With plenty of crushed Oreo biscuits going into both the cupcake batter and buttercream frosting, these vegan cookies and cream cupcakes are the perfect celebration of everyone’s favourite chocolate cookies, and a definite dessert crowd pleaser.
Oreo’s are one of my favourite biscuits and the fact that they are also conveniently vegan, meaning they do not contain any dairy despite their creamy centre, makes them quite dangerous to have in my house with packets seemingly disappearing as quickly as they arrive.
But if you can resist inhaling these addictive cookies straight from the pack, than I suggest you make these cupcakes which bring together the delicious flavour of Oreo’s with the soft, fluffy texture of cake. It truly is a perfect match.
I originally published this recipe on my blog back before I changed the name in December of 2016. Since then, my photography has come a long way so I really wanted to breathe new life into this post as these cupcakes really deserve it. So not only are you seeing new images, I have re-written the entire post to hopefully be a bit more helpful and adjusted the recipe slightly to make it even better – including using even more Oreos!
Crushed Oreo’s are added to both the cupcake batter and the buttercream frosting to make these incredible cookies and cream cupcakes that really highlight the flavour of the cookies. For the creamy frosting, I used my perfect vegan vanilla buttercream recipe and just added crushed Oreo’s before generously piping it onto the cooled cakes.
These cookies and cream cupcakes are the perfect treat for any occasion and are made completely vegan so everyone can enjoy them.
The secret to light, fluffy vegan cupcakes
When make vegan baked goods, we are removing the egg which acts as not only a binder for the ingredients, but a way to incorporate air providing the lift that makes a traditional cupcake light and fluffy.
To compensate, we have to find other ingredients to help create this texture otherwise the cakes will end up dense and not particularly enjoyable.
In my mind, when I am making vegan recipes it is for the people who still want to enjoy particular foods but cannot due to allergies or other health reasons, so my goal is to give the same experience of flavour and texture just without using dairy or eggs. And that is exactly the result here.
First we use a vegan buttermilk alternative made with a non-dairy milk (I like almond for this) and white vinegar. The addition of the vinegar slightly curdles the milk which makes it a bit thicker adding to the creaminess of the batter. The added acidity also assists in the reaction with the bicarbonate of soda making a lighter and softer crumb.
Baking really is all about the science.
Secondly, we use both bicarbonate of soda (also known as baking soda in the US) and baking powder. The soda reacts with the added acidity of the buttermilk substitute to provide lift. However,to get the amount of lift we want without adding more acid, we also use baking powder which does the same thing but as it already contains acid it helps us to get the perfect amount of rise and lift in the cakes without tasting bitter.
If you want a really simple resource around the differences of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and baking powder, check out this guide from Joy The Baker.
And finally, it’s all about the texture of the cakes themselves and that is where the oil comes in. Oil is fantastic for adding extra moisture and creating a light crumb. It works perfectly here. Just be sure to use a mild tasting oil like canola rather than olive oil for best results as you definitely don’t want the cakes tasting oily.
These cookies and cream cupcakes are one of my favourites for a few reasons:
- Lot’s of crushed Oreo’s in both the cake and the frosting
- Perfect for anyone with allergies or diets that require them to be free from eggs or dairy
- So soft and sweet making them the perfect texture and flavour that a cupcake should be
- EASY. Nothing super fancy here, anyone can whip up a batch of these.
For the frosting I used my new 6B piping tip to get the textured swirls, and I am very happy with the result, and then to finish them off I added a mini Oreo biscuit.
Looking for something different? For the chocolate lovers in your life, try the Oreo frosting in this recipe on these vegan chocolate cupcakes. Or if you still want the goodness of Oreo’s but are not in the mood for cupcakes, then try this vegan chocolate tart – the base of which is made from crushed Oreo biscuits.
Want to make a cake instead? You can use this batter to make a 3 layer 6 inch or 2 layer 8 inch cake, otherwise for something bigger, check out my cookies and cream cake recipe!
