Mint Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a cupcake tray with 12 cupcake liners.
In a small bowl or a glass liquid measuring cup, stir together chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and boiling water until the cocoa powder is dissolved. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
Mix the chocolate mixture again to ensure that the chocolate chips are melted.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk gently until just combined.
Add vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until the batter is combined and smooth. Fold in the chopped mint Oreo cookies.
Fill cupcake liners ¾ full.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes bounce back slightly when touched.
Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and cool completely.

In a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer, add in room temperature unsalted butter. Whip the butter for 5 minutes on medium-high speed, scraping down the sides occasionally. The butter will be light, fluffy, and pale in color.
Add one half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed setting until fully combined. Add remaining powdered sugar and continue to mix on low until incorporated.
Add vanilla extract, mint extract, and salt and mix on low until combined.
Increase speed to medium on the mixer and slowly drizzle in the heavy cream. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure the frosting is well mixed. Add a few drops of green gel food coloring, if desired.
Turn the speed on the mixer to high and whip for an additional 3-5 minutes until the buttercream is light and fluffy.
Add mint Oreo cookie crumbs and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
If desired, switch to a paddle attachment on the stand mixer and mix buttercream on low speed for 2 additional minutes to remove air bubbles to create smooth frosting.

Use a large open star piping tip and a piping bag to swirl the buttercream onto the cupcakes. Add half of a mint Oreo cookie to each cupcake if desired.

Mint cookies and cream cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days!

Do not make the buttercream ahead of time. Make and frost the cupcakes the same day for the best results.

Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.