I can’t wait to share my Oreo Cupcake Recipe: tender vanilla cupcakes baked with a whole Oreo inside and topped with a cookies and cream buttercream.

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I love turning something simple into a small surprise, and these Cookies And Cream Oreo Cupcakes do just that. Moist vanilla cupcakes hide a full Oreo cookie and are finished with an Oreo buttercream that owes its silkiness to plenty of unsalted butter.

There’s something a little cheeky about biting through cake into a crunchy center, it makes you grin before you even taste it. If you want an Oreo Cupcake Recipe that feels special, or a Cupcake Recipes From Scratch idea to bring to a party, these will get you curious and maybe just a little obsessed.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: mostly carbs, small protein, gives structure and a soft crumb.
Butter: lots of fat and calories, adds rich flavor and tender texture.
Sugar: pure carbs, makes cupcakes sweet, can spike blood sugar fast.
Eggs: provide protein, help bind and lift, also add moisture and richness.
Milk: gives calcium and some protein, evens batter and keeps crumbs tender.
Sour cream/yogurt: adds tang, fats and a tender crumb, yogurt brings probiotics.
Oreos: crunchy chocolate cookies, mostly sugar and fat, give cookie flavor.
Powdered sugar: pure sweetness, no nutrients, makes frosting smooth and pipeable.

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (190 g), spooned and leveled

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter (115 g), softened, for the batter

1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)

2 large eggs, room temp

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup whole milk (120 ml), room temp

1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (60 g), room temp

12 full Oreo cookies, one to stuff each cupcake

1 cup unsalted butter (230 g), softened, for the frosting

3 to 4 cups powdered sugar (360 to 480 g), sifted

1/4 cup finely crushed Oreo crumbs (about 25 g), plus extra for garnish

2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (30 to 45 ml), more if needed to pipe

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for the frosting)

Pinch of fine salt

Optional: 12 Oreo halves or mini Oreos for tops, and extra whole cookies for serving

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C), line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners and make sure your butter, eggs, milk and sour cream are at room temp; spoon and level the 1 1/2 cups flour before measuring.

2. Whisk together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt in a bowl, set aside.

3. In a mixer bowl beat 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes, then add 2 large eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

4. Mix 1/2 cup whole milk with 1/4 cup sour cream (or plain yogurt). Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions, alternating with the milk-sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients; stir just until combined, do not overmix or cupcakes get dense.

5. Fill liners about 2/3 full with batter, press one full Oreo cookie into the center of each cupcake so it sits mostly covered by batter (if an Oreo sticks up too tall press it down gently so it sits flush).

6. Bake 18 to 22 minutes at 350 F until edges are set and a toothpick in the cake part (not through the cookie) comes out with just a few moist crumbs; let cupcakes cool in the pan 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

7. For the frosting beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter until very creamy, then gradually add 3 cups sifted powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; add a pinch of fine salt and 1/4 cup finely crushed Oreo crumbs and continue beating.

8. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk a little at a time until the frosting is pipeable; if it’s too thin add up to 1 more cup powdered sugar, if too stiff add a bit more cream. Taste and adjust, but don’t overmix or the frosting will turn grayish.

9. Pipe or spread the Oreo buttercream onto completely cooled cupcakes, garnish with extra crushed Oreo crumbs and optional Oreo halves or mini Oreos on top, chill briefly to set if you want, and store airtight up to 3 days or freeze for longer.

Equipment Needed

1. 12-cup muffin tin and 12 paper liners
2. Stand mixer or hand mixer with paddle attachment
3. Two mixing bowls and a whisk (one bowl for dry, one for wet)
4. Measuring cups and spoons, and a kitchen scale if you have one
5. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding, scraping and stirring
6. Cookie scoop or large tablespoon to portion batter into liners
7. Toothpick or cake tester and oven mitts
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Fine mesh sieve for the powdered sugar, plus a plastic bag and rolling pin or small food processor to crush Oreos
10. Piping bag with a round tip or an offset spatula for spreading the frosting

FAQ

Q: Can I swap any ingredients if I dont have them?

A: Yes. You can use plain yogurt instead of sour cream (same amount), and whole milk can be swapped for 2% but cupcakes may be a bit less rich. Melted butter or neutral oil can replace the butter in the batter, but oil gives a more tender crumb. For the frosting stick with real butter for structure, or add a bit of cream cheese if you want less sweetness.

Q: How do I stuff each cupcake with a whole Oreo without it sinking or breaking?

A: Fill each liner about 1/3 to 1/2 full, set a whole Oreo on top of the batter, then cover with more batter until about 3/4 full. Press the cookie down gently so it sits in the center. Dont overfill the liners and avoid jostling the pan into the oven.

Q: What's the proper bake time and how do I tell when they're done?

A: Bake at 350 F (175 C) for about 18 to 22 minutes for standard cupcakes. They're done when the tops spring back when touched lightly and a toothpick in the cake (not the cookie) comes out with a few moist crumbs but no raw batter.

Q: How do I get the frosting smooth enough to pipe but not too sweet?

A: Start with 3 cups powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream, beat room temp butter until light, add sugar slowly, then add cream and vanilla. Add more sugar or cream 1 tablespoon at a time until it holds shape for piping. Fold in the 1/4 cup finely crushed Oreos last. If it tastes too sweet try using 3 cups sugar and a pinch of salt or a tablespoon of cream cheese to balance it.

