These macadamia brittle cupcakes are moist, sweet, and full of nutty caramel and brown sugar flavor. The touch of the macadamia brittle is fun and makes it like two treats in one. They’re a fancy twist to your average cupcake!
Looking for a unique cupcake with incredible flavor? You have to try these macadamia brittle cupcakes! These are definitely a one-of-a-kind cupcake, with macadamia caramel coffee creamer infusing flavor in both the cupcakes and buttercream frosting. A piece of homemade macadamia brittle tucked in the frosting adds the final touch.
Macadamia nuts are definitely an under-utilized baking ingredient. White chocolate macadamia nut cookies are incredible, but the subtly sweet and nutty flavor works so well in so many other desserts, too. These cupcakes only prove that point. They’re fancy and fun and have a subtle nutty flavor with lots of caramel and brown sugar.
I’ve actually been making these cupcakes for so long that the coffee creamer that inspired them no longer exists. So I just made my own by blending macadamia nuts into caramel creamer. You could just use the regular caramel coffee creamer, as I don’t think the macadamias in it add much, but in the interest of keeping it “the same”, I made mine with the macadamias.
Why These Macadamia Brittle Cupcakes Are So Good
- Nutty caramel-y flavor. The flavor inspiration for these cupcakes comes from the both the nuts and the caramel flavor of the brittle. Both flavors shine in these moist and tender cupcakes.
- Homemade brittle. The star of these cupcakes is the macadamia brittle on top. It’s made from scratch in a couple of easy steps and adds a unique and elegant final touch to these cupcakes.
- Great for any occasion. These macadamia brittle cupcakes are the perfect “any occasion” cupcake. Caramel and nut flavor works year-round and they’re easy to make, even with the many different elements. Parties, holidays, birthdays, baby showers…these cupcakes work for it all!
Ingredient Notes
This recipe has a few ingredients that are important to achieve the right result. Here are some notes about those ingredients and some substitution options. The exact ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Coffee creamer – Use your favorite brand of caramel or caramel macchiato coffee creamer as the base for the macadamia creamer.
- Macadamia nuts – They add the macadamia flavor to the creamer and are used in the brittle. If you are fine with just caramel creamer, you can skip adding these.
- Salt – Enhances the flavors already present. Without it, your cupcakes would be bland.
- Sour cream – Use full-fat sour cream for the best flavor and texture. It adds richness and moisture to the cupcakes. If you don’t want to use sour cream, plain Greek yogurt is a fine substitute.
- Corn syrup – Helps prevent sugar crystallization so that you get a smooth brittle, rather than gritty and grainy.
- Baking soda – In the brittle, the baking soda creates all the tiny bubbles that aerate it and make it light and crispy, rather than rock hard. Don’t leave it out.
- Powdered sugar – Adds volume to the buttercream and thickens it. You can reduce the amount used, but you’ll end up with less buttercream that isn’t as thick and may not hold shape when piped. If you’d like less buttercream, you can reduce all the ingredients to create a smaller amount with the original consistency so that piping still holds up.
How to Make Macadamia Brittle Cupcakes
These cupcakes require a few extra steps since we’re enhancing the coffee creamer, and making the caramel sauce and brittle from scratch. But I promise they’re worth the effort! The detailed printable instructions can be found at the bottom of the post.
Before making the cupcakes, you’ll need the caramel sauce and creamer. Prepare the caramel sauce as directed. Blend the coffee creamer and macadamia nuts in a food processor until smooth.
Bake the Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the cupcake pan with liners. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Combine the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the eggs.
Add the sour cream, followed by the milk and coffee creamer. Whisk until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients. Whisk until combined.
Fill the cupcake liners a little more than 3/4 full.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool.
Make the Brittle
Combine the sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occassionally, until the sugar is melted.
Let the mixture boil, stirring occasionally, for about 5-10 minutes, until it turns golden amber. Keep a close eye on it as it can happen quickly.
Once it’s amber, remove from heat. Stir in the nuts, butter, and baking soda. Do not overstir.
Pour the mixture onto the baking sheet in an even layer. I aim for 1/4-inch thick.
Let cool completely. Once cool, break the brittle into pieces.
Make the Buttercream and Assemble
Beat the butter in a bowl until smooth. Add half of the powdered sugar, beat until combined and smooth, then add the coffee creamer. Mix in the remaining powdered sugar until combined and smooth. Add 1-2 tablespoons of caramel sauce.
To decorate the cupcakes, pipe the buttercream using an Ateco tip 809 (or similar). Add a drizzle of caramel sauce. Just before serving, top with the macadamia brittle.