If you didn’t know what went into these, I guarantee you couldn’t tell me they are vegan. Sweet, soft and deliciously decadent these cookies and cream cupcakes are perfect combination of flavours. If you have any friends with dietary requirements, I recommend a batch of these.
Actually just make them for anyone, or just for yourself. You can’t really go wrong with Oreos!
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with #eightforestlane as I would love to see.
Cookies & Cream Cupcakes (Vegan)
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 ½ cups plain flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup canola oil
- ¾ cup sugar
- pinch salt
- 8 oreo biscuits
For the buttercream frosting
- ½ cup (125 grams) dairy-free butter*
- 1 tablespoon almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 - 4 cups icing sugar
- 6 oreo biscuits crushed
Instructions
- Make the cupcakes. Add vinegar to almond milk and set aside. It will split the milk, but that is ok as it helps to create a soft cupcake texture.
- Using a mortar and pestle crush up the oreo biscuits until they are a fine crumb. Set aside. In a large bowl, add sugar, oil and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer.
- In another bowl, sift flour, baking powder, bicarb soda and salt and mix to combine. Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet, alternating with the milk mixture, making sure it is completely mixed through before adding more. Once batter has come together and smooth, mix through crushed oreos.
- Spoon into a cupcake pan lined with cases filling them about ⅔ full. Bake in a 180C oven for 20 minutes or until cakes bounce back when lightly touched. Set aside to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the buttercream frosting. Crush up oreos again using your mortar and pestle. Make sure there are no large bits and that it is a fine crumb as it will need to be piped onto the cakes and you don’t want any biscuit pieces getting stuck.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment fitted, beat dairy-free butter for 1-2 minutes until creamy.
- Add 3 cups of icing sugar and beat on medium until combined. As mixture thickens, add in vanilla and almond milk. If frosting is too thin, add in an extra ½-1 cup of icing sugar until it reaches the desired consistency. Add crushed Oreos and mix until combined.
- Spoon mixture into a piping bag and pipe onto cakes ensuring they are completely cool as any heat left in the cakes will melt the icing. Decorate with a mini Oreo cookie.
Notes
Original recipe was published December 5th 2016.
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Morgan says
Hi! When you say 8 biscuits are you scraping the icing off? Just using the cookies and not the cream?
Sally says
Hi Morgan. Nope, we are using 8 whole biscuits – cream and all!
Jody Larson says
Absolutely amazing! You can’t even tell they are vegan. This is definitely going to be one of my go to cupcakes from now on. The cupcake is so moist and fluffy and the frosting is creamy and delicious.
Sally says
Thank you so much Jody! So glad you enjoyed them.
Tegan says
Just made these and they are really good just wondering how to store them is it better in the fridge or left in a airtight container?
Sally says
Hi Tegan. Depends on how long you want to store them and how hot it is where you are. They will be fine covered at room temperature for 2 days. Any longer or if it’s warm, in the fridge is best.
Megs says
My friend made me these for my bday and they are delicious! I’m going to make them for a party but one of the kiddos is gluten free. Any suggestions for the flour as sometimes the 1:1 GF flour makes things so dense.
Thanks again for a wonderful recipe!
Sally says
Hi Megs. I haven’t experimented using gluten free flour in this recipe. Let me know if you try it!
Rebecca says
SO excited to make these! Can I use oat milk or should I stick to almond milk?
Sally says
Hey Rebecca – you can certainly use oat milk in these, I’ve done it before when i didn’t have almond available 🙂
MJ says
What can I replace the canola oil with?
Sally says
Hey MJ, you can use any light tasting oil in this recipe. Vegetable or coconut would be my suggestion.
KD says
If I don’t want to make these cupcakes vegan, can I substitute the almond milk with regular milk? Will it have the same reaction with the vinegar?
Sally says
Yes you can!
Kate says
I made these for my non vegan family a few months back and they still talk about them. Now my brother has requested an Oreo cake for his birthday! I have both 8 and 9 inch rounds, what would you suggestion be for modifying the recipe for 2 layers of either diameter?
Thanks!!
