12 Cupcake Toppers in Under 10 Minutes

These cute decorations are a quick way to dress up your favorite cupcake recipe just in time for the holidays.

Related To:

North Pole Mini Cupcakes

Every kid dreams of visiting the North Pole for the holidays, so turn sprinkled mini cupcakes into a snowy wonderland with a striped straw through the side and a simple "North Pole" tag.

By Ashley Rose, Sugar & Cloth, photography by Jared Smith Photography

Lollipops

Let guests have a treat for now and a treat for later with a simple bow-wrapped lollipop topper. They're also the perfect party favors for guests to bite into and then take home.

Glimmery Gold Leaf

Add the perfect touch of glamour to the holidays (or dress up your New Year’s dessert) with a shimmery cupcake. Just sprinkle vanilla frosting with edible gold glitter dust and top with a flake of edible gold leaf.

Marshmallow Snowmen

This Frosty the Snowman will only melt in your mouth! These treats are made with two pretzel sticks for arms and a single marshmallow detailed with food-coloring markers atop a mound of vanilla icing. Dust each snowman with powdered sugar before serving.

Strung Mittens

For a fun twist on the holidays, cut red sugar sheets into mini mitten shapes and place on top of each frosted cupcake. You can also string them together for your dessert display by placing baker’s twine underneath for a long strand of mittens, or even make them into pairs.

Holly Leaves

Create mini holly leaves with two mint sprigs and a crunchy or sugared cranberry in the middle.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Adults and kids alike will get a kick out of this edible Rudolph made with a bright red gumball nose, candy sprinkle eyes and pretzel sticks for ears. A melted-chocolate layer over traditional frosting will mean the ultimate holiday treat.

Mini Wreaths

For a more traditional take on a cupcake topper, create an elegant half wreath with two rosemary sprigs and a candy blackberry pressed into the icing.

Polar Bears

Straight off the Polar Express, an inexpensive plastic polar bear figurine sitting on top of a mountain of white chocolate shavings and white icing makes for a fun, Arctic-inspired cupcake.

Cinnamon Sticks

Spice up a classic cinnamon or apple cupcake with a pair of cinnamon sticks cut in half and drizzled with fresh cinnamon shavings.

Holiday Soda Pops

Add a whimsical touch to the cupcakes with a holiday twist on the classic soda float. Top a frosted cupcake with coconut flakes, then insert a shortened paper straw into the side and finish with a peppermint ball.

Simple Holiday Trees

Give everyone their own edible holiday tree by using mint-green icing for greenery, edible white pearls as ornaments and a yellow sprinkle star on top.