process vs natural cocoa powder here.
- Cupcakes Sinking: The cupcakes may look like they’re sinking in the center while they’re baking, but they should pop back up by the time baking is finished. Cocoa powder is not as structurally strong as flour, so sinking is a common issue with chocolate cupcakes. It doesn’t matter all that much if they sink a bit in the center, though, because you’re cutting out the middles and filling them with caramel!
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required for this recipe. You can make your own DIY buttermilk substitute if needed. Add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1/2 cup. (In a pinch, lower-fat or nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the cupcakes won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- Hot Coffee or Hot Water: Hot liquid enhances the cocoa powder’s flavor. It also encourages it to bloom and dissolve appropriately. I promise these cupcakes don’t taste like coffee at all! If you don’t drink coffee, you can use hot water. For deeper and richer flavor, though, use coffee (regular or decaf, but make sure it’s black with no sugar or cream). You can either brew it in a coffee maker or use instant coffee.
- Caramel Sauce: If using my homemade caramel sauce, keep in mind this is a salted caramel. For a sweeter caramel, reduce salt in that recipe to 1/2 teaspoon. Make sure the caramel sauce has cooled and thickened before filling the cupcakes, otherwise it will be too thin. You can make the caramel sauce in advance—see make-ahead tip in the caramel recipe.
- More Success Tips: Be sure to check out my How to Use Piping Tips post for instructions on how to fill a piping bag, and my How to Fill Cupcakes post for troubleshooting tips and a video tutorial. And you can also read my 10 Tips for Baking the BEST Cupcakes.
Reader Comments and Reviews
The starred points in the ingredient list does not go anywhere… but I guess the recipe is delicious!
Hi Jasmin, the asterisks in the ingredient list mean there’s a note about that particular ingredient below the recipe, in the Notes section. Hope you enjoy the cupcakes!
Hello, I’m just curious if there is a particular reason why you don’t add the coffee to the batter like you do with the chocolate cupcake recipe or would it be ok to add it? Thanks!
Hi Caitlin! You can definitely add it here.
I was wondering if I add crushed peanuts to the batter would I need to change anything or would it be fine.
Hi Evangelina, we don’t see why that would be a problem – let us know if you give it a try 🙂
I’m living in canada quebec. Can I use the brand kraft for the peanut butter frosting?
Hi Josianne, Kraft brand peanut butter should work just fine. Just make sure you’re using creamy peanut butter, and not a natural, oily version. Hope you enjoy the cupcakes!
Hey there madam,
Been using recipes on your site for a while now, most notably the salted caramel one today and went a bit over the top so I made the apple pie slices and the snickers cupcakes…….sweet Jesus that frosting is like nothing else…..I had to beat the missus away with a stick so I could finish the cupcakes off.
Thanks for another awesome recipe!
If I want to freeze them already decorated, do I need to do anything special or just put them unwrapped in the freezer?
Hi Katie! Cover tightly before freezing to keep the cupcakes from drying out.
Thank you for your quick reply! So I shouldn’t pipe the frosting on then? Just bake the cupcakes, freeze then defrost and decorate when needed?
Hi Katie! Either way is fine, frosted or unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen up to 2-3 months. We prefer to freeze the cupcakes unfrosted and decorate later, but you can freeze the whole cupcake in a pinch.
I just made these snickers cupcakes and they turned out amazing! The recipe was very easy to follow and so much fun to make!
I made these today and they taste AMAZING. To be honest I’d be happy with a bucket full of that frosting and a spoon!
Hi, sally!
Can I cut this recipe in thirds? Will it be okay?
Yes, you could!
I have made these twice now & they have become my husband’s #1 cupcake. I am not a big fan of chocolate but these are AMAZING I can’t get enough. Thank you for this ❤️❤️❤️❤️
They taste just like snickers! The cake, frosting, caramel and snickers pieces add lots of different textures. Very flavorsome – a must try!
Would it work to place a fun size snickers inside the cupcake batter and bake it that way? I’m planning to make these for my brother since he’ll be home for the first time in a few years this weekend & Snickers are his favorite candy. I’ve seen other recipes that add the candy bar in the cupcake, but like your cupcakes the best. Would doing this ruin the integrity of the cupcake? 😉
I think that should be just fine. I’d chop the Snickers up very small.
I’ve made these cupcakes twice and they are so delicious! I have had a problem with the the tops of the cupcakes caving in and pulling away from the cupcake liner after they have cooled. Any ideas on what is causing this?
Hi Laura! They could be underbaked OR there is too much cupcake batter going into each liner. Scale back on the batter and try baking an extra minute. Enjoy!
Anyone in doubt of this recipe, go ahead and try it! I can bake cakes but had never been good with cupcakes. I baked this for my husband’s birthday today and it tastes reeeeeaaallly good. The cupcakes came off from the linens smoothly, which never happened to all my other cupcakes.
Thank you so much for this recipe :0)))
I used the cake and frosting recipes to make cake ball filling! I drizzled the cake balls with the homemade caramel. They were fantastic! Thank you!
Hi Sally! I Am a HUGE fan! I started baking this summer and only use your recipes, I am yet to make one that hasn’t been fantastic! For this recipe you note “peanut butter” but there are so many varieties out there… Sweetened, salted, no salt, etc. is there a certain type of peanut butter that I should be using? Thanks again!
Thanks Monica!
I prefer to use commercial style peanut butter in the frosting for the best taste and texture, so a sweetened version like Jif or Skippy. Does that help?
Yum yum yum! I made this into a two layer cake (2x 7 inch pans), and it was perfect! Used crunchy peanut butter and topped the cake with chopped chocolate and salted peanuts. I plan to double the recipe and serve it as desert at a dinner party coming up soon 🙂
I just made these yummy looking cupcakes for my best friend’s Birthday dinner. They were a huge hit! The recipe is easy to follow, and the frosting made just the right amount – I had 15 generously frosted cupcakes and just enough for a big spoonful to lick afterwards! PERFECT!
I mixed up my mini candy bars with some snickers and some milkey ways – they were all gone before the night was over. Thanks for the great ideas and pictures!
I made these for my sister’s birthday and they were AMAZING!