Cookies and Cream Cupcakes are simple to make and finished with a rich Oreo buttercream. These homemade vanilla cupcakes are studded with Oreo pieces and crowned with a cookies-and-cream frosting—perfect for birthdays, parties, or any time you crave a nostalgic treat.
Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
These cupcakes are an Oreo lover’s dream: cookies baked into the cake and folded into the frosting for double-cookie flavor. The familiar chocolate sandwich cookie with vanilla cream brings a comforting, familiar taste to every bite.
As a child I always picked cookies and cream ice cream for birthdays, so turning that flavor into cupcakes felt like the perfect celebration. The recipe below yields moist vanilla cupcakes with crunchy Oreo bits and a smooth, cookie-studded buttercream.
Oreos for Cupcakes and Frosting
This recipe uses about 18 Oreo cookies for both the batter and the frosting. You’ll want some cookies broken into larger chunks for the cupcake batter and the rest processed into fine crumbs for the frosting.
To prepare the cookies, place them in a food processor and pulse roughly 10 times. Reserve 3/4 cup of the chunkier pieces for the batter, then process the remaining cookies until they become fine crumbs—about 1 cup—to fold into the buttercream. Having a few extra cookies for garnish is a nice touch.
The recipe makes 15 cupcakes, so buying a family-size package of regular Oreos ensures you have enough for the cake, frosting, and decoration.
To Make Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
I debated between chocolate and vanilla cupcakes, but vanilla lets the Oreo flavor shine. This vanilla base is easy and moist—similar in convenience to a boxed mix but made from scratch using oil instead of butter.
Sift the Dry Ingredients
Begin by sifting the dry ingredients to ensure a light cupcake crumb. If you don’t have a sieve, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt thoroughly to combine.
Whisk the Oil, Sugar, Eggs, and Vanilla
- Whisk together the oil and granulated sugar until combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Alternate Adding the Flour Mixture and Buttermilk
- Add half the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Add all of the buttermilk and mix until incorporated.
- Fold in the remaining dry ingredients and the chunky crushed Oreos. Mix gently—do not overwork the batter.
Scoop and Bake
- Scoop the batter into lined cupcake pans about two-thirds full (approximately 15 cupcakes). Avoid overfilling.
- Bake at 350°F (375°F for high altitude) for 15–20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
Make Cookies and Cream Frosting
The frosting is a classic buttercream blended with finely ground Oreo crumbs for a true cookies-and-cream finish.
- Cream room-temperature butter until light and fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar in 1/2-cup increments, mixing well after each addition until smooth.
- Stir in vanilla and the fine Oreo crumbs until evenly distributed.
Tip: Using salted butter balances sweetness. If you use unsalted butter, add 1/8–1/4 teaspoon salt to taste.
Piping Oreo Frosting
If the Oreo crumbs are very fine, most large piping tips will work. If you’re concerned about small chunks clogging the tip, use one with a larger opening such as a round tip (Wilton 1A) or an open star tip (Wilton 1M). Pipe the frosting onto each cooled cupcake and finish by inserting an Oreo or a cookie piece on top for decoration.
More Recipes Using Oreo Cookies
- Oreo Fudge
- Mint Oreo Cheesecake Bars
- Oreo Pizza
- Cookies and Cream Popcorn
- Fudge Brownie Oreo Pizza
- Cookies and Cream Cookies
- Oreo Ice Cream Dessert
- Cookies and Cream Rice Krispies
- Oreo Cookie Balls
- Oreo Fudge Ice Cream
- Cookies and Cream Donut
Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 ¼ cups (150 g) all-purpose flour (stir, spoon, & level)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (118 ml) oil (canola/vegetable)
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (118 ml) buttermilk (or milk + 1 tsp white vinegar/lemon juice)
- ¾ cup (81 g) chunky crushed Oreos*
Frosting:
- 1 cup (226 g) butter (2 sticks), room temperature
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (116 g) finely blended Oreos*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (375°F for high altitude). Line muffin tins with paper liners.
- Prepare Oreos: place 18 Oreo cookies in a food processor and pulse about 10 times. Remove ¾ cup of larger chunks for the batter. Process the remaining cookies to fine crumbs (about 1 cup) for the frosting; set aside.
For the Cupcakes:
- Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk oil and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Stir in vanilla.
- Add half the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add all of the buttermilk and mix until incorporated.
- Fold in the remaining dry ingredients and the chunky crushed Oreos until just combined. Do not over mix.
- Scoop batter into prepared pans about 2/3 full (about 15 cupcakes). Bake 15–20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely before frosting.
For the Frosting:
- Cream butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing after each addition.
- Add vanilla and the fine Oreo crumbs. Mix until combined and smooth.
- Fit a piping bag with a large tip (Wilton 1M or 1A). Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and garnish with an Oreo cookie or cookie piece just before serving.
Notes
- Purchase a family-size package of Oreos to ensure enough for batter, frosting, and garnish.
- If making buttermilk from milk and vinegar/lemon juice, let it sit 5 minutes before using.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container up to 3 days. Add the Oreo garnish just before serving to prevent it from softening.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated using a third-party tool and are estimations only.
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