Christmas Mouse Cupcakes - hot cocoa cupcakes topped with a Reese's Cup mouse

Warm up this winter with a cute Christmas Mouse Cupcake. This hot cocoa cupcake is topped with a White Chocolate Reese's Cup Mouse decorated with sweet modeling chocolate and it's served with a candy cane stirrer in a Christmas teacup.

Would you squeal with delight or run out of the room screaming if you found a mouse in your hot chocolate?

What if that mouse was a white chocolate Reese’s Cup decorated with white modeling chocolate and the mouse was nestled into a cupcake topped with chocolate hazelnut spread and a sprinkling of marshmallows?

I think finding a sweet candy mouse in your hot cocoa just might change your reaction.

It’s been a while since I shared a Reese’s Cup Cupcake with you but I do love making them. A few years ago I served Reese's Cup Rudolph Cupcakes for Christmas dessert.

If you love the idea of using a Reese’s Cup to create an animal-topped cupcake you might also like to check out my Sea Otter Cupcakes, Reese’s Rabbit Cupcakes, and Monkey Cupcakes.

These Reese's Cup Mice look cute in a hot chocolate cupcake but they could be used to top any cupcake at any time of year.

How to make a Reese’s Cup Christmas Mouse Cupcake

You’ll need:

• White Chocolate Reese’s Cups (or use Milk Chocolate Reese’s Cups)
  • Reese’s Cups come in various sizes. You can adjust the size, depending on the size cup or mug you use for these Hot Cocoa Mouse Cupcakes
• white modeling chocolate (see recipe below)
• pink and black food coloring
• melted white candy melts
• black food coloring marker
• cupcakes
  • You need cupcakes that fit into your teacups, hot cocoa mugs, or coffee cups. I used candy cane striped teacups and baked jumbo cupcakes to go into them.
• chocolate hazelnut spread or chocolate ganache
  • mini marshmallows
• small candy canes, optional

Supplies

• food handling gloves (don’t skip this when coloring your modeling chocolate!!!)
• silicone (fondant) rolling pin
• silicone mat (if you don't have one, then dust your countertop lightly with corn starch)
• set of round plunger cutters
  • or ⅞-inch, ⅝-inch, and ⅜-inch round cutters
• small oval plunger cutter
  • or a metal oval cutter that is about 7/16-inch in length
• teacups, coffee mugs, or hot cocoa cups
  • I have had the red and white striped teacups for many years. I found something similar that is available on Amazon and linked to it below. I earn a small commission for sales from amazon at no extra cost to you.

How to make white modeling chocolate?

Below is a very brief overview of the modeling chocolate recipe. I suggest you read my modeling chocolate tutorial before you begin if you have not made modeling chocolate previously.

• Melt 12 ounces white chocolate or white candy melts.
• Stirring often, allow the candy melts to cool to 91 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Pour in ⅓ cup of corn syrup and stir just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
  • If it becomes greasy see my troubleshooting tutorial.
• Place the modeling chocolate in a large zip-top bag, flatten it out into a disc, and set it aside for at least 30 minutes.
• Break off pieces of the modeling chocolate and knead until smooth.
  • If it feels too dry, see my troubleshooting tips.

NOTE: In order for your modeling chocolate to match the Reese's Cup you want to either use pure white chocolate or white candy melts or chips, not bright white. I used Nestle Premier White MorselsNestle Premier White Morsels to make mine and it matched perfectly.

Make modeling chocolate mouse ears, eyes, and nose.

• Color some white modeling chocolate using pink food coloring and some using black food coloring.
  • Make the pink bright. Then break off about ⅓ of the pink and blend it with more white modeling chocolate to make pastel pink.
  • It’s important that you wear food handling gloves or you will color your hands and the color will remain for a day or so.
  • To color the modeling chocolate, add a few drops of coloring and knead the color in. Once the modeling chocolate is colored, place it in a zip-top bag and let it rest for at least 20 minutes.