Tips for The Best Cupcakes
These cupcakes contain a lot of different parts, so take a quick look through these tips before baking.
- Measure correctly. You don’t want to end up with dry cupcakes, so be sure to measure the flour correctly. I highly recommend a food scale, but the spoon and level method also works.
- Don’t over mix the batter. Once you add the dry ingredients to the batter, mix just until well combined. Continuing to mix after this point will cause the gluten in the flour to become overdeveloped, resulting in a firmer, chewier texture.
- Watch brittle carefully for color change. It takes about 10 minutes for the brittle mixture to change color to a golden amber. Have patience, watch it carefully, and stir occasionally, so that you don’t accidentally burn it.
- Work quickly. Once the brittle is golden, you need to work quickly. Add the other ingredients and then pour the mixture onto the baking sheet immediately. Keep in mind that it will cool very quickly once it’s spread onto the baking sheet.
- Top with brittle just before serving. I recommend adding the brittle to the top of the cupcakes shortly before serving them. The cupcakes are very moist (as they should be!), but that moisture will cause the brittle to melt a little. It still tastes good, but it doesn’t look as pretty. If you don’t plan to serve your cupcakes right away, keep the brittle in a plastic bag at room temperature to ensure the texture stays crisp.
Storage Information
- Fridge: Frosted macadamia brittle cupcakes can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep in mind that it’s best to store the cupcakes without the brittle, as it will dissolve a bit from the moisture in the cupcakes and the fridge. The brittle can be stored in a ziploc bag on the counter.
- Freezer: Frosted and unfrosted cupcakes can also be frozen. Unfrosted, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or place in a freezer-safe container. If frosted, flash-freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a container. Store for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge. Add the macadamia brittle once they’ve thawed, just before enjoying.
More Fun Cupcake Recipes
Macadamia Brittle Cupcakes
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Ingredients
Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup (207g) sugar
- ½ cup (120ml) water
- ¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Homemade Creamer
- ½ cup (120ml) caramel or caramel Macchiato flavored coffee creamer
- ⅓ cup (43g) whole macadamia nuts (optional, see notes)
Cupcakes
- 1 ⅔ cups (217g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (168g) unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 cup (225g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (115g) sour cream
- ¼ cup (60ml) milk
- ½ cup (120ml) homemade creamer (above)
Macadamia Brittle
- 2 cups (414g) sugar
- ½ cup (120ml) water
- ¼ cup (60ml) corn syrup
- Pinch salt
- 1 ½ cups (195g) macadamia nuts (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Buttercream
- 1 cup (224g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 4 cups (460g) powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons homemade creamer (above)
- 2-3 tablespoons caramel sauce (above)
Instructions
Make the caramel sauce
- In a medium to large sauce pan, combine the granulated sugar and water. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the butter and let it melt.
- Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Stop whisking and don’t whisk at all during this part to help avoid crystallization. Allow to boil until the mixture turns a deep golden copper color, about 10-15 minutes, maybe longer depending on your stove. Keep an eye on it, but do not stir. If needed, you can occasionally tip the pan from side to side to help things cook evenly
- Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add in the heavy whipping cream in a slow, steady stream. The caramel will bubbly up quite a bit, so be careful with this step. Whisk quickly and well as you add the cream, whisking until well combined.
- Add the vanilla extract and salt and whisk to combine. Allow the caramel sauce to cool completely. It will be fairly thin, but will thicken as it cools. Store it in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Make the creamer
- Add the coffee creamer and macadamia nuts to a food processor and puree until smooth. You should end up with ¾ cup of creamer. Set aside.
Make the cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar and vanilla extract together until well combined.
- Add the eggs and whisk together until well combined. Next, add the sour cream and whisk together until well combined. Then, add the milk and coffee creamer and whisk together until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and whisk together until combined, but do not over mix.
- Fill the cupcake liners a little more than 3/4 full (60g) and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove cupcakes from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Make the brittle
- While cupcakes cool, make macadamia brittle. Line a cookie sheet with a silicon baking mat, set aside.
- Stir together sugar, water, corn syrup and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar melts.
- Let sugar mixture boil, stirring occasionally, until mixture turns golden amber, about 5-10 minutes. When it starts to turn, it will turn amber quickly, so keep a close eye on it.
- Once mixture turns amber, remove from heat and stir in macadamia nuts, butter and baking soda using a wooden or heat resistant spatula until combined and evenly distributed. The mixture will rise in the pan a bit, so be careful. Do not over stir the mixture.
