Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
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These are the BEST Cookies and Cream Cupcakes! Oreo cookie pieces are inside both the cake AND the Oreo buttercream frosting. All of the magic starts with a cake mix which means this no-fail cupcake is perfect for all baking levels!
Love Oreo cookies? My too! Be sure to try some of my other favorite cookies and cream recipes like my Oreo Rice Krispie Treats, 3-Ingredient Oreo Truffles, and my Cookies and Cream Cookie Recipe!
This post was originally published January 9, 2019. It has since been updated to include fresh photos and helpful recipe tips.
Recipe Features:
- Cake Mix Hack: This cupcake recipe starts with a cake mix! A few twists give you a moist and delicious cake!
- Chocolate Flavor: There is so much chocolate flavor in the cake AND the addition of chocolate sandwich cookies in both the cake and frosting.
- No-Fail: Follow the directions for a super simple no-fail dessert recipe!
These Oreo cupcakes are melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Not even kidding. The addition of cookie pieces inside the chocolate cake batter takes these from good to great. BUT the real star of the show is the cookies and cream frosting.
I took my classic vanilla buttercream recipe and folded crushed cookie pieces right inside. It gives you a beautiful speckle and delicious crunch. Bakery worthy for sure and you can literally put this frosting on any cake recipe. Direct quote from a Pinterest review, “BEST. FROSTING. EVER.”
Cookies and Cream Cupcake Recipe Ingredients:
If you are an Oreo fan, like me, then get ready to meet your new favorite cupcake! These cookies and cream cupcakes with cake mix are the easiest cupcake of all-time. Cookie crumbs are in the cake and frosting- plus a big cookie right on top. They are the ultimate cookies and cream cupcake.
For the Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
What do you need to get started? I’ve talked about how this is a “cake mix hack” but what does that mean exactly? Let’s dive into the ingredient list:
- Cake Mix: I like to use Devils food for this one, but any chocolate cake will do.
- Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix: You’ll pour the powder right into the cake mix itself. Not need to prepare.
- Eggs: Large eggs at room temperature.
- Oil: Coconut, vegetable, or canola will work well. I like to stick with a low flavor option.
- Milk: The swap from water to milk is key to a richer cake base. I like to use 2% milk or higher. You could also opt for coffee, which will produce a more rich cake finish.
- Sour Cream: This is another secret ingredient that really takes these from “box mix” to bakery worthy.
- Oreo Cookie: Not a fan? Any chocolate sandwich cookie will do. We have tried off brands as well as JoJo’s with great success.
How to Make Cookies N Cream Cupcakes:
- PREP: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2, 12 cup, muffin tins with paper liners and set aside for later.
- MIX: Stir together the dry cake mix with the dry pudding mix in the bowl of an electric mixer. Stir in the eggs, oil, water, and sour cream using the paddle attachment, roughly 2 minutes of mixing.
- FOLD: Fold in the 1-1/2 cups of crushed Oreo cookies.
- FILL: Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter, about 1/4 cup.
- BAKE: Bake 12-15 minutes or until the tops are domed and spring back when touched or a toothpick comes out clean.
- COOL: Remove from the pans and transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely.
Helpful Tools
- Cupcake Liners: I’m a big fan of neutral cupcake liner (affiliate) colors. I feel like the star of the show should be the cake itself, but you can find dozens of color options (affiliate) that work amazing. I liked the yellow on my Banana Cupcakes.
- Scoop: I’m obsessed with my cookie scoop (affiliate). I use it for cookies BUT I also use it to evenly fill cupcake liners. This ensures perfect sized cupcakes every single time.
- Airtight Container: Extend the life of your cupcakes by keeping them stored in a large airtight container (affiliate).
Helpful Tips
- Get even cupcake sizes by using a scoop or measuring cup. We typically find that 1/4 cup works perfectly for this recipe.
- Frosting too thick? Try adding an extra 2 tablespoons of heavy cream before adding the cookies. Beat well to give your frosting a nice fluffy finish.
- Be sure to really crumble the cookies. I recommend using a food processor or high powdered blender. If the cookies are too big they will clog your piping tip.
- All ovens bake differently. Be sure to check your cupcakes and adjust the time by a minute or two based on your oven temperature.
