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    Home Β» Sweets

    Cake Mix Cookies and Cream Cupcakes [with Gluten-Free Option]

    Published: Feb 16, 2015 by Sherri Hall Β· This post may contain affiliate links.

    These Cake Mix Cookies and Cream Cupcakes combine a box mix with homemade icing and feature a chocolate sandwich cookie baked into the bottom of each one! A creamy cookie swirled icing, moist cake and crunchy cookie surprise come together to create this sweet treat!

    Jump to Recipe
    Two Cake Mix Cookies and Cream Cupcakes on a light yellow plate with the one in the front cut open

    I don't know about you, but I love a good recipe shortcut, especially when it comes to baking.

    In fact, just the other day, my co-worker and I were discussing baking cupcakes and I asked if she made them from scratch.  Her response?  "I'm no Betty Hines," she said.

    That amused me for the rest of the day. In fact, I think I'm still laughing about it. Oh, the things food bloggers think are funny. 

    Anyway, Betty, Duncan, Pillsbury...they're all welcome here, because this recipe starts with a box of cake mix (traditional or gluten-free). You can use either white or yellow...whatever floats your boat. 🙂

    Other Ingredients Needed to Make These Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

    • Your favorite brand of chocolate sandwich cookies (traditional or gluten-free)
    • Typical box mix ingredients such as vegetable oil or butter, eggs and water
    • Butter (for the icing)
    • Powdered sugar
    • Milk
    • Vanilla extract

    How to Make These Cake Mix Cupcakes

    Start by preheating your oven to 350° F. Then line two cupcake/muffin pans with baking cups. Add one cookie to the bottom of each liner.

    baking cups with an Oreo cookie in each one in a muffin pan

    Make cake mix according to package directions and spoon cake batter into each baking cup (Β½ full).

    mixing the cake batter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer

    Bake cupcakes according to package directions until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Now for the hard part. You have to wait until they cool to ice them. Oh, the torture!

    baked cupcakes in the muffin pan


    So, while you're waiting, you can mix up your frosting. Start by crushing cookies in a food processor. Then beat butter until creamy. Add confectioners sugar, milk and vanilla and beat again. Stir in crushed cookies and refrigerate until ready to use.

    Once the cupcakes are cooled, you can ice them, and more importantly, EAT THEM!

    Related Recipes

    • Dairy-Free Vanilla Cupcakes
    • Vegan Strawberry Cake
    • Vegan Buttercream Frosting
    • Oatmeal Coconut Pecan Cookies
    • Oat Flour Muffins
    two cupcakes on plate with the one in the front cut in half to show the cookie inside
    Print Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    5 from 5 votes

    Cake Mix Cookies and Cream Cupcakes [with Gluten-Free Option]

    These Cake Mix Cookies and Cream Cupcakes combine a box mix with homemade icing and feature a chocolate sandwich cookie baked into the bottom of each one!
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Keyword cookies and cream, cupcakes
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 35 minutes
    Servings 24 cupcakes
    Author Sherri Hall

    Ingredients

    • 1 15.25 oz box white or yellow cake mix or 1 box of your favorite gluten-free brand (sizes vary)
    • Accompanying ingredients (usually water, vegetable oil or butter, and eggs)
    • 30 chocolate sandwich cookies (24 for cupcakes, 6 for frosting - use gluten-free sandwich cookies for gluten-free option)
    • 2 sticks butter (16 tablespoons or 1 cup)
    • 4 cups confectioners / powdered sugar
    • 3-4 tablespoons milk
    • Β½ teaspoon vanilla extract

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 350º F.
    • Line cupcake/muffin pans with 24 baking cups.
    • Add one cookie to the bottom of each liner.
    • Make cake mix according to package directions and spoon cake batter into each baking cup (Β½ full).
    • Bake cupcakes according to package directions until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack when done.
    • While cupcakes are in the oven, make the frosting. Crush 6 of the cookies in a food processor.
    • Using a hand mixer, beat butter until creamy.
    • Add confectioners sugar, 3 tablespoons milk and vanilla and beat again. At this point you can add an additional tablespoon of milk if a thinner frosting is desired.
    • Stir in crushed cookies and refrigerate until ready to use (up to 24 hours).
    • Ice cupcakes once they have cooled completely.

