Cookies & Cream Cupcakes with Walnut Crunch: Step-by-Step Recipe

This isn’t your typical messy “throw some Oreos in the batter and call it a day” cupcake recipe; that will create some soggy cupcakes for sure. This batch of cookies and cream cupcakes with walnut crunch is for the serious dessert fans. Especially for those who want the rich, buttery crumb of a homemade vanilla cupcake, and love the crunch of toasted walnuts, and a frosting that delivers big on cookies ’n cream flavor without overwhelming the whole thing. Do try this recipe and push a wedge or quarter of an Oreo cookie into the frosting if you like yours extra sweet.

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes with Walnuts

Serves: 24

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated white sugar
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1⅓ cups cold milk
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted

For the Cookies and Cream Frosting:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup ground Oreo cookies + extra cookies for decorating
• 2 tbsp half and half (or milk)
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Let’s start with the cupcakes, for that preheat the oven to 180°C, then line a 24-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. Take a big bowl, sift the flour, salt, and baking powder into it and mix. Set aside.
3. Fix a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or plug in a hand mixer and take a big mixing bowl. Add the butter and sugar into it and run the mixer on high to medium speed, until the butter-sugar mixture is pale and fluffy.
4. Add one egg, mix on medium speed, until incorporated and repeat for the rest of the eggs. Then mix in the vanilla extract.
5. Reduce the speed to a low, then gradually add the contents of the flour bowl, preferably in 3 parts, to the butter mixture. You should have a thick batter towards the end.
6. Next, pour the cold milk into the bowl, and while pouring keep mixing on low speed until just combined and smooth.
7. Then carefully fold in the chopped toasted walnuts using a spatula, into the bowl.
8. Using a spoon, scoop up the batter into prepared cupcake liners, filling each upto ⅔ full.
9. Transfer the muffin tin into the oven and bake for 22–25 minutes, then test with a toothpick inserted into the centers to see if it comes out clean.
10. Remove the cupcakes from the tin and let all of them cool completely on a wire rack.

For the Frosting:

1. Use a food processor, if you have one, or seal the Oreo cookies in a resealable pouch with one end open, and use a rolling pin to pulverize the Oreo cookies into fine crumbs.
2. With the same stand mixer with an attached whisk, whisk butter, vanilla, 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar, and 1 cup of ground Oreos until smooth.
3. Add the remaining sugar and the half-and-half, then beat this on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
4. Transfer the frosting into a piping bag with a large open tip. If you don’t mind a messy batch, then use a spoon to scoop up the frosting and dollop it on top of the cupcakes. Make sure that the cupcakes are cool before frosting them.
5. Push a quartered Oreo piece into each cupcake and sprinkle some finely chopped walnuts for extra flair and flavor.

Tips & Tricks

• Make sure to toast the walnuts in a dry skillet or 180°C oven for 5-7 minutes to bring out a nice robust nutty flavor and add them only after they are cool to avoid any melting or burns.
• Make sure to chill your frosting for 10 minutes before piping, especially if your kitchen is hot. This will make the frosting hold its shape better.
• No food processor? Put the Oreos in a zip-lock bag and crush with a rolling pin – just make sure they’re fine enough not to clog your piping tip.
• If you want to go that extra mile, drizzle the cupcakes with melted chocolate, preferably dark chocolate like Cadbury Bournville. Use warm melted chocolate not hot otherwise the frosting will melt.