Red Velvet Oreo Cupcakes
If you can’t decide between a red velvet or Oreo dessert, try out these red velvet Oreo cupcakes for the best of both worlds. This cupcake recipe is made with moist and tender red velvet cupcakes, cookies and cream buttercream frosting, and Oreo cookies.
Ingredients for Red Velvet Oreo Cupcakes
Red Velvet Cupcakes
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Cocoa powder – Regular unsweetened cocoa powder adds a subtle chocolate flavor.
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Buttermilk – Room temperature. You can also use my buttermilk substitute.
- Vegetable oil – Use your favorite neutral baking oil.
- Egg – Large egg, room temperature.
- Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract.
- White vinegar – Helps to activate the baking soda and contributes to the red velvet flavor.
- Red gel food coloring – Use gel color for the brightest red color without impacting the taste or texture.
Cookies and Cream Buttercream Frosting
- Unsalted butter – Room temperature.
- Powdered sugar – Confectioners’ sugar/icing sugar.
- Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract.
- Salt – To balance out the sweetness of the frosting.
- Heavy cream – Creates a smooth and creamy consistency.
- Oreo cookie crumbs – Very finely crushed Oreo cookies. The finer, the better.
Additional Ingredients
- Oreo cookies – Oreo crumbs and halved Oreo cookies for decorating the cupcakes.
How to Make Red Velvet Oreo Cupcakes
- Prep and preheat: Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- Make the cupcake batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the wet ingredients (buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, vanilla extract, white vinegar, and red food coloring) to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined and smooth.
- Bake the cupcakes: Portion the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners using a large cookie scoop (about 3/4 full). Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the buttercream: Whip the butter for 5 minutes until light and creamy. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt and mix until combined. Drizzle in the heavy cream while mixing on low speed. Turn the mixer to medium and whip the frosting for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Stir in the Oreo cookie crumbs. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Assemble the cupcakes: Fill a piping bag fitted with an Ateco 826 piping tip with the Oreo buttercream frosting. Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Decorate the cupcakes with Oreo cookie crumbs and Oreo cookie halves.
Recipe Tips
- Check out my baking tips posts on 10 Tips for Baking Perfect Cupcakes and 10 Tips for Making Perfect Buttercream to learn simple tips and tricks to make the most out of this recipe.
- If you want to learn more about my favorite cupcake baking and decorating supplies, be sure to check out this post for more information.
- Learn how to frost cupcakes and my favorite piping tips for frosting cupcakes.
- I do not recommend making the cookies and cream buttercream ahead of time. The cookie crumbs break down and the frosting becomes gray and muddy. Make it the day you plan on using it for the best results.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I store the cupcakes?
- Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days or in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Serve the cupcakes at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
Can I replace the buttermilk?
- Yes! If you do not have buttermilk, check out my buttermilk substitute recipe. You can add a bit of lemon juice or white vinegar to regular milk to mimic buttermilk.
Can I use liquid food coloring?
- I don’t recommend using liquid food coloring for this recipe. Gel food coloring is highly pigmented so it creates a vibrant red color without changing the taste or texture of the recipe.
Other Recipes You Will Love
- Red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
- Cookies and cream cupcakes
- Red velvet cupcakes
- Oreo brownies
- Red velvet cake
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Red Velvet Oreo Cupcakes
Yield: 12 cupcakes
If you can't decide between a red velvet or Oreo dessert, try out these red velvet Oreo cupcakes for the best of both worlds. This cupcake recipe is made with moist and tender red velvet cupcakes, cookies and cream buttercream frosting, and Oreo cookies.
Equipment
Ingredients
Red Velvet Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp (5 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ tsp (0.75 tsp) baking soda
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- ½ cup (120 g) buttermilk or buttermilk substitute room temperature
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 (1) large egg room temperature
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) white vinegar
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) red gel food coloring
Cookies and Cream Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
- 2 tbsp (30 g) heavy cream
- ½ cup (50 g) Oreo cookie crumbs 6 cookies
Additional Ingredients
- 6 (12) Oreo cookies halved, to create 12 pieces
- 2 tbsp (30 g) Oreo cookie crumbs
Instructions
Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add in the buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, vanilla extract, white vinegar, and red gel food coloring and whisk until the cupcake batter is well combined and smooth.
- Portion the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners using a large cookie scoop (about 3/4 full). Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Cookies and Cream Buttercream Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the unsalted butter for 5 minutes until light, pale, and creamy.
- Add one half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed setting until fully combined. Add the remaining powdered sugar and continue to mix on low speed until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and salt and mix on low speed until combined. Drizzle in the heavy cream. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to be sure the ingredients are well combined.
- Turn the mixer to medium speed and whip the buttercream for about 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and creamy.
- Add in the Oreo cookie crumbs and mix the frosting on low speed until the cookie crumbs are dispersed throughout the frosting. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Mix the buttercream for several minutes on low speed to remove air bubbles.
Assembling the Cupcakes
- Fill a piping bag fitted with an Ateco 826 piping tip with the cookies and cream buttercream frosting. Pipe a generous swirl of buttercream onto the cooled red velvet cupcakes. Decorate the cupcakes with Oreo cookie crumbs and halved Oreo cookies.
Notes
- Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days or in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Serve at room temperature.
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Categories:
Christmas, Cupcakes, Fourth of July, Oreo, Red Velvet, Spring, Summer, Valentine's Day, Winter,
About Courtney
Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author
Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.
I don’t really have a food processor to crush up the Oreo’s, do you have any other suggestions as to how I can do that?
Hi Natalie! You could also use a blender. If you don’t have a blender, you could also put the cookies in a resealable storage bag and crush them with a rolling pin or the back of a pan. You want to try and get the cookie crumbs to be super small and fine for the best results.
Where have you been all my life? just got your book today, had never stopped by your blog, everything was new to me!
I read your book cover to cover, smiling all the way through, anticipating many bakes to donate (I donate weekly to homeless meals) – so many songs, so many flavors, colors, decorations – love it so much!
Not sure what I will be baking first, but it will happen TOMORROW!!!!!
Aww, I’m so glad you found me! Thank you so much for getting my cookbook! I hope you love it as much as I do!
Cowabunga was the first! AWESOME!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!