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Salted Caramel Pretzel Cupcakes are decadent chocolate cupcakes with salted caramel frosting and pretzels. A fun sweet and salty treat for kids of all ages.
Salted Caramel Cupcakes
The inspiration for these cupcakes came from my favorite flavor of frozen yogurt, Salted Caramel Pretzel. I would always get that flavor on date nights and then top my yogurt cup with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and more salted caramel.
If you look around, you’ll notice that salted caramel is everywhere from coffees to sweet breads. I really like those salted caramel dark chocolate bars. Especially the Ghirardelli chocolates from San Francisco.
There’s something about that salty-sweet combination, especially when paired with chocolate that is irresistible. And, of course, cupcakes. Cupcakes are the secret to everything.
Caramel Cupcakes
I love these easy cupcakes with the grown-up flavor. Not that you can’t make them for kids, you can. But they are perfect for book club, small group or coffee with friends.
The beautiful thing about cupcakes is you can freeze them and simply use as many as you need at any given time.
Caramel is one of my all time favorite flavors, and I’m on kind of a salted caramel kick right now.
Try this homemade Easy Salted Caramel Sauce over vanilla ice cream for a fun alternative to chocolate sauce. Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Bars are also quite popular at my house.
If you’re like me and enjoy a salty-sweet combination, these Caramel Stuffed Pretzel Cookies or even better, Caramel Stuffed Double Chocolate Chip Cookies are always a good idea.
Wouldn’t this Caramel Syrup be terrific in your morning coffee too?
Do you like apples and caramel? I mean who doesn’t, right? Caramel Apple Dessert Pizza is excellent as are Caramel Apple Crumb Bars.
Salted Caramel Cupcake Recipe
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Boil 1 cup water in the microwave. Whisk in cocoa and vinegar until smooth. Let cool.
- Meanwhile, in a stand mixer, beat 1 stick butter for 4 to 5 minutes on high speed. Add the sugar and beat for another couple of minutes. Add the oil and eggs, mixing well. Stir in the cocoa mixture.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
- Add to the mixer and mix until just combined. Fill lined cupcake tins about 2/3 full.
- Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until they spring back when lightly touched. Cool completely on wire racks
- To make the frosting, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in 3 cups of powdered sugar on high for 1-2 minutes or until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the caramel sauce, salt, and enough of the milk or cream to reach a smooth consistency
- Frost the cupcakes generously and top with mini pretzels.
Salted Caramel Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the chocolate cupcakes
- 1 cup water
- 2/3 cup cocoa
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 1/2 cup butter softened slightly
- 1 1/4 cup white sugar
- ¼ cup, plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
For the salted caramel buttercream
- 3/4 cup softened butter
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2/3 cup salted caramel sauce room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk room termperature
- mini pretzel twists for decorating
Instructions
To Make The Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Boil 1 cup water in microwave. Whisk in cocoa and vinegar until smooth. Let cool.
- Meanwhile, in a stand mixer, beat 1 stick butter for 4 to 5 minutes on high speed. Add the sugar and beat for another couple minutes. Add the oil and eggs, mixing well. Stir in the cocoa mixture.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda.
- Add to the mixer and mix until just combined. Fill lined cupcake tins about 2/3 full.
- Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until they spring back when lightly touched. Cool completely on wire racks
To Make The Frosting
- Beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in 3 cups of powdered sugar on high for 1-2 minutes or until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the caramel sauce, salt, and enough of the milk or cream to reach a smooth consistency
- Frost the cupcakes generously and top with mini pretzels.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 9/7/16 – recipe notes and photos updated 1/26/21}
Caramel Stuffed Pretzel Cookies
If you like this Caramel Cupcake recipe, you’ll want to try Dulce de Leche Cupcakes too. They are delicious.
Is the salted caramel buttercream dyeable?
Did your recipe this morning and everybody absolutely loved it!! Thx!!
Want to make mini cupcakes. Do you need to adjust the baking time? If so, to what?
These are so good. I made them for my husband’s birthday last week, and I shared the link on my blog. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I think I could eat the icing by itself by the spoonful!
I am making these cupcakes and I just finished my icing but it is runny. I tried adding more powdered sugar but it hasn’t made much of a difference… Do you know what I could do to make it thicker?
I know your comment is a few months old, but for future buttercream icing, you can use half crisco and half butter for what ever amount of butter is being called for in the recipe. My icings have turned out perfect ever since learning this trick! Hope it helps!
Does it matter if I use unsalted or salted butter?
You left out the step of adding the cooled cocoa mixture. I assumed it was added to the wet ingredients before adding the flour.
At what point do you add the water, cocoa and vinegar?
As for cocoa, I have an unsweetened cocoa powder. Would this work?! 🙂
Yes.
These cupcakes are the best blend of salty sweet ever! Love the caramel-pretzel combo with the chocolatey base 🙂