Ears

• Use a silicone (fondant) rolling pin to roll out some white modeling chocolate to ⅛-inch thickness on a silicone mat. Or dust your countertop lightly with corn starch so the modeling chocolate won't stick to it.
• Cut out two ⅞-inch circles for each mouse.
• Roll out the light pink modeling chocolate really thin and cut out two ⅝-inch circles.
• Brush one side of the pink circles lightly with water then press it onto a white circle.
• Press down to flatten the edge of the pink circle into the white circle. This will make the entire ear about 1-inch in diameter.
• Use the same ⅞-inch cutter to cut a small curve off of each ear. This will allow the ear to fit more closely to the edge of the Reese's Cup.

Nose

• Roll out the bright pink modeling chocolate to 1/16-inch thickness.
• Cut out a ⅜ inch circle and flatten it into a bigger, rounded edge oval. Or use an oval cutter.

Eyes

• Roll out black modeling chocolate thin and cut out ovals that are about 7/16-inch in length.

Be sure to watch the video to see how these cute Reese's Cup Christmas Mouse Cupcakes are made.

Decorate your Reese's Cup Mice

• Brush melted white candy melts along the cut edge of one of the mouse ears and press it onto the White Chocolate Reese's Cup along the rounded edge.
• Attach the other ear about an inch away along the edge. You want them spaced so that they are at about 10:00 and 2:00 on a clock face.
• Use white candy melts to attach a nose and two eyes to each mouse.
• Then add a dot of white candy melts to each eye, to create highlights.
• Use a black food coloring marker to draw on whiskers.
• Brush some white candy melts into a 2-inch long triangle (pick) then set a Reese's Cup mouse over the top edge.
• Allow the candy melts to harden before picking up your mice.

Cupcakes

• Place a cupcake in a teacup, coffee mug, or paper cup.
• Heat the Nutella or other chocolate hazelnut spread in the microwave just long enough to make it pourable.
• Pour it over the cupcakes and spread it out.
• Sprinkle on some mini marshmallows.
• Pick up a mouse and insert the white chocolate pick into the cupcake allowing the bottom edge of the Reese's Cup to touch the Nutella spread.
• Pinch off pieces of white modeling chocolate and roll into a teardrop shape.
• Roll over the tip and insert it into the cup, so that it looks like one of the mouse's paws is holding onto the cup.
• Repeat creating another paw.

How to store your Christmas cupcakes?

• Decorate your Reese's Cup Mice and store them in large zip-top bags until needed.
• You can place your cupcakes in your teacups and top them with the Nutella and mini marshmallows then place them in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Assemble them the day you plan to serve them.

Print

Christmas Mouse Cupcakes

Prep Time

1 hr 30 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

 

Cupcakes topped with chocolate hazelnut spread and marshmallows are decorated to look like cups of hot cocoa with a cute Reese's Cup mouse popping out.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Christmas cupcake, christmas dessert, cupcakes, Reese's cups

Author: Beth Klosterboer

Ingredients

White Modeling Chocolate

• 12 ounces white chocolate or white candy melts
• ⅓ cup corn syrup
• pink and black food coloring
• 12 White Chocolate Reese’s Cups
• 2 ounces melted white candy melts
• 1 black food coloring marker
• 12 cupcakes
• 2 cups chocolate hazelnut spread or chocolate ganache
• 1 bag mini marshmallows
• 12 small candy canes optional

Instructions

White modeling chocolate

1. Melt 12 ounces white chocolate or white candy melts.
2. Stirring often, allow the candy melts to cool to 91 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Pour in ⅓ cup of corn syrup and stir just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
4. Place the modeling chocolate in a large zip-top bag, flatten it out into a disc, and set it aside for at least 30 minutes.
5. Break off pieces of the modeling chocolate and knead until smooth.
6. Color some white modeling chocolate using pink food coloring and some using black food coloring.
7. Make the pink bright. Then break off about ⅓ of the pink and blend it with more white modeling chocolate to make pastel pink.
8. Place the colored modeling chocolate in a zip-top bag and let it rest for at least 20 minutes.

