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Cookies and Cream Cupcakes are quite simply an awesome childhood junk food fantasy come true. With a cookie baked into the base, a creamy filling, and billows of cookies and cream frosting, it's nothing but pure fun.
I was a very picky eater as a child, and I'm sure I drove all the adults in my life absolutely crazy. Yes, my mom tried to make me eat green beans, and I probably cried being left at the table to finish my food because I was so stubborn. But I also grew up in a house where junk food was available on a pretty regular basis. I can't really remember there being much restriction on what we were allowed to eat.
There are obviously a lot of pros and cons here. I have sort of terrible eating habits today, and maybe it's starting to become an issue in my 40s. On the other hand, I don't really feel a lot of guilt and shame around eating food just because it tastes good. Maybe this was easier for me because I've never been overweight, but food has always been a source of fun for me, ever since I was a little girl.
What makes Cookies and Cream Cupcakes so awesome?
So while some people might see Cookies and Cream Cupcakes as an abomination, I get filled with excitement. This cupcake is without a doubt indulgent, even for a cupcake. We're taking everybody's favorite chocolate sandwich cookie to whole new levels here. These cupcakes have a whole Oreo baked into the bottom of a moist and fluffy vanilla cupcake. And that's just phase one.
When you cut these open and look inside, you'll find a filling of sweet marshmallow cream. Then the whole shebang gets topped with vanilla frosting laced with fine cookie crumbs. You know you probably shouldn't eat more than one, but you're really going to want to. Maybe go outside and play for a while like it's recess, then when you come back in, you can pour yourself a glass of cold milk and tear into another cupcake. Life is short. Make it awesome.
Make it magical
Look, we could talk about the magical properties of sugar or cocoa here, but when your key ingredient is a cookie made by robots in a factory, it can be hard to feel that energetic connection. There's definitely still energy there, and you can call on specific ingredients in this recipe if you feel called to. Learn more on the Kitchen Magick page.
To me, this recipe screams six of cups energy. If you're a fan of tarot, you'll remember that the six of cups depicts an older child offering a cup full of flowers to a younger child. The big energy I get from this card is nostalgia and play.
When I pull this card, I like to think of doing things for the pure joy of it. It encourages me to reconnect with my childlike sense of wonder and fun and reflect on the bold confidence I used to have. This cupcake takes me right back to that childlike state of living each day just for the fun of it. We could all use a bit more six of cups energy. Let it start here.
And hey, did you know I offer intuitive tarot guidance? I'd love to read for you.
Tips for making Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
Nothing is complicated here, but this recipe does involve a few different components, so you may need to wash quite a few dishes. I like to bake the cupcakes the night before to allow them to cool completely overnight. The good news is, we're just doctoring up a box cake mix, so there's no tedious measuring of dry ingredients.
I make the filling in a mixing bowl with my electric hand mixer so I don't have to wash the bowl of my stand mixer yet again before making frosting. You could go to the trouble of cutting the core out of your cupcakes if you really want to, but I just use a chopstick to make a hole in the center. Sort of swirl it around a little bit to open the hole up a bit more. Then use a small piping tip to pipe the filling inside each one. Don't worry if some of the filling seeps out, it will get covered by the frosting.
The frosting is the star of the show here. Make sure you crush your cookie crumbs really finely if you want to try to pipe the frosting so that the tip doesn't get clogged with big cookie chunks. This frosting is super thick, though, so piping may still be a challenge. I actually blew a hole in the side of my disposable piping bag. You'll need strong arms and a lot of patience. They're just as delicious if you spread the frosting on with a butter knife. Just sayin'.
Your inner child wants a cookie. Or maybe a cupcake. Give it the best of both worlds with these Cookies and Cream Cupcakes. Prepare for pure awesomeness.
Looking for more awesome cupcakes recipes? Try some Better Than Sex Cupcakes or these Citrus Cocktail Cupcakes.
PrintCookies and Cream Cupcakes
Cookies and Cream Cupcakes are quite simply an awesome childhood junk food fantasy come true. With a cookie baked into the base, a creamy filling, and billows of cookies and cream frosting, it's nothing but pure fun.
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 24 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 24 Oreos or other chocolate sandwich cookies
- 1 box white cake mix
- 1 stick (4 ounces) butter, melted
- 1 cup water
- 3 eggs
For the filling
- 2 ounces marshmallow cream
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- Splash of vanilla extract
- 1-½ teaspoons heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
For the frosting
- 2 sticks (8 ounces) butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 8 Oreos or other chocolate sandwich cookies, finely crushed
Instructions
For the cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C) and place your favorite cupcake papers in your cupcake pans. Add a whole cookie to the bottom of each cup.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together cake mix, butter, water, and eggs with an electric mixer on low for about a minute. Turn up the speed to medium high for another minute to make sure everything is smooth.
- Scoop your batter evenly into your cups, filling them about two thirds full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for about five minutes then remove them to a rack. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
For the filling
- In a mixing bowl, beat together marshmallow cream, butter, vanilla and heavy cream until smooth. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar, then beat on medium high for about a minute until everything is smooth. Transfer mixture to a piping bag with a small round tip.
- Use a chopstick or something similar to poke a hole in the center of each cupcake. Poke the piping tip down into the hole of each cupcake and squeeze in some of your filling.
For the frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, heavy cream, and vanilla until smooth. Turn mixer down to low and slowly add in the powdered sugar. Crank up the speed for a minute or two to make everything smooth and fluffy.
- Fold in your cookie crumbs, and frost your cupcakes in your favorite way.
Keywords: Cupcakes, Cookies
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
Love these cupcakes! These would be the perfect afternoon snack!
Renee says
Haha, I love the way you think!