Sally says
Hi Kate, so great to hear it was a hit! You can use the recipe as written, but divide it between two 8 inch pans for a 2 layer cake. You will also need to adjust the cooking time to about 30-35 mins depending on your oven.
Kate says
Thanks so much! Can’t wait to enjoy it this weekend 😊
Mallory says
Absolutely amazing! They turned out perfectly for a nice Fathers Day Treat! Thank you!!
Sally says
Thanks Mallory, so glad you enjoyed them!
Justice Nicole Wilhelm says
Could I make this into a cake? If so how long do you think it would take to bake?
Sally says
You certainly can! This much batter should make either a 2 layer 8 inch cake or a 3 layer 6 inch cake. For the 6 inch it will take about 20 minutes, and about 5-10 mins longer for the 9 inch.
Bridget says
Hi! I’m very excited to try this recipe, but as I have a family of chocolate lovers I’d like to make the cake base chocolate – how much cocoa powder would you suggest adding to do so?
Sally says
Hey Bridget. I haven’t done it myself but I would probably replace 1/2 of a cup of the flour with cocoa powder to make a chocolate version. Let me know if you try!
Chanelle Nelson says
Hello,
Is there a alternative for the 1 tablespoon of white vinegar?
Sally says
You can use lemon juice as a substitution, or you can leave it out – the cakes will just be slightly denser in texture but they will still work fine.
Missi says
Oreos are not vegan. This is a common misconception. This is a great recipe but it is not vegan-friendly. Unfortunately, vegans come into contact with milk during their manufacturing process. A simple Google search of “are Oreos vegan” will show you that on the Oreo website it specifically states this. Such a bummer, too!
Missi says
I meant Oreo* come into contact not vegans! Lol
Sally says
Hi Missi, thank you for your comment. This recipe is labelled vegan as Oreos do not contain any animal products. What you are referring to is a potential contamination due to the factory they are made in which unfortunately is the case for a lot of factory bought products. Totally understand that this may be enough for some strict vegans to choose not to eat this, and that is fine, however I have many vegan friends who still choose to eat products such as Oreos.
Rose M Michie says
Hello,
PETA has made the call and says they consider Oreos vegan.
https://www.delish.com/food-news/news/a58737/are-oreos-vegan/#:~:text=Last%20week%2C%20PETA%20tweeted%20out,vegan!%2C%22%20they%20wrote.&text=Recently%2C%20an%20FAQ%20from%20Oreo's%20U.K.%20site%20started%20circulating.
Aly says
These cupcakes turned out AMAZING! I feel like I bought them at a vegan bakery! So super yummy!
Sally says
Thanks Aly! So glad you enjoyed them
Hannah says
Absolutely amazing recipe! The texture of the cake and the moisture level was perfect, and the frosting is amazing just on it’s own! I added a vegan ganache filling just for some added fun! Thanks for sharing!
Sally says
Thanks so much Hannah, glad you enjoyed them!
Farasha says
Hi i was wondering if we could use unsweetened soya milk instead?
Sally says
Yes you certainly could!
Amy says
HI,
Can’t wait to try this recipe with some left over crushed oreo crumbs I have. Just wondering roughly how many cups it is once crushed? Thanks!
Sally says
For both the cupcakes and the frosting you will need about 1 1/2 cups crushed biscuits total.
Robyn says
What a fantastic idea to put crushed up Oreos in the buttercream as well as the cake batter! I cannot wait to try these!
Sally says
Thanks Robyn, the more Oreo’s the better!
Jaimie @ Nosh says
Yum, my kids are going to love these!
Sally says
Thanks Jaimie 🙂
Sylvie says
I know my vegan friends all loooove oreos- and since i am always looking for new ways to please them with baked good, I definitely have to give this recipe a go! So yummy 🙂
Sally says
Thanks Sylvie! Oreo’s are the best 🙂
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes says
These are cupcakes that make me VERY happy! Delicious! And how lovely my vegan bestie can enjoy them too!
Sally says
Thanks Alexandra!