FAQ’s
One of the ways to make a quick dessert is to use a cake mix. You can add ingredients, swap some out, and get so creative. The options are endless, but these are a few of our favorite ways to make a boxed cake mix taste like it is homemade:
– Add an extra egg. We always use 3 or 4 eggs in a cake mix. It gives it a richer flavor that is AMAZING. Especially when it’s a chocolate cake.
– Add a little sour cream to boost the flavor.
– Stir in a pudding mix!
– Substitute milk for water. This recipe is better with water, but most of the time this easy switch is enough to give it a great boost.
– Ditch the canned frosting. Opt for a homemade version. All you need is butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk or heavy cream.
Ready for a crazy secret? This was made with a classic vanilla buttercream and simply folded finely crushed Oreo cookies into the mix. The result was a beautifully speckled frosting that was gorgeous on top of the cute little mini cakes.
TIP: Use a food processor or strong blender to get coarse crumbs. This will make it easier to fold into your frosting and to pipe onto the cupcakes.
Yep. I prefer the cookie crumbles folded into the batter. However you can always place one cookie into the cupcake liner and top with batter. Bake as normal for a fun surprise as people eat their cakes!
These Oreo cookie cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container to prevent drying out and contamination. They can be kept on the counter at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Yep! It is best to freeze cupcakes before frosting. Individually wrap each in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container of freezer safe bag. Frozen cupcakes will last up to 3 months.
More Must-Try Cupcakes
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Oreo Cookie Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 (15oz) Box devils food cake mix
- 1 (3.9oz) box instant chocolate pudding
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup oil
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 cup sour cream
- 15 crushed Oreo cookies*
For the frosting:
- 2 cups unsalted butter (softened)
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 15 crushed Oreo cookies*
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2, 12 cup, muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.
- Stir together the dry cake mix with the dry pudding mix in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the eggs, oil, milk, and sour cream using the paddle attachment, roughly 2 minutes of mixing.
- Fold in the 1-1/2 cups of crushed Oreo cookies.
- Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter, about 1/4 cup.
- Bake 12-15 minutes or until the tops are domed and spring back when touched or a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from the pans and transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely.
For the frosting:
- Place the softened butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, keeping your mixer on low speed to fully incorporate.
- Stir in the vanilla and heavy cream.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 4 minutes. You want the frosting nice and fluffy.
- Fold in the crushed cookies using a spatula.
- Spread or pipe onto your cupcakes.
Video
Notes
Equipment
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.
My grandson has asked for these cupcakes two years in a row for his birthday. Everyone comments that they are the best cupcakes they’ve ever had.
That is the sweetest compliment, Susan! I’m so happy to hear your grandson loves these cupcakes so much—what an honor to be part of his birthday tradition! Thank you for sharing, and I truly appreciate your kind words. Wishing him a very happy birthday (with lots of cupcakes, of course)!
Made this cake into cupcakes last week. My granddaughter liked it so well I made her a cake for her birthday. We were having dinner out, so she shared it with the waiter. He ate it and shared it with co-workers. Everyone came back to our table and said it was the best cake they had ever eaten. Needless to say, she took very little cake home. Thanks for the GREAT recipe. And so easy to make with a cake mix.
This comment made my day, Helen! I am so thrilled that this cake was such a hit.
Recipe is very simple yet it yields delicious cupcakes. For the frosting, I only used 3 cups of sugar. It was very sweet even with only that mount. cake came out supper moist. Thank you for sharing.
I have baked these a few times before and they have always turned out so wonderful! Thank you for this recipe!
I haven’t baked them in a while though and i was just wondering if it is only the eggs that need to be at room temperature? Does the sour cream and milk also need to be at room temperature? I can’t seem to remember what I’ve done in the past lol.
Hi Isabella, I do recommend using all room temperature ingredients. Using room temperature ingredients when making cupcakes helps create a smoother batter, which leads to a more even texture and better rise.
Do you really mean 2 cups of butter for the icing? Not 2 sticks? It just seems like a lot of butter for the amount of powdered sugar.
Hi Melissa, yes. This recipe does call for 4 whole sticks of butter. You can always test using only 1 cup if you’d like. If you do, I’d love to know how it works out. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
The pickle relish recipe should last for about 1 to 2 weeks when stored properly. Store the relish in an airtight container to prevent contamination and maintain its flavor and keep it refrigerated.
I was wondering what tip you used when piping the frosting. Thanks!
Hi Lori, you can get these exact results with any of these tips: Ateco 866 to 869
Thank you!