    (Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs and other helpful information for this recipe)

    ©Watch Learn Eat. All content and images are copyright protected. Recipes and images are not to be used or republished without prior permission. If you adapt this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, and link back to this post for the original recipe.

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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Angela M Morris

      January 02, 2019 at 10:40 pm

      5 stars
      I made the gluten free version and they were delicious! No one could tell that they were gluten free!

      Reply
      • Sherri Hall

        January 03, 2019 at 8:13 am

        That's awesome, Angela! So glad you enjoyed the cupcakes! Thanks for stopping by to share! Hope you have a wonderful day! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    2. Jessica {Swanky Recipes}

      February 18, 2016 at 3:03 pm

      Wow, this cupcakes have my name all over them! I don't think I could stop myself from having just one! Love how easy it is to make, it's a keeper!

      Reply
      • Watch Learn Eat

        February 18, 2016 at 6:35 pm

        Thank you Jessica!

        Reply
    3. Mark, Compass & Fork

      February 18, 2016 at 2:25 pm

      5 stars
      I'm not really a baker either! I love the Oreo biscuit on the bottom of those cupcakes. What a great idea. And the finished product looks impressive.

      Reply
      • Watch Learn Eat

        February 18, 2016 at 6:34 pm

        Thank you Mark!

        Reply
    4. Sam | Ahead of Thyme

      February 17, 2016 at 8:52 pm

      OMG I need these cupcakes in my life!! I wish I had all the ingredients right now to make it

      Reply
      • Watch Learn Eat

        February 17, 2016 at 9:39 pm

        Thank you Sam! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    5. Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours

      February 17, 2016 at 3:40 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a good idea - Oreos are the perfect size for cupcakes cases - it is almost as if they were designed this way!

      Reply
      • Watch Learn Eat

        February 17, 2016 at 3:43 pm

        Thank you Helen! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    6. Cindy (Vegetarian Mamma)

      February 17, 2016 at 3:33 pm

      This looks amazing, I'd love to try it! Cookies and cake, you can't go wrong YUMMO!

      Reply
      • Watch Learn Eat

        February 17, 2016 at 3:35 pm

        Thanks Cindy! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    7. allie @ Through Her Looking Glass

      October 09, 2015 at 1:30 am

      5 stars
      Dear Sherri - these are genius! Love the oreo baked in the bottom. Fun little surprise! And pretty too!

      Reply
      • Watch Learn Eat

        October 09, 2015 at 1:56 am

        Thank you Allie! I really appreciate it! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    8. Dee Dee (My Midlife Kitchen)

      February 18, 2015 at 8:38 pm

      What you said about baking vs. cooking! But you found my weakness--cookies and cream ANYTHING! And I, like you, find myself with many (many!) boxes of cake mixes for reasons I can't even explain. I'll have to experiment with them all! Thanks for the inspiration!

      Reply
      • Watch Learn Eat

        February 18, 2015 at 11:20 pm

        Thanks Dee Dee! I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe and yes, I too love anything cookies and cream. Good luck with your cake mix experiments πŸ™‚

        Reply
    9. Maureen

      February 17, 2015 at 6:42 pm

      That icing is to die for- yum!

      Reply
      • Watch Learn Eat

        February 17, 2015 at 6:54 pm

        Thank you Maureen! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    10. John Mele

      February 17, 2015 at 5:14 pm

      These cupcakes are awesome. The Oreo surprise at the bottom really puts it over the top. In a perfect world, I'd work for these cupcakes.

      Reply
      • Watch Learn Eat

        February 17, 2015 at 5:35 pm

        Thanks John! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe!

        Reply

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    About Sherri

    Founder, Author, Recipe Developer, & Photographer

    With a lifelong passion for cooking, I specialize in creating easy meatless meals that are omnivore-approved!

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