Pull Apart Graveyard Cupcakes (Printable)
Chocolate cupcakes with frosting, cookie dirt, and tombstone decorations for Halloween
# Ingredient List:
→ Cupcakes
01 - 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - ½ cup whole milk
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 2 tsp baking powder
07 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
08 - ¼ tsp salt
→ Chocolate Frosting
09 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
11 - ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
12 - 2-3 tbsp milk
13 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
14 - Pinch of salt
→ Decoration
15 - 6-8 chocolate sandwich cookies
16 - 6-8 rectangular cookies or biscuits
17 - Black, white, and green gel icing pens
18 - Gummy worms, candy pumpkins, or Halloween themed candies
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
02 - Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Add half the dry mixture to the wet, followed by milk, then remaining dry ingredients until just combined.
03 - Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
04 - Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder, mixing slowly. Add vanilla and milk, beating until smooth and spreadable.
05 - Arrange cooled cupcakes close together on a serving tray in a rectangle. Generously spread chocolate frosting over all cupcakes to create a smooth surface.
06 - Crush chocolate sandwich cookies and sprinkle over frosting for dirt. Write RIP and spooky messages on rectangular cookies with gel icing pens. Press tombstones into cupcakes. Decorate with gummy worms, candy pumpkins, or Halloween candy.
07 - Chill briefly before serving to set decorations.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- Kids go absolutely wild for the spooky graveyard theme and love helping decorate their own tombstones
- The pull apart arrangement makes serving effortless at crowded Halloween parties
- Rich chocolate frosting and tender vanilla cupcakes create that perfect indulgent balance
02 -
- Completely cooled cupcakes are non-negotiable—frosting warm cupcakes leads to melty disasters
- Crush cookies right over the frosted cupcakes rather than in a separate bowl to avoid messy cleanup
- Write tombstone messages before inserting cookies so the icing has time to set slightly
03 -
- Chill your frosted cupcakes for 10 minutes before adding cookie crumbs so they stick better to the surface
- Press tombstone cookies in at a slight angle for a more realistic weathered graveyard look