Can you make the frosting a couple hours in advance
Hi Alyssa, you should be able to. Just keep it stored in the refrigerator. When you are ready to decorate, let the frosting sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Give it a mix and you should be good to go.
When does the milk get added? With the oil and eggs?
Yes.
How many cupcakes is there?
There is a total on the recipe card. I get 30 cupcakes from this recipe. However, depending on your size, you could get 24 larger cupcakes.
I want to try this recipe but need it eggless, any suggestions? We just found out that my one year old is allergic to eggs and can’t tolerate them in baked goods saddl y.
Hi Shirley, I can’t be 100% sure, but I did find this post sharing how to make a cake mix eggless. I think it could be applied here. I’d double check the ingredients of the cake mix you purchase and the oreo cookies first.
have you tried this with mini cupcake liners?
Hi Janet. I have not, but I think it could still work. I would use 1 tablespoon of batter and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.
My frosting seems heavy, double checked and everything is right, should I add more whipping cream? Or what is best here? Thx!
Hi April, if you frosting is too thick I would suggest adding a little more cream to help thin it out. Start with 1/2-1 tablespoon and go from there.
Hi…so I was planning to make the cupcake on Friday and frost it on Saturday morning for a Saturday afternoon party will the frosting be ok i mean stays and hold itself till the afternoon?
Hi Liza, yes. The frosting should hold up well for you to be able to make it advance.
Thanks for a quick reply.I do not need to put the frost cupcakes in the refrigerator right? Sorry I am new to baking and the cupcake will be for my friends 50th birthday thats why I am nervous.
No need to apologize, Liza! I’m always happy to answer questions. You won’t need to refrigerate these cupcakes. I would, however, keep them stored away from direct heat (like the sun) until you are ready to serve.
A quick top for the frosting, make sure you blend the cookie crumbs really well. They will mix in better when they are a fine crumb and it makes it easier to frost the cupcakes.
If you need a quicker response while you are baking, feel free to email me at [email protected].
I’m hoping to make this recipe as one of several for my wedding reception! I’m wondering if you think it would be okay to freeze the batter for a few days, thaw, and then bake? Obviously I’ll test it first, but thought I’d ask for any tips & tricks you might have!
Hi Annaka, Ok. So here’s the thing. You can technically freeze cake batter, but I’ve never tried it with this specific recipe. I’m not sure if that will change the texture with the cookie crumbs. I have, however, frozen baked unfrosted cupcakes and they turned out great.
Can this be made without a box cake mix? Any suggestions on how that recipe would be?
Yep. You can make a from scratch chocolate cake and fold in crushed cookies. It would taste delicious.
I’ve logged in,saved, become a follower… I cannot get the recipe… it’s cover by a locked screen?
HELP QUICKLY PLEASE
Hi Sherry, is the email address you used for this comment the correct one? I don’t have that email on the subscribe list. Did you get a confirmation when you signed up?
Is that supposed to be 3.9 oz. pudding???
We’ve made it both ways with good results. I’ll add that to the notes.
This is my new go-to recipe! Delicious, moist, and rave reviews! I made the icing the night before and mixed in the Oreos before frosting with a wide tipped piping bag. They looked so professional since the cupcakes didn’t sink or flatten over the liners. Highly recommend!
Can you use Greek plain yogurt instead of sour cream?
Hi, Jannon. I’m sure you could. That is a great substitute option for sour cream.
I made these for a family with 4 little boys. They were wonderful! Nice moist cupcakes and the frosting was delicious. I used 8oz butter and 8oz cream cheese because I ran out of butter in the frosting . Followed the recipe otherwise and the frosting piped onto the cupcakes without a problem . ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks for the review, Pat! I can’t wait to try the frosting with cream cheese. That probably added such a delightful tang!
Hello, I want to try this recipe but my question is can I use the dry ingredients from a homemade recipe for chocolate cupcakes instead of the box mix? Would it still work the same?
Hi Ashley, YES. Just fold the cookies that are called for into your batter. I do this all of the time. The other option is you could place a whole cookie into the bottom of the cupcake liner and add chocolate batter right on top.
So disappointed. The cupcakes tasted great and the frosting tasted great but once I folded in the Oreo crumbs in the frosting, the frosting turned into cement and would not pipe. Next time I will frost with buttercream and sprinkle the Oreo crumbs on top. I made these for birthdays for a youth center here in town and I just wish they were a little prettier. I’m sure they will taste good.
