Cookies-and-cream is beloved in the frozen desserts world. But these fluffy, cake flour-based cupcakes show that the combo is just as strong when baked by the dozen. Whether you’re looking for a special treat for a friend or neighbor, something for tomorrow’s bake sale, or you’ve simply decided to treat yourself — this is the recipe for you. Nostalgia has never tasted so good!
Prevent your screen from going dark as you follow along.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper or silicone muffin cups and grease the cups.
To make the cupcakes: In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoas, and sugar.
Add the butter and mix at low speed for 1 minute. With the mixer running, add the oil and continue mixing until the mixture looks sandy, about 30 seconds more.
In a large measuring cup, combine the vanilla with the water, and add all at once to the dry ingredients. Mix for 1 minute at low speed. Stop and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then mix for 30 seconds more.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating at medium-high speed between each.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for 30 seconds more. The batter will be thin.
Pour the batter into the prepared wells of the pan, filling them two-thirds full (about 50g to 52g batter per cupcake).
Bake the cupcakes for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the middle cupcakes comes out clean.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven, and as soon as you can handle them transfer them from the pan to a rack to cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting: Place the baking morsels in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer.
In a saucepan, warm the cream over medium heat (or in the microwave) until the mixture begins to steam. Pour the cream over the baking morsels and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes. Gently stir until the morsels are completely melted. Set the mixture (ganache) aside to cool to room temperature (75° or below).
Once the ganache has cooled to room temperature, stir in the salt and vanilla.
Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the ganache on low speed, slowly adding the butter and shortening in several additions.
After the butter and shortening have been added, increase the speed to high and whip the ganache until fluffy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Sift the confectioners' sugar into the whipped ganache, stirring to combine.
Pulse the chocolate sandwich cookies in a food processor or put them in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to grind into fine crumbs. Stir into the frosting.
Spread or pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes.
Storage information: Store cupcakes, covered, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.
Tips from our Bakers
You’d usually want to bake with a top-quality real white chocolate — but not this time. We find that the flavor of true white chocolate here is too strong; white baking morsels or chips yields the perfect nostalgic cookies and cream flavor. When purchasing chips/morsels, look for a product that doesn’t include the word “chocolate.”
The frosting can either be piped or simply spread with a knife. Add a garnish of extra cookie crumbs or even whole cookies, if desired.
Cupcake and frosting recipes can be easily doubled to make 2 dozen cupcakes.
