Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
Cookies and cream cupcakes are a fun way to use Oreo cookies in a dessert. The cupcakes are light and fluffy, topped with an easy whipped cream frosting and decorated with cookies for a fun touch. They are great for birthdays, potlucks or any occasion when you want a cute dessert.
I’ve had Oreos on the brain a lot lately and have been trying to come up with different Oreo dessert recipes. I really loved my chocolate Oreo cupcakes, and after I made them I got an idea to make a cookies and cream cupcakes from one of my readers, Sandy.
The cupcake base is my favorite white cake recipe and I folded in crushed cookies. The frosting is an easy whipped cream frosting with even more crushed cookies folded in. I really wanted these to look like cookies and cream and I think I achieved it. Just in case, I garnished each cupcake with an Oreo that way whoever enjoys one knows exactly what it is.
Notes about the Cupcake Batter
- These cupcakes are made with cake flour so they have a really nice and tender crumb. The flour is sifted with the other dry ingredients which gives the cupcakes a light and airy texture.
- The batter also has sour cream which gives the cupcakes a lot of moisture. It also gives them a subtle tanginess.
- Once you’ve creamed the butter and sugar be sure to egg the eggs one at time. This ensures they are fully incorporated into the batter.
- Once you’ve added the dry ingredients only stir until the batter is just combined. Overmixing the batter will overwork the flour and your cupcakes may not be as soft and fluffy.
Tips for Prepping the Oreos
It might be simple, but I had a lot of trouble with the Oreos when I tested these cupcakes and so I wanted to share my best tips so you can get it right the first time!
- You will need crushed cookies for the batter and the frosting and I recommend crushing them in two batches: one for the cupcakes and the other for the frosting.
- For the batter, crush the cookies long enough so there aren’t any large chunks, but they don’t necessarily need to be super fine.
- For the frosting, you will want to crush the cookies very fine. That way, when you pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes, the crushed cookies won’t plug up your piping tip. The cookies need to be crushed small enough so they can pass through the piping bag. I had to learn this the hard way!
- For crushing the Oreos, I recommend using a food processor. IF you don’t have one, you can place them in a resealable bag and pound on the with a rolling pin. It will take longer to finely crush them this way, but it will work.
Frosting and Decoration
I really like whipped cream frosting because it’s not as sweet as regular frosting and it’s lighter, too. All I do is whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Then I fold in the finely crushed cookies and transfer the frosting to a piping bag.
To decorate the cupcakes, pipe the frosting on top of each one. For an added touch, I like to decorate each with a whole Oreo placed in the frosting.
I think they turned out so cute and they’d be great for a birthday party, potluck or other celebration. If you’re looking for more cupcake recipes you might like my Nutella cupcakes, strawberries and cream cupcakes and hydrangea flower cupcakes.
Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter
- 2 1/2 cup cake flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup crushed oreos
Frosting
- 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 6 Oreo cookies, finely crushed in food processor
- 16 Oreos for the top of each cupcake
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line cupcake pan with cupcake liners (recipe makes about 16 cupcakes).
- Sift flour, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl.
- In bowl of mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until combined. Add sour cream, oil and vanilla until combined. Add flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in crushed oreos.
- Fill cupcake pans 3/4 way. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- While cupcakes are cooling make the frosting. For the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until the whipped cream holds stiff peaks. Crush 6 oreo cookies in a food processor (if you don't own one, you should finely crush the oreos into small crumbs or else the cookies will get stuck in the piping bag or piping tip). Gently fold in the cookie crumbs with a spatula.
- Frost as desired (I used the Wilton 1M tip). Then top each cupcake with an oreo cookie.
hi!
Do you use whole cookies to be crushed (for the batter and frosting), or do you scrape off the stuffing first?
whole cookie!
Hi,
These look amazing! For sure book marking this recipe. Question on the flour; can you use All-Purpose instead of ‘Cake’ flour? I’m trying to find a good solid white cake recipe to use again and again, and have had no luck. Their either too ‘wet’ and don’t rise much, or too dry.
Thanks!
I’m not sure how the texture of the cake will be if you use all purpose instead of cake flour. I mean I’m sure it’s possible to substitute, but I don’t know how it will taste.
Hi, the sugar used is powdered sugar or granulated sugar?
Granulated. For all my recipes if I say sugar it is granulated. If it’s anything else, I’ll specificy.
How long do you think the icing will last? I am making cookies and cream cupcakes for my son’s 1st birthday and would like to do some make ahead….How long do the cupcakes last when they’re iced and kept in fridge? I’d like to make them on Saturday for a Sunday afternoon party! Thanks so much! Great site, I’ll definitely be back!
If the cupcakes ar being consumed the next day, I think the icing should be fine. After I made mine and iced them I had some leftover and put in the fridge and they were still good the next day. I wouldn’t make them any earlier than one day thou because the icing begins to wilt and turn oily.
Did you have any frosting left over? I have to frost over 24, possible 36 cupcakes and was wondering if I should double the frosting recipe. Thanks.
I would double the frosting. The recipe isn’t enough to make 24-36.
I’ll definitely be making them again! The fiancee and roommates all had rave reviews!
I made these last night and they’re delicious! Sadly, I forgot to refrigerate them, and I doubt the heavy cream frosting mixture is good now, 24 hours later. 🙁 They were good while they lasted!
Aw that’s too bad. Yeah the frosting probably isn’t good anymore without refrigeration.
Cookies and Cream are a great flavor combination and your cupcakes look delish! I’m going to have to try these for my granddaughters!
I hope they enjoy them!
Delicious!
Was it Cookies ‘N Cream ice cream you stuck in the fridge? You know what you’d get? Cookies ‘N Cream Crème Anglaise! Not a bit crème anglaise fan.
Man, I’ve had those kind of kind of days. I call those “my head is up my a**” days, hehe. But your cupcakes look delicious and beautiful.
Heh, no it was actually this avocado ice cream I had just made in my ice cream maker. I thought I’d “firm it up” but made a mess since it was in the fridge…
these cupcakes look amazing! looks like third time was the charm 🙂 I dont have a food processor – do you think I could still add the oreos to the frosting?
Yes, but make sure your oreos are crushed very very finely. You might want to try using a meat tenderizer (stuff the cookies in a bag and pound away) or something similar to help grind the cookies to small crumbs.
Thanks for the mention, Kirbie! I’m going to try your white cake recipe with the oreos – I used to use a white cake mix.
Your cupcakes do look gorgeous, despite the troubles you had.
Thanks for the idea! This cake recipe is pretty versatile and easy to put together. I may fiddle around with the recipe some more and of course if I find something better, I’ll post it up.