Hi Sally, I apologize that your frosting became too thick. Next time, if you want to try again, try making sure the cookies are fine crumbs and adding additional cream to the frosting to thin it out. Occasionally I’ll add up to 1/4 cup. If it becomes too runny you can whip it a little longer and the cream will start to stabilize and thicken.
I hope the cupcakes still tasted good.
Can I use cake pan instead of cupcake tin? Have you ever tried this b4?
Thanks
Sarah
Hi Sarah, I haven’t made this in a cake pan, but it shouldn’t be a problem. Follow the baking directions on the back of the cake mix box. 🙂
Do they need to be stored in the refrigerator?
Hi Maria. Thank you for your question. You should store frosted cupcakes in your airtight container on the counter at room temperature. No need to refrigerate.
Great recipe. I made these for a birthday celebration so I used the birthday cake Oreos inserting one at the bottom as suggested for a little more surprise. Rather than tackling the whole Oreos I used the minis for the frosting; it worked very well. Thank you for sharing!
What a great idea to use the birthday cookies! I’ll have to give it a try.
This is my go to recipe if I need to make cupcakes for an event…they are AMAZING! Was thinking of trying lemon cake mix and pudding and then using the lemon oreos for a summer switch. Think that will work?
Yes! I actually have a very similar cupcake coming to the blog next week!
Do u use Instant chocolate pudding?
Hi Carol, yes. I use instant. Thanks for catching that. I’ll add it into the recipe card.
The frosting is dynamite!
I have to agree! It is one of my favorites.
Do you remove The cream center of the Oreos before folding into icing
No. Just be sure to blend them really well. Once that’s done you won’t see much of the filling.
Do the oreos sink to the bottom of the cupcakes?
Hi Maria, They shouldn’t sink. Just make sure to fold them in and not fully mix.
Why might the cupcakes/cake be collapsing?
A couple of different things can cause your cupcakes to sink in the middle. Two of the most common reasons are aver beating the batter or opening the oven door too frequently allowing the temperature to drop.
I haven’t had issues with a cake mix before. Maybe try a different brand or check the expiration date?
I love these cupcakes! I made the version that’s in the cookbook which is like an elevated version of this and it’s amazing. Do yourself a favor and make these. Now! Go!
Are these ok to make the night before an event or does the cookie get soggy?
You can definitely make them the night before. If you are going to add a cookie as decoration, I would wait and add them just before serving.
How did you get the frosting so white? Mine has a hint of yellow from the butter.
Different butters have a different yellow tint. If you find that your buttercream is more yellow, and want to get that beautiful white, I suggest one or two drops of bright white food coloring. I always have it on hand when making buttercream to give it that brighter true white color. Not necessary, but nice when you are decorating for an event or party.
I use this one:
https://amzn.to/2NXNemi
Do you think this would work well with a vanilla boxed cake and vanilla instant pudding?
I don’t see why not. I’ve made cupcakes with vanilla cake and vanilla pudding with great success.
Thank you! I plan to put a chocolate ganache inside with the oreo buttercream 🙂
That sounds delicious!!
Quick question, did you use instant pudding mix or the cook and serve one? Thanks
I used instant pudding. I’ll add that into the recipe, thanks for pointing it out!
How long would you bake if its a 13×9 or two 8 inch pans
I have only made these as cupcakes, so I can’t be sure. I would guess around 30-15 minutes for both. But I would check it around 20-15 minutes.
Do you include the Oreo cream in the recipe? Or just the actual cookie?
For the frosting?
I did leave it in mine, but I also used a high powered blender. It was finely blended. You can definitely scrape the cream out of the cookies if you need to.
This is more of a question than a comment, but how well do you think your frosting would work for a red velvet cake? It’d be about ten inches in diameter and about 2-3 layers tall
I think the frosting would taste great on red velvet! I would suggest doubling the frosting to make sure you have enough to fill and frost the cake.
I have tried the frosting on a red velvet cake and it was excellent. I did have to double the recipe. I used the red velvet flavored Oreo cookies instead of the regular chocolate Oreo cookies and it was excellent!!
This sounds AMAZING. We do love those red velvet oreo cookies!
Saw these on pinterest and thought I would give them a try. Super easy to make and taste like an oreo cookie. My husband ate 3 and gives them two thumbs up. Thanks for sharing the recipe.