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Oreo Cupcakes are rich, moist chocolate cupcakes crowned with a fluffy cookies and cream buttercream, a drizzle of chocolate, and a whole Oreo on top. I made these for *Lizzie’s class party* and they were the first thing to disappear, kids and parents alike. If you love our chocolate cupcakes, this Oreo-loaded version is pure cookies-and-cream heaven.
These easy Oreo cupcakes start with a one-bowl chocolate cupcake and finish with a crushed Oreo buttercream that is creamy, sweet, and loaded with cookie bits.
Oreo Cupcakes Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 25 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 18 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 43 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 12 cupcakes
- ⚡ Calories: 580kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Rich chocolate cupcakes with sweet cookies and cream Oreo frosting
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a fun cupcake like our chocolate cupcakes
Quick Answer
To make Oreo cupcakes, bloom cocoa powder in boiling water, then beat in eggs, butter, sugar, flour, and baking powder to make a smooth chocolate batter. Divide it among a lined muffin pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 18 to 22 minutes, then cool. For the frosting, beat butter with powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until fluffy, then mix in crushed Oreos. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and top each with a whole Oreo.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Blooming cocoa deepens the chocolate. Pouring boiling water over the cocoa powder releases its full flavor for a richer, moister chocolate cupcake.
- One-bowl batter keeps it easy. Everything mixes together in one bowl, so these cupcakes come together fast with minimal cleanup.
- Crushed Oreos make the frosting. Folding crushed Oreos right into the buttercream gives it that unmistakable cookies and cream flavor in every swirl.
- Butter makes the frosting pipeable. A proper American buttercream base holds its shape, so the frosting pipes into beautiful, sturdy swirls.
- Milk dials in the consistency. Adding milk a little at a time lets you get the frosting perfectly creamy and spreadable without it being too stiff or too soft.
- A whole Oreo on top says it all. Crowning each cupcake with a whole Oreo makes them instantly recognizable and irresistible.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They are rich chocolate cupcakes loaded with cookies and cream frosting in every bite.
- They are perfect for birthdays, parties, and bake sales, just like our almond cupcakes.
- They start with an easy one-bowl chocolate cupcake and a simple Oreo buttercream anyone can pipe.
Key Ingredients
A simple chocolate cupcake plus a buttery Oreo frosting is all it takes. Here are the ingredients that matter most.
- Oreos: Crushed Oreos go right into the frosting for that cookies and cream flavor, and a whole Oreo crowns each cupcake.
- Cocoa powder: Blooming cocoa in boiling water gives the cupcakes a deep, rich chocolate flavor and moist crumb.
- Butter: Softened butter makes both the tender cupcakes and the fluffy, pipeable Oreo buttercream.
- Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar sweetens and thickens the frosting so it holds beautiful swirls.
- Milk: A splash of milk loosens the frosting to the perfect pipeable, creamy consistency.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These Oreo cupcakes are easy to customize:
- Add an Oreo surprise: Press a whole Oreo into the bottom of each liner before adding the batter for a hidden cookie base.
- Switch the frosting: Top them with our chocolate cream cheese frosting for an even richer cupcake.
- Use different Oreos: Try Golden, Mint, or Peanut Butter Oreos in the frosting for a fun flavor twist.
- Make mini cupcakes: Bake the batter in a mini muffin pan for bite-sized treats, reducing the bake time to about 10 minutes.
How to Make Oreo Cupcakes
- Sift the cocoa powder into a large bowl and pour over the boiling water, stirring into a smooth paste.
- Add the eggs, softened butter, granulated sugar, flour, and baking powder to the cocoa mixture.
- Beat everything together with a hand mixer until you have a smooth chocolate cupcake batter.
- Divide the batter evenly among a lined 12-cup muffin pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 18 to 22 minutes, then cool completely.
- For the frosting, beat the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until fluffy, then mix in the crushed Oreos.
- Pipe the Oreo frosting onto the cooled cupcakes, drizzle with melted chocolate if using, and top each with a whole Oreo.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Bloom the cocoa in boiling water for the deepest chocolate flavor and a moist crumb.
- Do not overfill the liners, fill them about two-thirds full so the cupcakes rise evenly without overflowing.
- Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting, or the buttercream will melt and slide right off.
- Crush the Oreos finely for the frosting so it pipes smoothly, leaving any chunky pieces for the tops.
