These high altitude mint chocolate chip cupcakes are made with moist chocolate mint cupcakes, and frosted with fluffy vanilla mint buttercream that’s flecked with chopped chocolate. Top them with Andes mints chocolate candies for a sweet finish.
You might also love these high altitude recipes for homemade thin mint cookies, mint Oreo fudge brownies, and mint chocolate chip layer cake.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Soft and Moist for Days. This is a high altitude chocolate cupcake recipe that I’ve tested dozens of times over the years, and they’re always perfectly soft, moist and chocolatey. They’re great on their own, and can be paired with any flavor of buttercream you like.
Mint + Chocolate. Chocolate and mint is a classic combination of flavors that you’ll just love in today’s mint chocolate chip cupcakes. And besides the Andes Mints for decoration, you could use Junior Mints, crushed mint Oreos, York Peppermint Patties, or any other mint-flavored chocolate candy you like.
High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- High Altitude Chocolate Cupcakes. This is my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe that I use as a base for many other variations on this site. They always turn out soft, fluffy, and moist, and they taste delicious with any flavor of buttercream.
- Peppermint Extract. Be sure to use “peppermint” extract for the best mint flavor in your mint chocolate chip cupcakes. “Mint” extract has a spearmint flavor, which is not what you want here.
- Chocolate Chips. I added some semi sweet chocolate chips to the cupcake batter for extra bits of chocolate. You can use either regular or mini chocolate chips.
Buttercream
- Butter. Use unsalted butter, or omit the extra salt in the buttercream. As noted in the recipe card, you can also replace half the butter with vegetable shortening, if you want a white color for your frosting.
- Powdered Sugar. Sweetens and thickens the buttercream.
- Meringue Powder. Adds stability and improves the texture.
- Salt. Balances the sweetness.
- Vanilla + Peppermint Extracts. Flavor.
- Chopped Chocolate. Instead of chopping up a chocolate bar, you can also use mini chocolate chips for the buttercream.
- Andes Mints.
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a standard muffin pan/s with 17 paper cupcake liners.
- Make the chocolate cupcake batter as instructed, adding the peppermint extract with the liquid ingredients. Fold the chocolate chips into the batter with a spatula.
- Divide the batter between the paper liners, filling them no more than 2/3 full. With the addition of the chocolate chips, this recipe will yield 17 cupcakes, instead of 15 like the original chocolate cupcake recipe.
- Bake the cupcakes for about 18-20 minutes, until the tops spring back when gently touched or a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool the cupcakes for several minutes in the pan, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Buttercream
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter/shortening for 1 minute, until smooth.
- With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar by spoonfuls, the meringue powder and salt, mixing until combined. Add the vanilla and peppermint extracts.
- Increase the speed to medium and whip for about 4-5 minutes, until very light and fluffy. Add the chopped chocolate or mini chocolate chips, and turn the speed down to “stir” for 1 minute.
- Spread or pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes. If using a piping tip, you’ll need to choose one with a large enough opening that it won’t become clogged by the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. I used tip #8B.
- Decorate the frosted cupcakes with the Andes mints. If you like, you can also decorate the cupcakes with more chopped chocolate or chocolate chips.
- For the chocolate dipped option, see this post on High Hat Cupcakes for instructions.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common questions with cake making, so that you can be successful in your own baking! I also suggest reading these comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream, How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes and How to Use Piping Bags.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
I used tip 8B.
I used Cacao Barry Extra Brute Dutch processed cocoa powder as well as The Cocoa Trader black cocoa powder.
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High Altitude Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 recipe High Altitude Chocolate Cupcakes
- ½ tsp peppermint extract (NOT "mint" extract)
- ½ cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
Buttercream
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (or substitute half the butter with vegetable shortening, for a whiter color)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp meringue powder
- ⅛ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp peppermint extract (NOT "mint" extract)
- 2 oz dark or semi sweet chocolate, finely chopped (or mini chocolate chips)
- Andes mints, for decorating
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a standard muffin pan/s with 17 paper cupcake liners.
- Make the chocolate cupcake batter as instructed, adding the peppermint extract with the liquid ingredients. Fold the chocolate chips into the batter with a spatula.
- Divide the batter between the paper liners, filling them no more than 2/3 full. With the addition of the chocolate chips, this recipe will yield 17 cupcakes, instead of 15 like the original chocolate cupcake recipe.
- Bake the cupcakes for about 18-20 minutes, until the tops spring back when gently touched or a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool the cupcakes for several minutes in the pan, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Buttercream
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter/shortening for 1 minute, until smooth.
- With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar by spoonfuls, the meringue powder and salt, mixing until combined. Add the vanilla and peppermint extracts.
- Increase the speed to medium and whip for about 4-5 minutes, until very light and fluffy. Add the chopped chocolate or mini chocolate chips, and turn the speed down to "stir" for 1 minute.
- Spread or pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes. If using a piping tip, you'll need to choose one with a large enough opening that it won't become clogged by the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. I used tip #8B.
- Decorate the frosted cupcakes with the Andes mints. If you like, you can also decorate the cupcakes with more chopped chocolate or chocolate chips.
- For the chocolate dipped option, see this post on High Hat Cupcakes for instructions.
I hope you all love this recipe as much as I do!
Heather, This is our new favorite chocolate chip cookie!! Since moving to Colorado from the coast of Oregon, I have struggled with the altitude trying to make a decent cookie. This one stood out because I LOVE browned butter! Thanks so much for developing and publishing it.
Sally, I’m so glad you loved them! Are you talking about my brown butter chocolate chip cookies? (This is a cupcake recipe) 🙂