Indulge in a truly delightful experience with our Cookies and Cream Cupcakes, a perfectly balanced dessert that brings together the beloved flavors of cookies and cream in an irresistible cupcake form. This recipe is your guide to crafting these crowd-pleasing treats at home, offering a simple yet impressive way to satisfy any sweet craving with ease.
Key Ingredients for Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon white vinegar, let stand for 5 minutes)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup hot water or hot brewed coffee
- ¾ cup finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreos), plus extra for garnish
For the Cookies and Cream Frosting:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ cup milk, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreos)
- Optional: Black food coloring for a darker swirl effect
How to Make Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
These Cookies and Cream Cupcakes offer a delightful blend of rich chocolate cake and creamy frosting, studded with crushed cookies for an extra burst of flavor and texture. It’s an incredibly easy recipe that guarantees satisfaction with every bite, featuring a moist crumb and a decadent frosting. Preparation time is approximately 25 minutes, with an additional 20-25 minutes for baking.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Ensure these ingredients are well combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Add the eggs and whisk until just combined.
- Incorporate Wet into Dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer (or vigorously by hand) until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Add Hot Liquid and Cookies: Gradually add the hot water or hot brewed coffee to the batter, mixing on low speed until smooth. The batter will be thin. Gently fold in the ¾ cup of finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the cupcakes cool in the muffin tin for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Ensure they are entirely cool before frosting.
For the Cookies and Cream Frosting:
- Cream the Butter: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add Powdered Sugar and Milk: Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, alternating with the milk (starting and ending with powdered sugar). Beat on low speed until combined, then increase to medium-high speed and beat until smooth and creamy. Add more milk, one teaspoon at a time, if the frosting is too thick.
- Add Vanilla and Cookies: Stir in the vanilla extract. Gently fold in the ½ cup of finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies.
- Optional Swirl: If desired, divide the frosting into two bowls. Add a drop or two of black food coloring to one bowl and mix until you achieve a deep gray or black color. Swirl the dark frosting into the white frosting using a spatula for a marbled effect.
- Frost the Cupcakes: Once the cupcakes are completely cool, ice them generously with the cookies and cream frosting. Garnish with extra crushed cookies or cookie crumbles.
Why You’ll Love This Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
The star of this dessert is undoubtedly the incredibly moist chocolate cupcake base, perfectly complemented by the rich, creamy frosting bursting with the unmistakable flavor and texture of crushed cookies. It’s a comforting classic that evokes childhood nostalgia, offering a delightful alternative to a standard chocolate cupcake, making it a surefire hit at any gathering.
The beauty of making your own Cookies and Cream Cupcakes lies not only in the satisfaction of homemade goodness but also in the cost-effectiveness compared to bakery prices. You control the quality of ingredients, ensuring a superior taste for a fraction of the cost, and the ability to customize the cookie-to-cream ratio to your heart’s content. Imagine the delight on your loved ones’ faces as they savor these decadent treats – a truly sweet reward for your baking efforts. So, what are you waiting for? Dive into this recipe and bring a little bit of magic to your kitchen today!
Storing and Reheating Tips
- Storing at Room Temperature: Properly frosted Cookies and Cream Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. This is ideal for cupcakes that are meant to be enjoyed within a short timeframe and have a stable frosting that doesn’t require refrigeration.
- Refrigerating for Longer Storage: For longer storage, or if your frosting is more delicate and contains ingredients like cream cheese, refrigerate the cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.
- Freezing for Future Enjoyment: Unfrosted cupcakes can be individually wrapped in plastic wrap and then placed in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. For frosted cupcakes, it’s best to freeze them until the frosting is firm, then wrap them individually to prevent the frosting from sticking to the container.
- Reheating:
- Room Temperature: To reheat cupcakes stored at room temperature, simply bring them out of their container about 30 minutes before serving.
- Refrigerated: For refrigerated cupcakes, allow them to sit at room temperature for at least an hour to soften and reach optimal flavor and texture.
- Thawing Frozen Cupcakes: Thaw unfrosted cupcakes at room temperature for a few hours once removed from the freezer. Thaw frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator overnight, then bring them to room temperature for about an hour before serving.
Final Thoughts
Our Cookies and Cream Cupcakes are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, offering a delightful blend of familiar flavors in a perfectly portioned treat. We encourage you to try this recipe at home; it’s a simple, rewarding way to bring joy and deliciousness to your table.
Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Ensure these ingredients are well combined.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Add the eggs and whisk until just combined.1 cup buttermilk, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer (or vigorously by hand) until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Gradually add the hot water or hot brewed coffee to the batter, mixing on low speed until smooth. The batter will be thin. Gently fold in the ¾ cup of finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies.½ cup hot water or hot brewed coffee, ¾ cup finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the muffin tin for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Ensure they are entirely cool before frosting.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.1 cup unsalted butter
- Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, alternating with the milk (starting and ending with powdered sugar). Beat on low speed until combined, then increase to medium-high speed and beat until smooth and creamy. Add more milk, one teaspoon at a time, if the frosting is too thick.3 cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup milk
- Stir in the vanilla extract. Gently fold in the ½ cup of finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ cup finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
- If desired, divide the frosting into two bowls. Add a drop or two of black food coloring to one bowl and mix until you achieve a deep gray or black color. Swirl the dark frosting into the white frosting using a spatula for a marbled effect.Optional: Black food coloring
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, ice them generously with the cookies and cream frosting. Garnish with extra crushed cookies or cookie crumbles.
Notes
Refrigerating for Longer Storage: For longer storage, or if your frosting is more delicate and contains ingredients like cream cheese, refrigerate the cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.
Freezing for Future Enjoyment: Unfrosted cupcakes can be individually wrapped in plastic wrap and then placed in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months.
Reheating: To reheat cupcakes stored at room temperature, simply bring them out of their container about 30 minutes before serving. For refrigerated cupcakes, allow them to sit at room temperature for at least an hour to soften.