- Use a large open piping tip like a Wilton 1M so the Oreo bits do not clog the nozzle.
- Add milk gradually to the frosting until it is fluffy and pipeable but still holds its shape.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These Oreo cupcakes are a guaranteed party hit. Serve them at birthdays, classroom treats, or bake sales with a cold glass of milk. They look beautiful on a dessert table next to our mini cheesecakes and chocolate bundt cake.
For a cookies-and-cream themed spread, pair them with our chocolate chunk cookies and a bowl of cookies and cream ice cream. They also make adorable homemade gifts boxed up individually.
Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days, letting them come to room temperature before serving. Unfrosted cupcakes freeze well for up to three months, so you can bake ahead and frost when ready.
Oreo Cupcakes FAQs
The easiest way to crush Oreos for the frosting is to pulse them in a food processor until finely ground, which keeps the buttercream smooth and pipeable. You can also place the Oreos in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin. For the frosting, aim for fine crumbs so they do not clog your piping tip, and save a few chunkier pieces or whole cookies to decorate the tops.
Yes, Oreo cupcakes are great for making ahead. Bake the cupcakes up to two days in advance and store them unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature, or freeze them for up to three months. The frosting can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, then re-whipped before piping. For the best look, frost the cupcakes the day you plan to serve them.
Dry cupcakes are usually the result of overbaking or too much flour. Start checking for doneness around the 18 minute mark and pull the cupcakes when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Measure the flour by spooning and leveling rather than scooping. Blooming the cocoa in boiling water also helps keep these cupcakes moist and tender.
A large open star tip such as a Wilton 1M or 2D is best for Oreo cupcakes because the wide opening lets the crushed Oreo bits pass through without clogging. Crush the Oreos finely for the frosting so it pipes smoothly. If you do not have a piping tip, you can simply spread the frosting on with a knife or snip the corner off a zip-top bag.
Store frosted Oreo cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days because of the buttercream. Let them come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving so the cupcakes are soft and the frosting is creamy. Add the whole Oreo garnish just before serving so it stays crisp rather than softening in the fridge.
Yes, if you are short on time you can use a boxed chocolate cake mix to make the cupcakes and simply top them with the homemade Oreo buttercream. The from-scratch cupcakes in this recipe have a richer flavor and moist crumb, but the Oreo frosting is really the star, so a quality boxed mix is a fine shortcut on a busy day.
Craving more cupcakes? Try our chocolate cupcakes and almond cupcakes next.
Oreo Cupcakes with Cookies and Cream Frosting
Ingredients
For the chocolate cupcakes:
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup boiling water
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup + 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
For the Oreo frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-4 tablespoons milk
- 8 Oreos crushed
For decoration:
- 12 Oreos
- 3 Tablespoons dark chocolate chips optional
Instructions
Make the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees and line a 12 count cupcake pan with cupcakes liners.
- Sift the cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl and pour over the boiling water. Mix into a smooth paste with a wooden spoon.
- Add all remaining cupcake ingredients and mix with a hand mixer until combined. You can also beat with a wooden spoon if preferred.
- Evenly distribute the mixture between your cupcake cases and bake for 18-22 minutes or until a skewer poked into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Leave the cupcakes in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting:
- Add the butter and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl. Mix with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually sift in the powdered sugar a little at a time, mixing after each addition. When the mixture starts to become a little too thick, add the milk 1 tbsp at a time until a spreadable consistency is reached.
- Add the crushed Oreos and mix them thoroughly through the frosting.
Frost and decorate the cupcakes:
- Spoon, spread or pipe swirls of the Oreo frosting on top of each cupcake. I used a Wilton 1M piping nozzle.
- If adding the dark chocolate drizzle, heat the chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second bursts until melted. Using a small spoon, drizzle chocolate over the top of each frosted cupcake.
- Place a whole Oreo cookie on top of each cupcake.
Notes
- Easily double this recipe to make more for guests or functions.
- Other Oreos can be used to switch up the flavor.
- If you want you can use a cake mix for the cupcakes.
- These can be frozen, see my tips above on how to do that.
- Any chocolate chip as long as they are high quality can be used for decorating.
- Crush up your Oreos as fine as you like for the frosting, just make sure they will fit through the piping tip.
Nutrition
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