Imagine biting into a cupcake where the crumb stays impossibly moist, and creamy cookies-and-cream frosting coats every bite. These Oreo cupcakes deliver bakery-quality results without the bakery price tag or fuss.
What makes them special: sour cream keeps the cake tender for days, while crushed Oreos fold right into the batter, creating pockets of pure cookie flavor throughout. The homemade frosting tastes store-bought impressive, and I’ve tested this recipe dozens of times with consistent, delicious results.
No specialty shopping. No complicated steps. Just simple pantry ingredients and a celebration in cupcake form.
Ready to bake something your family will actually ask for seconds of?
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Oreo Cupcakes
- Moist, tender crumb loaded with cookie pieces; sour cream keeps them soft for days
- Creamy cookies-and-cream frosting on every bite; tastes like a bakery masterpiece
- Simple ingredients you already have on hand; no specialty shopping needed
- Perfect for lunchboxes, potlucks, and celebrations; Ethan and Lila actually ask for seconds
- Homemade joy that tastes store-bought impressive; your secret’s safe with me
Simple Ingredients for Homemade Oreo Cupcakes
Cake flour creates a tender, delicate crumb that keeps these cupcakes soft and moist. If you only have all-purpose flour at home, it works fine; the texture will be slightly denser, but still delicious.
Room-temperature eggs and dairy are non-negotiable here. Cold ingredients don’t mix smoothly, which means you’ll end up with lumps and uneven texture. I always pull eggs and butter out of the fridge about an hour before baking.
Chopped Oreos are the star; they fold directly into the batter and create pockets of cookies-and-cream flavor throughout. Use about 10–12 cookies, crushed by hand or in a food processor so you get varied chunk sizes.
Sour cream adds tanginess and moisture that keeps the cupcakes from drying out. It also deepens the flavor in a subtle way that makes people ask for your secret.
Whole milk or buttermilk helps balance the richness and creates a lighter crumb. Buttermilk adds slight tang if you prefer extra flavor.
Butter and sugar form the frosting base. Softened butter beats until fluffy and pale, which traps air and creates that cloud-like texture everyone loves.
Powdered sugar dissolves smoothly into the frosting; granulated sugar would make it grainy.
Finely crushed Oreos mixed into the frosting deliver cookies-and-cream flavor in every bite. They’ll soften slightly as they sit in the frosting, which is perfect.
No specialty ingredients, no hunting through three stores. Everything lives in your pantry or nearest supermarket.
How It All Comes Together
- Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes; this aerates the batter and creates a tender crumb. Scrape the bowl often so everything incorporates evenly.
- Add eggs and vanilla to the creamed mixture, beating just until combined. Overmixing here can toughen the cupcakes, so stop as soon as the eggs disappear.
- Alternate dry and wet ingredients in three additions: dry mixture, then sour cream, then milk, starting and ending with the dry components. Mix on low speed after each addition until just blended. This technique keeps air in the batter.
- Gently fold in chopped Oreos by hand using a rubber spatula; do not stir aggressively, or you’ll deflate the batter and crush the cookie pieces into dust.
- Fill cupcake liners about three-quarters full. Bake until the centers spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick emerges clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool cupcakes in the pan for several minutes, then transfer to a wire rack until completely cooled. Frost only after cooling completely; warm cupcakes will melt the frosting into puddles.
Make-Ahead Magic
Whip your frosting up to one day ahead; cover and refrigerate. Mix your dry ingredients the night before for a speedier morning. Both steps save time when you need it most.
Storage Notes
Keep frosted cupcakes at room temperature for two days, or refrigerate for up to one week. The cool fridge keeps that cookies-and-cream frosting firm and perfect.
Flavor Twists & Swaps
- Thin Mint swap: Crush Girl Scout Thin Mints into the batter and frosting for a cool, minty twist that Ethan loves sneaking extra bites of.
- Chocolate cake base: Replace vanilla with a rich chocolate cake layer; the cookies-and-cream frosting still shines and creates a stunning contrast.
