This post may contain affiliate links, please see the privacy policy for details.
These Oreo cupcakes combine moist vanilla cake filled with crushed cookies, creamy Oreo frosting whipped with more Oreo cookie crumbs and a crunchy topping for the perfect bite. The cupcakes bake up soft and tender with chunks of chocolate cookie in every layer. A swirl of frosting locks in sweetness while the Oreo garnish adds a little crunch. They’re ideal for birthdays, parties or just because you want something fun, flavorful and homemade without much effort.
Oreo cupcakes blend moist vanilla cake, cookie crumbs and creamy frosting for a fun, flavorful treat that’s really easy to make and perfect for any celebration.
You might also like Oreo pie, Oreo muffins, Oreo blondies, Oreo choc chip cookies, and these Oreo apple balls.
Why You’ll Love It
Fun flavor: Classic cookies and cream flavor in cupcake form.
Easy to make: Simple steps mean anyone can bake them.
Great texture: Soft cake, creamy frosting and cookie crunch in every bite.
Crowd-pleaser: Perfect for parties or sharing with friends and family.
Cookies & Cream Cupcakes Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Butter: Adds richness and keeps the cake soft. You can use salted or unsalted butter. If using salted, omit the extra salt to keep the flavors balanced.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cupcake batter.
Eggs: Provide structure and help with rise.
Vanilla extract: Gives warmth and sweet aroma to the vanilla frosting.
All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the cupcake batter.
Baking powder: Ensures the cupcakes rise properly.
Kosher salt: Balances sweetness and flavors.
Milk: Adds moisture for a tender crumb. I find 2% milk works best, although you can use whole milk for richer cupcakes. I don’t recommend nonfat milk.
Oreo cookies: Oreo crumbs go into the batter, frosting and garnish.
Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting. If you don’t have any, make your own by blitzing granulated sugar with some cornstarch until fine.
How to Make Oreo Cupcakes
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Make the batter: Beat softened butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla, then mix in dry ingredients alternating with milk.
Add cookies: Fold in crushed Oreo cookies gently for even distribution.
Bake the cupcakes: Fill cupcake liners in a cupcake pan or muffin pan with cake batter and bake until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, then cool completely on a cooling rack.
Make the frosting: Beat butter, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth, then stir in finely crushed Oreos.
Assemble: Spread or pipe frosting over the cooled cupcakes and top with chopped Oreo cookies, cookie crumbs and/or Oreo Thins.
Substitutions and Variations
Dairy-free option: Use plant-based butter and non-dairy milk for a dairy-free version.
Gluten-free option: Swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the all-purpose flour.
Flavored Oreos: Try seasonal or flavored Oreos for a unique twist, perhaps lemon cookies for the spring or peppermint ones for winter.
Different cookies: Any chocolate sandwich cookie works, or you could try vanilla or even gingerbread sandwich cookies for a change of flavor. I find that Oreo Thins work best for decorating the frosting cupcakes. Regular Oreos are a little unwieldy and the mini ones don’t look good either, so use Oreo Thins if you can get them, or simply use cookie crumbs or chunks as a decoration.
Chocolate Oreo cupcakes: Add cocoa powder to the batter for moist chocolate cupcakes.
Double chocolate cupcakes: Add ½ cup of cocoa powder to the dry ingredients and reduce the flour by the same amount for an extra chocolatey version.
Make mini cupcakes: Just reduce the baking time and check early for doneness.
Try a different frosting: Instead of the Oreo flavor frosting, try a cream cheese, sour cream or buttercream frosting, perhaps flavored with black cocoa powder for a chocolate flavor and richness.
Stuffed surprise: Add half an Oreo to the bottom of each cupcake liner before adding the batter for a crunchy surprise inside.
Serving Suggestions
With a coffee: Enjoy a latte breve, pistachio latte or Irish cream coffee with your Oreo cupcakes.
With another drink: Medicine ball tea and sparkling strawberry lemonade are more options.
For dessert: Serve the cupcakes as they are or pair them with chocolate peanut butter cookies for a chocolate dessert duo.
