Oreo Cookie Dream Cupcakes have long been a favorite of my kids and they ask for them every time we have a special occasion in school.  This year, I already made them for Ryan’s school birthday party and then for the Fifth Grade Car Wash & Bake Sale this past Saturday.  I have been promising to post the recipe so here it goes:

Ingredients:

24 Paper Liners for Cupcake Pans (2 1/2 inch size)

30 Oreo Cookies (not double stuff!)

1 package plain white cake mix

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Buttercream or white frosting

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners.  Set the pans aside.

Count out 12 oreos and separate the top and bottom wafers.  make sure each side has some icing on it.  Place one wafer, icing side up, in the bottom of each cupcake liner. Set them aside.  Place the remaining 18 Oreos in a large, closed zip-loc bag and crush by rolling with a rolling pin.  Set the crumbs aside.

Place the cake mix, sour cream, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.  Increase the mixer speed to emdium and beat 1 1/2 minutes more, scraping down the sides if needed. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the crushed Oreos and fold into the batter until well incorporated. Set aside the remaining Oreos for garnish.  Spoon or scoop 1/3 cup of batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any). Place pans in the oven.

Bake the cupcakes until they are lightly golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Take the cupcakes out of the pans to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

Tips: go for the 22 cupcakes rather than 24 -better to fill the liners a little more than have a sad little cupcake.  Also, watch the cupcakes carefully so they don’t brown too much.  Lastly, if you aren’t going to frost them within the hour, put saran wrap over them so the cupcakes do not dry out.
Enjoy!