From HERSHEY’S

Makes 48 cupcakes

These adorable Snowball Elf Cupcakes are fun and easy for the kiddos to help out in the kitchen…and afternoon of holiday fun.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus

2 tablespoons

6 tablespoons HERSHEY’S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup boiling water

48 HERSHEY’S KISSES Brand Candy Cane Mint Candies

24 marshmallows, pale pink miniature

48 marshmallows, green miniature marshmallows

1 to 2 cans (12 oz each) white ready-to-spread frosting or about 2-1/2 cups your favorite homemade frosting

1 cup sweetened coconut flakes, divided

DIRECTIONS

1.Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 48 small muffin cups (1 3/4 inches in diameter) with paper or foil baking cups.

2.Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Add egg, milk, oil, and vanilla; beat on medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water. Batter will be thin. Divide batter evenly into prepared cups.

3.Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool several minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

4.Remove wrappers from candy cane candies and cut straws into 96 (1-inch) pieces; set aside.

5.To make ears for the elf hats, cut one pink marshmallow on the diagonal and then cut in half again. (One marshmallow will make ears for two hats). Press the two exposed sticky sides of one marshmallow piece against one side of the candy cane piece to form ear. Place another marshmallow piece on opposite side for second ear. Repeat until all “hats” have ears attached.

6.To make shoes for each elf, cut one green marshmallow on the diagonal. Press each half onto one end of straw section, curling ends slightly to form elf shoes.  Repeat until all “legs” have shoes.

7.Frost each cupcake with frosting; sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon coconut.  Add hat and legs to each cupcake to make snow-buried elf.

Find this recipe and more holiday treats at hersheyland.com