Ears

1. Use a silicone (fondant) rolling pin to roll out some white modeling chocolate to ⅛-inch thickness on a silicone mat.
2. Cut out two ⅞-inch circles for each mouse.
3. Roll out the light pink modeling chocolate really thin and cut out two ⅝-inch circles.
4. Brush one side of the pink circles lightly with water then press it onto a white circle.
5. Press down to flatten the edge of the pink circle into the white circle. This will make the entire ear about 1-inch in diameter.
6. Use the same ⅞-inch cutter to cut a small curve off of each ear. This will allow the ear to fit more closely to the edge of the Reese's Cup.

Nose

1. Roll out the bright pink modeling chocolate to 1/16-inch thickness.
2. Cut out a ⅜ inch circle and flatten it into a bigger, rounded edge oval. Or use an oval cutter.

Eyes

1. Roll out black modeling chocolate thin and cut out ovals that are about 7/16-inch in length.
2. Reese's Cup Mice
3. Brush melted white candy melts along the cut edge of one of the mouse ears and press it onto the White Chocolate Reese's Cup along the rounded edge.
4. Attach the other ear about an inch away along the edge. You want them spaced so that they are at about 10:00 and 2:00 on a clock face.
5. Use white candy melts to attach a nose and two eyes to each mouse.
6. Then add a dot of white candy melts to each eye, to create highlights.
7. Use a black food coloring marker to draw on whiskers.
8. Brush some white candy melts into a 2-inch long triangle (pick) then set a Reese's Cup mouse over the top edge.
9. Allow the candy melts to harden before picking up your mice.

Decorate the Cupcakes

1. Place a cupcake in a teacup, coffee mug, or paper cup.

2. Heat the Nutella or other chocolate hazelnut spread in the microwave just long enough to make it pourable.

3. Pour it over the cupcakes and spread it out just to cover the top.

4. Sprinkle on some mini marshmallows.

5. Pick up a mouse and insert the white chocolate pick into the cupcake allowing the bottom edge of the Reese's Cup to touch the Nutella spread.

6. Pinch off pieces of white modeling chocolate and roll into a teardrop shape.
7. Roll over the tip and insert it into the cup, so that it looks like one of the mouse's paws is holding onto the cup.
8. Repeat creating another paw.

9. Decorate all 12 cupcakes with the Reese's Cup Mice.

Recipe Notes

• You will not use all of your white modeling chocolate to decorate these cupcakes. 
• Store the remaining modeling chocolate in a zip-top bag to use for other projects. 
• It will keep for at least 6 months if stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
• You can place your cupcakes in your teacups and top them with the Nutella and mini marshmallows then place them in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• You can also make the Reese's Cup mice up to a week in advance and keep them stored in an airtight container at room temperature. 
• Assemble them the day you plan to serve them. If the decorate Reese's Cups are stored on the cupcakes overnight the modeling chocolate will develop condensation and become sticky. 

This recipe was originally published on December 24, 2019.

Did you make this recipe and think it was great or do you have any questions? Leave a comment below and don't forget to rate the recipe using the star rating system.

I hope you enjoy making these cute Christmas Mouse Cupcakes.

If you love making chocolate be sure to check out my Chocolate Making Courses at The Sugar Academy.

Have a sweet day,

Beth

• Author
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Beth Klosterboer

Hi, I'm Beth Jackson Klosterboer, a professional chocolatier & baker, cookbook author, and event planner. I love sharing recipes for happy occasions here on Hungry Happenings. I also create easy fudge recipes to share at HowToMakeEasyFudge.com, rice krispie treat recipes at HowToMakeCerealTreats.com, and easy cookie recipes at HowToMakeEasyCookies.com

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