American Buttercream is a staple in the baking world, but there is one thing that can make it even better: Oreos! This recipe for Cookies and Cream frosting is sweet without being too sweet and loaded with Oreo chunks. It uses a combination of butter and cream cheese to give it a nice creamy flavor, like that of the white center of an Oreo.
This Oreo Frosting recipe is great for cookies, cakes, cupcakes, etc. However, it is not great for decorating with intricate detail. If you want to learn more about how to decorate cookies with detail for different occasions, check out my Ultimate Guide to Royal Icing for Beginners.
For other buttercream recipes, you can check out my Almond Buttercream Recipe for Margarita Buttercream recipe. However, if you are a cookies and cream enthusiast, I also have these Giant Cookies and Cream cookies or Cookies and Cream Cut-Out Cookies.
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Ingredients
- Oreos: They will be crushed into pieces and incorporated into the icing.
- Unsalted Butter: I prefer to add salt separately so you can control how much goes into your icing. However, if you only have salted, go ahead and use and just omit the salt.
- Cream Cheese: I used cream cheese to cut down the sweetness of the buttercream and incorporate a creamy, smooth flavor.
- Powdered Sugar: Otherwise known as confectioners sugar or icing sugar, this is the standard sugar for many types of frostings and icings.
- Heavy Cream: Helps to smooth out the icing and adds a slight richness.
- Vanilla Extract: Use Pure Vanilla Extract if it's an option as it has amazing flavor. Clear Vanilla Extract is sometimes optimal for icings to keep it white. However, I used a dark vanilla extract and still got a very light color in my icing with this recipe.
- Salt: For flavor!
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Bring Ingredients to Room Temperature: Start by leaving out your butter and cream cheese and allow them to come to room temperature.
Crush the Oreos: In a Ziploc bag, add the Oreos and crush them with a meat tenderizer, a rolling pin, or any object that will crush cookies! You can use a food processor, but I prefer to have different-sized chunks of Oreos throughout the icing. If you are using a decorative piping tip (for example to top cupcakes) I would recommend making sure the Oreo pieces are ground into fine crumbs so they don’t get stuck in the frosting tip.
Cream the Butter & Cream Cheese: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the room temperature butter and cream cheese on high speed until they are fully incorporated. The mixture will look pretty thick and chunky at this point.
Tip: If you own a stand mixer I recommend using it with the paddle attachment. It will take less time and less effort to make icing with a stand mixer. If you only have a hand mixer, it will work fine too. It just may take a little extra time when beating.
Add the Powdered Sugar: Slowly add the powdered sugar in, about 1 cup at a time. Mix on low to medium speed and allow the sugar to mostly incorporate before adding the next cup in. Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, it will be pretty thick. Using a spatula, scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure all of the sugar has been incorporated in between additions.
Add Heavy Cream, Vanilla Extract, and Salt: Add the heavy cream, vanilla, and salt into the butter and sugar mixture. Beat on high speed for 3-4 minutes. It may take a little longer than that if you are using a hand mixer. Once complete, the icing will be light in color and smooth.
Fold the Oreos: Gently fold in the crushed Oreo cookie crumbs with a rubber spatula. The fewer folds you can make to get the Oreos dispersed throughout the icing, the better. The more you stir it, the darker the icing will get due to the Oreo Crumbs.
Decorate (or Eat!): Whether you are decorating a cake, cookies, or cupcakes this icing won’t disappoint. Sometimes I take a few spoonfuls and eat it like ice cream.
What to Pair with Oreo Buttercream Frosting?
I think chocolate cake or chocolate cupcakes pair amazingly with this recipe. If you have a recipe for cookies and cream cupcakes, cake, or cookies, that would blend nicely as well. Vanilla, soft sugar cookies would go well also!
This recipe would be great for cake filling too. Simply spread a thick layer of this frosting between two cake layers.
How much icing does this recipe make?
When completed, this icing will make about 3.5 cups of icing. This will frost approximately 15-17 cupcakes heaping with frosting. The total amount of cupcakes will depend on how much frosting you put on each one.
Storage
This icing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. You can freeze for up to 3 months. When you unfreeze it, let it come to room temperature and whip it up with an electric mixer to get it smooth and creamy again.
Related
Looking for other buttercream or icing recipes? Try these:
Pairing
Cookie recipes to pair this buttercream with:
Oreo Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 8 Oreos, crushed
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature (227g)
- ½ Cup Cream Cheese, room temperature (109g)
- 4 Cups Powdered Sugar (545g)
- 1 Tablespoon Heavy Cream
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Allow the butter and cream cheese to come to room temperature.
- Crush the Oreos using either a food processor or put them in a Ziploc bag and smash them with a hard object such as a rolling pin or meat tenderizer.
- Once the butter and cream cheese have reached room temperature, beat them with an electric mixer on high speed until fully combined. This should take around 1-2 minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at at time and beat on low speed in between each addition.
- Add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt and beat on high speed for 3-4 minutes or until the icing has turned light in color and looks smooth and whipped.
- Gently fold in the Oreo cookie pieces with a rubber spatula until evenly dispersed throughout the buttercream.
- Use an offset spatula or a large piping bag to add the frosting to your baked goods!
