Peppermint Hot Chocolate Protein Cupcakes

Nicolette Stramara

by | Updated: December 3rd, 2016

Feb
16

If your idea of a ski vacation involves sipping on a steaming mug of hot cocoa while sitting comfortably by the fire, these cupcakes were made for you. They aren’t served piping hot, but they do come with quite the piping of peppermint icing. Don’t worry your little head about hitting the slopes. Coming in at only 159 calories and 1 gram of sugar per cupcake (icing included!), there’s not much to work off.   

Hot Cocoa Cupcakes with Peppermint
Cacao offers raw, untouched chocolate flavor, which is more intense and much more satisfying than those packets of processed cocoa.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Protein Cupcakes

Makes 5 cupcakes
Macros for 1 cupcake: 159 calories | 8.2g protein | 9.2g carbs | 9.8g fat | 1g sugar | 1.7g fiber

Cupcakes

1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or oat flour)
2 Tbsp. Vitacost Cacao Powder
2 Tbsp. ARO Chocolate Whey Protein Plus Powder
1/3 cup Vitacost Xylitol
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (or unsweetened applesauce)
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
2 Tbsp. Vitacost Liquid Coconut Oil
½ tsp. peppermint extract
1 egg

Peppermint Icing

¼ cup, plus 2 Tbsp. low-fat cream cheese
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
¼ tsp. peppermint extract
4 Tbsp. Vitacost Xylitol (or sweetener of choice)

Optional Topping: crushed peppermint candy

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place 5 silicone cupcake liners on a sheet pan.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together all of the cupcake ingredients until mixture is smooth and well-combined.
  3. Evenly spoon cupcake batter into cupcake liners and bake 16-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool while you prepare the icing.
  4. To make icing, heat cream cheese in the microwave for 10 seconds. Stir until smooth.
  5. Add remaining icing ingredients and stir until combined.
  6. Once cupcakes are cool, spoon icing on top of each cupcake, add crushed peppermint and serve immediately. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Baking tips:

  • If you don’t have silicone cupcake liners, you can use regular liners. Just make sure to spray them with non-stick cooking spray and place them in a cupcake tin for baking.
  • For extra hot cocoa flavor, use your favorite hot chocolate powder mix instead of protein powder. Note, however, the macros will change.