- Immediately pour onto prepared baking mat. Quickly spread to about ¼-inch thick, or your desired thickness.
- Let cool completely, about 15 minutes. Break brittle into pieces.
Make the buttercream and assemble
- Add the butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
- Add about half of the powdered sugar and beat until well combined and smooth. Add the coffee creamer and beat until well combined and smooth.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar and beat until well combined and smooth.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of caramel sauce and mix until well combined. Add additional caramel sauce, if needed, to get the right buttercream consistency.
- Pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes. I used Ateco tip 809. Add a drizzle of caramel sauce.
- Just before serving, top cupcakes with a piece of macadamia brittle. The moisture from the cupcakes will cause the brittle to dissolve over time, so you want to add it shortly before serving.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Cupcakes are best eaten within 3-4 days.
Notes
- Macadamia nuts – They add the macadamia flavor to the creamer, but it’s subtle. If you are fine with just caramel creamer, you can skip adding these to the creamer.
- Sour cream – Use full-fat sour cream for the best flavor and texture. It adds richness and moisture to the cupcakes. If you don’t want to use sour cream, plain Greek yogurt is a fine substitute.
- Corn syrup – Helps prevent sugar crystallization so that you get a smooth brittle, rather than gritty and grainy. Don’t leave it out.
- Baking soda – In the brittle, the baking soda creates all the tiny bubbles that aerate it and make it light and crispy, rather than rock hard. Don’t leave it out.
- Powdered sugar – You can reduce the amount used, but you’ll end up with less buttercream that isn’t as thick and may not hold shape when piped. If you’re trying to have less buttercream, you can also reduce all the ingredients in equal proportions to make a smaller amount with the original consistency so that piping still holds up.
- Note on brittle storage – I recommend adding the brittle to the top of the cupcakes shortly before serving them. The cupcakes are very moist and that moisture will cause the brittle to melt a little over time. It still tastes good, but it doesn’t look as pretty. If you don’t plan to serve your cupcakes right away, keep the brittle in a plastic bag at room temperature to ensure the texture stays crisp.
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Hi Lindsay,
This recipe looks wonderful but the Bailey’s macadamia brittle is no longer available!
I was disappointed that I couldn’t try this cupcake recipe.
I’ve made about a dozen of your cupcakes and they are all delicious!!!
Beth
Hello these look amazing and I want to make them for someone who loves Baileys, I havent seen the Macadamia Brittle BAILEYS® Coffee Creamer in Australia do you think it would be possible to replace it with original Baileys? Thank you
The original baileys creamer will probably have a different flavor. These cupcakes have a caramel-y, brown sugar-y quality to them. I might try the caramel or even creme brûlée.
Those look amazing!! Love the addition of nut brittle 🙂
Hey Lindsay! Love your blog!
That’s so funny that you made these because I made a cake out of the same creamer but your cupcakes are much more cute! And I’d have to agree, this creamer is amazing! I could drink it on its own, that’s how good it is.
Hi Connie! Thank you! You’re cake is beautiful as well – love that creamer! 🙂
i forgot just how gorgeous these cupcakes are!!! I’ve never seen anything like it!
Thanks girl!
These are FANTASTIC!
Oh I love what you did with this flavor. I used the bourbon vanilla pound cake flavor but this one was amazing too! These are sooo gorgeous!!
Yummy and so creative!!
Thanks Tina! I hope you guys have a Merry Christmas!
Wow, looks delicious! Happy Holidays & Merry *early* Christmas!
Thank you Stephanie! Merry Christmas to you too! 🙂
You’re like a cupcake/cake magician! I love this one Lindsay!
Thanks Beth!
I love Bailey’s creamers! These cupcakes look fabulous! Pinned, of course.
Have a wonderful Christmas!
Thanks for the pin Melanie! Merry Christmas!
Hey Lindsey. These look amazing like all your desserts! King Arthur Flours website has a nut brittle recipe you make in the microwave. You can use any kind of nut in it. It looked easy enough and might not be as intimidating for those afraid to make candy on the stove.
Can’t wait to try those creamers. I wonder if you could use them to flavor cheesecake?
Great idea Daphne! Thanks! I definitely think they could be used in cheesecake – I thought about making one for this post actually. 🙂
MACADAMIA COFFEE CREAMER IS A THING? And you made it into cupcakes AND brittle?
You just blew my taste buds off my head. These look amazing!
Pinned!
Thanks girl!
These look amazing. I want to try anything with Bailey’s. Anything.
And that brittle sticking up…love it! Brittle bling!
I like that – bling! Thanks Mir! 🙂