If you know anything about me  – you probably know that I love to bake. AND I love cupcakes. So, for my birthday last week I decided to try out a new cupcake recipe.  I came across a photo of cookies and cream cupcakes when visiting my new favorite food blog, Tastespotting. I searched the web for the best recipe, and think I came across it — the result was an AMAZING treat – one that made of my coworkers nearly cry when she bit into it (no joke!). I shared photos of the treat on my Tumblr (here) and now it’s time to share the recipe.

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

(Recipe Borrowed From Beantown Baker … whose photos are amazing, so please don’t judge mine!)

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup milk (I used 1%)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups flour, plus 2 Tbsp for the Oreo chunks
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 large egg whites, at room temperature (I used AllWhites Liquid Egg Whites)
1 package Oreo Cookies (~45 cookies … I would’ve used double stuff but there’s not as many in a package)

Directions:
Preheat over to 350F. Insert cupcake liners into a medium cupcake pan.

Twist apart 24 Oreos.  * Note – I wasn’t so good at twisting and getting the cream all on one side, so I ended up cutting them apart with a paring knife. Place the wafer with filling on it, filling side up, in the bottom of each paper liner. Cut other wafers in half. Save 24 halves to place in the frosting. Crush the other wafer halves, also for garnishing.

Cut the remaining Oreo cookies into quarters with a sharp knife. Toss with 2 Tbsp flour and set aside.

In a large bowl cream the butter until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the milk and vanilla and mix to combine.

In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to butter mixture. Mix until integrated. Stir in sugar. With an electric mixer on low speed, beat for 30 seconds. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg whites. Beat for 2 more minutes. Stir in the quartered cookies.

Fill the cupcake lines three-quarters full. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cupcakes comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz cream cheese at room temp
• 1 stick butter at room temp
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese until fluffy.

Add vanilla extract. Slowly add powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.

Assemble the cupcakes. Once cupcakes have cooled completely, frost with cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with crushed Oreos and place 1/2 of an Oreo on the frosting of each cupcake.