Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
Servings 12
Ingredients
**Cupcakes:**
- – 1 cup sugar
- – 7/8 cup flour 105 grams
- – 3/8 cup cocoa powder 36 grams
- – 1 teaspoon baking soda
- – 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- – 1/2 teaspoon salt
- – 1 egg
- – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- – 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- – 1/2 cup buttermilk
- – 1/2 cup hot coffee
**Ganache:**
- – 2.5 oz chocolate chopped or chocolate chips
- – 2 tablespoons butter cut into 4 pieces
- – 3/8 cup sugar
- – 3/8 cup heavy cream
- – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- – Pinch of salt
**Cookies and Cream Frosting:**
- – 1 package cream cheese room temperature
- – 1 stick butter room temperature
- – 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- – 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- – 1/2 teaspoon salt
- – 4 cups powdered sugar
- – 1 cup finely crumbled chocolate sandwich cookies
- – Extra chocolate sandwich cookies for decorating
**Crust:**
- – 6 oz chocolate sandwich cookies
- – 3 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
**Crust:**
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Pulse chocolate sandwich cookies in a food processor until they are fine crumbs.
- Pour in melted butter and pulse until evenly combined.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the crust mixture into each lined cupcake pan, distributing evenly among 12 liners.
- Press the mixture down firmly with your fingers or the back of a measuring cup to form a compact layer.
- Bake for 8 minutes and set aside to cool while you make the cake.
**Cupcakes:**
- In a bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a whisk until evenly mixed.
- Add vanilla, egg, buttermilk, and oil. Stir until combined.
- Stir in the hot coffee quickly to ensure it is evenly distributed. The batter will be thin.
- Pour the batter over the baked crust and bake for 20 minutes at 350°F or until a toothpick comes out clean.
**Ganache:**
- In a bowl, combine chocolate, butter, salt, and vanilla. Set aside.
- In a small pan over medium heat, heat cream and sugar until hot but not boiling.
- Pour the heated cream and sugar over the chocolate mixture and stir until smooth.
- Cool in the fridge until thickened but not hard.
- Transfer the ganache to a piping bag with a 1/4 inch metal tip, or use a Ziploc bag and cut a 1/4 inch hole in the corner.
**Frosting:**
- On medium-high speed, whip cream cheese, butter, vanilla, almond extract, and salt for 1-2 minutes until fluffy.
- Turn the mixer to low and add powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Once mixed, increase speed to medium-high and whip for 2 minutes.
- Fold in 1 cup of crushed chocolate sandwich cookies until just combined.
### To Assemble the Cupcakes
- Use a knife to poke a hole in the center of each cupcake. Insert the piping tip into the hole and fill each cupcake with ganache, pressing the tip to the bottom and slowly bringing it upwards.
- Pipe the cookies and cream icing on top of each cupcake.
- Decorate with a chocolate sandwich cookie on top.