Tasty Oreo Crumb Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting [Recipe]
If you fancy classic Oreo cookies, you’re in for a delightful surprise! This dessert combines the beloved cookies with the timeless charm of cupcakes. I must admit, I’m not a big fan of Oreo as its flavors just don’t sit right with me. Still, these are always a huge hit among my friends, so I’m sharing the recipe for these tasty Oreo crumb cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.
I like to emphasize the crunch of the cookies (their best part!) only, while soothing their flavor with classic chocolate batter. They fit together perfectly, especially with rich, creamy, and tangy frosting on top. The cookie filling marries beautifully with chocolaty goodness, hence I use cocoa only, to not overwhelm the final flavor and it works like a dream!
What makes these Oreo cupcakes with frosting special?
I actually use a whole Oreo cookie so that you can have the best of them – taste and crunch swathed in spongy cake. The crosscut is spectacular, though! The cookies have rather a special flavor, sweet, bitter, and almost salty, it’s kind of hard to explain. That’s why I like to keep the sponge simple and traditional with cocoa and buttermilk.
I find this combo to give the best results in providing an earthy and slightly tangy aftertaste. Also, I like to wake up the cocoa with a splash of boiling water or an espresso shot. For the frosting, I chose a cream cheese and butter combo – simple but effective. Vanilla is also inevitable in the frosting for the aroma and shiny-looking finish.
How to make Oreo crumb cupcakes with cream cheese frosting?
The baking process is not even a tad harder than your regular cupcakes! You need one bowl and nothing else. What’s more, a boxed cupcake mix is more than fine, as well! These are the ingredients for a from-the-scratch recipe.
- Flour – Go for cake flour or mix all-purpose with some cornstarch for the same effect. I like to mix all-purpose with instant vanilla pudding for more warm flavors.
- Baking powder – A staple ingredient in almost all my baked goods.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar for the batter, powdered for icing and that’s it!
- Cocoa – Cocoa powder gives a nice, earthy, and chocolaty flavor without making the cupcakes too sweet.
- Eggs – Eggs add up on flavor and consistency, but most importantly, work as a binding agent.
- Buttermilk – Buttermilk is the best option for a dairy component, as it adds a touch of bitterness and improves texture. What you may not have known earlier is that it also encourages browning, so the cupcakes will look like there is a load of chocolate in them!
- Sour cream – Sour cream makes the cupcakes super moist and incredibly rich.
- Oil – Go for olive oil as your first choice, but vegetable oil will work as well. The subtle taste of olive oil pairs with cocoa flawlessly, bringing the flavor out, plus makes the sponge moister.
- Cream cheese – Tang of cream cheese is the perfect choice for frosting! It connects the whole cupcake together, as the Oreo cookie filling resembles it so much.
- Vanilla extract – I like to include a splash of vanilla in the frosting, so it can be the main aroma instead of the cheese.
- Butter – Butter makes the icing silky, rich, and stable.
- Oreo cookies – The cookies are the star of these cupcakes. I use one side of cookies and cream for the cupcakes, and I crush the other side for topping and additional crunch.
Let’s get the whisks and bake!
Step 1: Making the batter
In a large mixing bowl, combine wet ingredients: buttermilk, olive oil, sour cream, and eggs. Next, sift in dry ingredients: flour, instant vanilla pudding powder, baking powder, and sugar. You can sift in cocoa powder with other ones, but I prefer to wake the flavor up by dissolving it in boiling water.
I just add a drizzle of water, enough for it to become a paste, nothing more. Use only a whisk to fuse everything, but don’t mix too much, the goal is no flour lumps solely. The batter consistency will be similar to the pancake batter. Leave the batter on the side, and let’s go to the next step.
Step 2: Baking
Take a muffin tin and cover it with cupcake liners or baking paper. Now, take an Oreo cookie and part them carefully, so all the filling is left on one side. I needed a thin knife to help me remove all the filling, though. 😀
Place each half on the bottom of the cupcake liners, with the filling side up. Use a scoop to pour the batter over them, filling 2/3 of the tin. Shake it slightly, so the batter can slide under the cookie. Bake them for about 20 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C), but check with a toothpick.
I like to remove them out of the oven when there are a few crumbs left on the toothpick because they are moister like that. Arrange them on a rack, so they don’t over-dry from hot tin. Let them chill for about half an hour, so the frosting doesn’t melt.
Step 3: Making the frosting
In a bowl, meld butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract. Mix it well until creamy, then add powdered sugar. Mix again to get smooth, silky, but firm frosting that is easy to pipe. I like to cool it in the fridge a bit, though, as the frosting looks much neater.
Crush some Oreo leftovers and sprinkle on top. That’s it! Enjoy!
How to store these cupcakes?
Due to the stability of cream cheese frosting, you can easily keep these cupcakes at room temperature for two days at most. Furthermore, they will be good to eat for 3-4 days in the fridge, just keep them in airtight containers or covered with plastic wrap.
Recipe alterations
If you’re thinking of recipe alterations, I’m planning to try it with strawberry and mint-flavored Oreo cookies, I think they’d be a smash! I would top first with fresh strawberries and add choco chunks to the other. I already said I’m not the biggest Oreo cookies fan, so I made a few cupcakes with Reese’s cups for myself and they were AWESOME!
They blend impeccably with this batter, but next time, I’m going to add a bit of peanut butter to the frosting to connect everything better. What do you think about these combos? Do you have any new ideas?
Oreo Crumb Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp instant vanilla pudding powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp cocoa
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 1 cup sour cream
- 24 Oreo cookies
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese
- ½ cup butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Making the Batter
- In a large mixing bowl, combine wet ingredients: buttermilk, olive oil, sour cream, and eggs.
- Sift in dry ingredients: flour, instant vanilla pudding powder, baking powder, and sugar.
- Dissolve cocoa powder in boiling water. Add a drizzle of water, enough for it to become a paste, nothing more.
- Use only a whisk to fuse everything, but don’t mix too much, the goal is no flour lumps solely. The batter consistency will be similar to the pancake batter.
Baking
- Take a muffin tin and cover it with cupcake liners or baking paper.
- Take Oreo cookies and part them carefully, so all the filling is left on one side. Place each half on the bottom of the cupcake liners, with the filling side up.
- Use a scoop to pour the batter over them, filling 2/3 of the tin. Shake it slightly, so the batter can slide under the cookie.
- Bake them for about 20 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C), but check with a toothpick.
- Arrange them on a rack, so they don’t over-dry from hot tin. Let them chill for about half an hour, so the frosting doesn’t melt.
Making the Frosting
- In a bowl, meld butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract.
- Mix it well until creamy, then add powdered sugar. Mix again to get smooth, silky, but firm frosting that is easy to pipe.
- Crush some Oreo leftovers and sprinkle on top.
Notes
- Strawberry Filling Oreo cookies with fresh strawberries on top
- Mint Filling Oreo cookies with choco chunks in the batter
- Reese’s Cups instead of Oreo cookies with peanut butter in the frosting
Nutrition
Before diving into the nutritional details, please review our Nutritional Disclaimer page for important context and clarifications.