- Peppermint extract addition: Stir half a teaspoon into the frosting for a holiday spin without overpowering the classic Oreo flavor.
- Cream cheese frosting swap: Mix softened cream cheese with butter for a tangy, less-sweet topping that balances the cookie richness beautifully.
- Peppermint Oreos for winter: Swap regular Oreos for seasonal peppermint versions during the holidays; your cupcakes instantly feel festive.
- Red velvet twist: Try the Oreo peppermint cookies technique, then explore a red velvet cupcakes recipe for a colorful spin on this classic.
These swaps keep your cupcakes exciting all year long. Just one small change transforms the whole vibe, and your family will think you’ve reinvented dessert.
Perfect Pairings & Ideas
These Oreo cupcakes shine brightest when surrounded by other treats. I love setting up a mixed dessert spread for birthday parties and potlucks because it gives guests choices without exhausting you in the kitchen.
Pair them with easy chocolate ice cream on the side for a simple, crowd-pleasing upgrade. Layer them alongside easy chocolate mousse cups for elegant plating, or mix them with tiramisu cupcakes to create visual variety on a single platter. For extra indulgence, add black-bottom cupcakes for chocolate contrast.
When Ethan requests something “fancy,” I’ll add oreo cheesecake bites alongside these cupcakes for a dessert board that feels special. For fiesta celebrations, churro cheesecake pairs beautifully for a fun, festive spread.
Even breakfast works: serve these with fluffy chocolate pancakes for a birthday brunch that doubles down on cookies-and-cream joy.
Classic Oreo Cupcakes
Oreo cupcakes are moist, tender cupcakes loaded with cookie pieces and topped with creamy cookies-and-cream frosting that'll have everyone asking for your secret.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
For the Cookies-and-Cream Frosting
For Assembly
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F; line a 24-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt; set the dry mixture aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes; scrape the bowl often so everything incorporates evenly.
- Add room-temperature eggs and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture, beating just until combined; stop as soon as the eggs disappear to avoid overmixing.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and sour cream in three additions: start with one-third of the dry mixture, then half the sour cream, then another third of the dry mixture, then the remaining sour cream, and finally the last third of the dry mixture; mix on low speed after each addition until just blended.
- Pour in the whole milk and beat gently until the batter comes together; do not overmix.
- Gently fold in the coarsely crushed Oreo pieces by hand using a rubber spatula; fold slowly to keep air in the batter and prevent the cookie pieces from turning to dust.
- Fill cupcake liners about three-quarters full using an ice cream scoop or spoon; divide the batter evenly among the 24 liners.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes, until the centers spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely before frosting (about 30 minutes).
- While cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting: beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar in two additions, beating on low speed until incorporated; scrape the bowl between additions.
- Add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and vanilla extract; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, adding more cream if needed to reach a spreadable consistency.
- Fold in the finely crushed Oreo cookies and a pinch of salt by hand using a rubber spatula.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, pipe or spread the cookies-and-cream frosting generously onto each one; top with a whole Oreo cookie or extra crushed cookies if desired.
Nutritional values
Servings: 24 ServingCalories:285kcalTotal Fat:14gTotal Carbohydrate:38gDietary Fiber: 0gSugars: 32gProtein:3g
Note
Storage Smarts: Keep frosted cupcakes at room temperature for two days, or refrigerate for up to one week in an airtight container; the cool fridge keeps that cookies-and-cream frosting firm and perfect. Pro tip: unfrosted cupcakes freeze beautifully for up to three months, so bake ahead when time allows.
Flavor Twist: Try swapping regular Oreos for seasonal peppermint versions during the holidays, or stir half a teaspoon of peppermint extract into your frosting for a festive spin without overpowering the classic cookie flavor. When Ethan requests something extra special, I layer these alongside easy chocolate mousse cups for an elegant dessert board that feels restaurant-ready but came straight from my home kitchen.