How to Store Oreo Cupcakes
Store: If you have leftover cupcakes, you can keep them (frosted) in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. I recommend bringing them to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
Freeze: Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months, thaw before frosting. You can also freeze the frosting separately, whipping it again after thawing.
Thaw: Let frozen cupcakes defrost at room temperature before decorating.
Top Tips
Room temperature ingredients: Ensures smooth batter and even baking.
Don’t overmix: Overmixing makes cupcakes dense rather than fluffy.
Perfect crush: For the cupcake batter, leave cookie chunks slightly larger for texture. For the frosting, use finely crushed crumbs so the piping nozzle doesn’t clog.
Check early: Start testing for doneness before the baking time ends.
Cool completely: Frosting melts on warm cupcakes, so let them cool first.
No piping bag? You can snip the corner off a Ziploc bag or simply spread the frosting over the Oreo cookie cupcakes with an offset spatula instead of using a piping bag with piping tip.
Frosting consistency: You can thin overly thick frosting by adding a teaspoon of milk at a time until you achieve the right consistency. If it’s too thin, mix in more powdered sugar.
Piping the frosting? Make a batch and a half of frosting if you’re piping it on instead of spreading it on.
Cookies and Cream Cupcakes FAQs
Yes, fold in crushed Oreos to a vanilla or chocolate boxed mix for convenience.
No, the cream blends smoothly and adds sweetness.
No, you can use a stand mixer or electric mixer. Or even mix by hand if you’re feeling energetic!
Oreo Cupcakes Recipe
Oreo Cupcakes
Equipment
- Muffin Pan 1 x 24-Cup or 2 x 12-Cup
- Stand Mixer or Electric Mixer
- Pastry Bag or Offset Spatula for Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- ⅔ Cup butter, at room temperature
- 1 ¾ Cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, large, at room temperature
- 1 ½ Teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ Cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ Teaspoons baking powder
- ½ Teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¼ Cups milk, 2% or whole
- 20 Oreo cookies, regular size, coarsely crushed, about 2 Cups
For the Frosting
- 1 Cup butter, at room temperature
- 3 Cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons milk, 2% or whole
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ Cups Oreo cookies, finely crushed, about 15 regular-sized Oreos
Optional Toppings
- Oreo Thins, whole
- Oreo cookies, crushed
Instructions
Prepare the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 24-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, alternating with the milk, and continue beating until the batter is smooth.
- Gently fold in the crushed Oreo pieces until evenly distributed.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared liners, filling each about ¾ full.
- Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare the Frosting
- In a large bowl, combine the butter, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract.
- Beat until the mixture is light, creamy and smooth.
- Stir in the finely crushed Oreo crumbs until fully incorporated.
- If you want to sprinkle cookie crumbs on top, pulse a few extra Oreos in a food processor until finely ground and set them aside.
Frost the Cupcakes
- Spread or pipe the frosting over the cooled cupcakes.
- For a finishing touch, sprinkle with the reserved cookie crumbs and top with whole Oreo Thins.
Notes
Don’t overmix: Overmixing makes cupcakes dense rather than fluffy.
Perfect crush: For the cupcake batter, leave cookie chunks slightly larger for texture. For the frosting, use finely crushed crumbs so the piping nozzle doesn’t clog.
Check early: Start testing for doneness before the baking time ends.
Cool completely: Frosting melts on warm cupcakes, so let them cool first.
No piping bag? You can snip the corner off a Ziploc bag or simply spread the frosting over the Oreo cookie cupcakes with an offset spatula instead of using a piping bag with piping tip.
Frosting consistency: You can thin overly thick frosting by adding a teaspoon of milk at a time until you achieve the right consistency. If it’s too thin, mix in more powdered sugar.
Piping the frosting? Make a batch and a half of frosting if you’re piping it on instead of spreading it on.
Nutrition
These Oreo cupcakes feature tender vanilla cake, crunchy cookie bits and a cream frosting swirled on top for a fun, bakery-style treat at home. With simple substitutions for gluten-free or dairy-free options, they’re easy to adapt to your needs. Perfect for parties or weekend baking, these yummy homemade cupcakes deliver big cookies and cream flavor in every bite while staying simple enough for any home baker to master. If you like Oreos and cupcakes, you’ll adore these!
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