Q: Can I make these ahead or freeze them?

A: Yes. Unfrosted cupcakes freeze well for up to 3 months. Cool completely, wrap individually, then freeze. To freeze frosted cupcakes, flash freeze on a tray until firm, then wrap. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving. You can also bake a day ahead and frost the next day for best texture.

Q: Mine come out dense or sunken, what went wrong?

A: Common causes are overmixing the batter after adding flour, measuring flour packed instead of spooned and leveled, ingredients not at room temp, or opening the oven door too early. Use the spoon-and-level method for flour, mix just until combined, and make sure your oven temp is accurate.

Cookies And Cream Oreo Cupcakes Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour -> Cake flour for a softer, lighter crumb: either use 1 1/2 cups cake flour, or make your own by removing 3 tbsp of the AP flour and stirring in 3 tbsp cornstarch, then sift before measuring.
Unsalted butter (batter or frosting) -> Salted butter if that’s all you got: use the same amount but skip the recipe’s extra pinch of salt, and cut the frosting salt a tad so it doesn’t taste too salty.
Sour cream or plain yogurt -> Buttermilk or quick-buttermilk: swap 1/4 cup sour cream for 1/4 cup buttermilk, or use 1/4 cup milk + 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar, let it sit 5 minutes to thicken.
Oreos -> Any chocolate sandwich cookie or chocolate wafer works for stuffing and crumbs: use 12 similar-size sandwich cookies, or crush chocolate wafer cookies for the crumbs if you want a slightly less sweet option.

Pro Tips

– Use room-temp everything. If your butter or eggs are cold the batter fights you, and you’ll end up overmixing to compensate. Let them sit on the counter 20 to 30 minutes, not forever, and if you forget toss the eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes to speed it up.

– Don’t overmix the batter or the frosting. Mix just until combined, otherwise the cupcakes get dense and the frosting can go gray and heavy. When adding liquid to the frosting, do it slowly so you can stop as soon as it’s pipeable.

– When you press the cookie into each cup, make it sit mostly covered by batter but not buried. If it’s sticking up too tall the top will burn or fall off, but if it’s too deep the cake can bake weird around it. A gentle press with the back of a spoon usually does the trick.

– Cool fully before frosting and chill briefly after piping if you can. Warm cupcakes make buttercream slide, and chilling firms the frosting so any extra crumbs or cookie halves stay put. If you need to store, airtight in the fridge for a couple days keeps them better than sitting out.

Cookies And Cream Oreo Cupcakes Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

I can’t wait to share my Oreo Cupcake Recipe: tender vanilla cupcakes baked with a whole Oreo inside and topped with a cookies and cream buttercream.

Servings

servings

Calories

566

kcal

Equipment: 1. 12-cup muffin tin and 12 paper liners
2. Stand mixer or hand mixer with paddle attachment
3. Two mixing bowls and a whisk (one bowl for dry, one for wet)
4. Measuring cups and spoons, and a kitchen scale if you have one
5. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding, scraping and stirring
6. Cookie scoop or large tablespoon to portion batter into liners
7. Toothpick or cake tester and oven mitts
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Fine mesh sieve for the powdered sugar, plus a plastic bag and rolling pin or small food processor to crush Oreos
10. Piping bag with a round tip or an offset spatula for spreading the frosting

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (190 g), spooned and leveled
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (115 g), softened, for the batter
1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
2 large eggs, room temp
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk (120 ml), room temp
1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (60 g), room temp
12 full Oreo cookies, one to stuff each cupcake
1 cup unsalted butter (230 g), softened, for the frosting
3 to 4 cups powdered sugar (360 to 480 g), sifted
1/4 cup finely crushed Oreo crumbs (about 25 g), plus extra for garnish
2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (30 to 45 ml), more if needed to pipe
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for the frosting)
Pinch of fine salt
Optional: 12 Oreo halves or mini Oreos for tops, and extra whole cookies for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C), line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners and make sure your butter, eggs, milk and sour cream are at room temp; spoon and level the 1 1/2 cups flour before measuring.
Whisk together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt in a bowl, set aside.
In a mixer bowl beat 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes, then add 2 large eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
Mix 1/2 cup whole milk with 1/4 cup sour cream (or plain yogurt). Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions, alternating with the milk-sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients; stir just until combined, do not overmix or cupcakes get dense.
Fill liners about 2/3 full with batter, press one full Oreo cookie into the center of each cupcake so it sits mostly covered by batter (if an Oreo sticks up too tall press it down gently so it sits flush).
Bake 18 to 22 minutes at 350 F until edges are set and a toothpick in the cake part (not through the cookie) comes out with just a few moist crumbs; let cupcakes cool in the pan 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter until very creamy, then gradually add 3 cups sifted powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; add a pinch of fine salt and 1/4 cup finely crushed Oreo crumbs and continue beating.
Add 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk a little at a time until the frosting is pipeable; if it’s too thin add up to 1 more cup powdered sugar, if too stiff add a bit more cream. Taste and adjust, but don’t overmix or the frosting will turn grayish.
Pipe or spread the Oreo buttercream onto completely cooled cupcakes, garnish with extra crushed Oreo crumbs and optional Oreo halves or mini Oreos on top, chill briefly to set if you want, and store airtight up to 3 days or freeze for longer.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.