Halloween Cupcakes are such a fun treat for October because they start with an Oreo cookie on the bottom and finish with the cutest graveyard toppings. The vanilla cupcakes bake up soft and sweet, then get topped with cookies and cream marshmallow frosting, crushed Oreos, tombstone cookies, and mallow pumpkins.
We love making these for Halloween parties, classroom treats, and family movie nights because they look festive without being too hard to decorate. The crushed Oreos make the frosting taste like cookies and cream and also work perfectly as “dirt” on top.
We love to have all the festive Halloween food to go with it (Mummy Dogs, Halloween Pizza, Halloween Brownies, etc.)
Why you’ll love them + Why they work:
- Festive. Graveyard toppings are cute, simple, and kid-friendly.
- Party ready. Perfect for parties, classroom treats, bake sales, and Halloween movie nights.
- The Oreo bottom adds a surprise. Each cupcake has a cookie base that makes it feel extra special.
- Marshmallow fluff makes frosting light. It adds sweetness and a fluffy texture that pairs well with crushed Oreos.
Halloween Cupcakes Ingredients
Cupcakes
- Oreos (12): Sits at the bottom of each liner and create a fun cookie base for the cupcakes.
- Cake flour (¾ cup): Helps make the cupcakes soft and tender.
- All-purpose flour (¾ cup): Gives the cupcakes enough structure to hold their shape.
- Sugar (¾ cup): Sweetens the cupcakes and helps them bake up tender.
- Baking powder (1¼ teaspoon): Helps the cupcakes rise.
- Salt (½ teaspoon): Balances the sweetness and brings out the flavor.
- Cold butter, cut into small pieces (½ cup): Mixes into the dry ingredients to create a tender cupcake texture.
- Eggs (2): Adds structure and help the cupcakes bake properly.
- Milk (¾ cup): Adds moisture and helps create a smooth batter.
- Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon): Adds classic sweet flavor.
Frosting
- Marshmallow fluff (3.4 ounces, ½ of a 7-ounce container): Makes the frosting sweet, fluffy, and fun for Halloween cupcakes.
- Butter, room temperature (½ cup): Creates a creamy frosting base.
- Powdered sugar (2½ cups): Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
- Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon): Adds flavor to the frosting.
- Cream (1 to 2 tablespoons): Helps thin the frosting to a smooth, pipeable consistency.
Toppings
- Oreos, finely crushed, plus additional Oreos for garnish (10): Adds cookies and cream flavor to the frosting and create a crumbly “dirt” topping.
- Crushed Oreos: Adds extra graveyard dirt texture on top of the cupcakes.
- Cookies for tombstones, can cut Oreos into tombstone shape: Creates the cute tombstone decorations.
- Mallow pumpkins: Adds a festive pumpkin patch look.
How to Make Halloween Cupcakes
PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 12 wells of a muffin tin with paper liners. Place an Oreo cookie in the bottom of each paper liner, and set aside.
BATTER. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add the ¾ cup cake flour, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ¾ cup sugar, 1¼ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt, and whisk to combine. Cut ½ cup butter pieces into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the 2 eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Combine the ¾ cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a small bowl or measuring cup, and add half of the milk mixture to the batter. Mix until smooth, then add the rest of the milk mixture and mix until smooth.
BAKE. Scoop cupcake batter into prepared muffin tin, filling ½-⅔ full (into darker cupcake liners). Bake 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when touched lightly and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove and let cool completely.
FROST. After the cupcakes have cooled, beat together 3.4 ounces marshmallow fluff and ½ cup softened butter until light and fluffy. Add 2 ½ cups powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla, and add enough cream (about 1-2 tablespoons) to make a smooth, easily pipeable frosting. Beat until light and fluffy. Mix in 10 finely crushed Oreos.
Pipe frosting onto the cooled cupcakes (I used a jumbo round tip in a piping bag) and garnish with additional crushed Oreos plus a cookie for a tombstone and a mallow pumpkin.
Other great frostings you can use include: Marshmallow Frosting, Chocolate Chip Frosting, Cream Cheese Frosting, and Chocolate Buttercream frosting.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Place one Oreo in each cupcake liner before adding batter for the easiest cookie bottom.
- Fill cupcake liners ½ to ⅔ full so the cupcakes have room to rise.
- Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting so the frosting stays fluffy.
- Finely crush the Oreos for the frosting so it pipes smoothly.
- Make-ahead tip: bake cupcakes the day before, then frost and decorate the day you plan to serve them.
Halloween Cupcake Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 12 Oreos
- ¾ cup cake flour
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
- 3.4 ounces marshmallow fluff, (½ of a 7-ounce container)
- ½ cup butter, room temperature
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons cream
- 10 Oreos, finely crushed, plus additional Oreos for garnish
Toppings
- crushed Oreos
- cookies for tombstones, can cut Oreos into tombstone shape
- mallow pumpkins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 12 wells of a muffin tin with paper liners. Place an Oreo cookie in the bottom of each paper liner, and set aside.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cake flour, all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, and whisk to combine. Mix in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a small bowl or measuring cup, and add half of the milk mixture to the batter. Mix until smooth, then add the other half of the milk mixture and mix until smooth.
- Scoop into prepared muffin tin, filling ½-⅔ full (into darker cupcake liners). Bake 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when touched lightly and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove and let cool completely.
- After the cupcakes have cooled, beat the marshmallow fluff and butter until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and enough cream to make a smooth, easily pipeable frosting. Beat until light and fluffy. Mix in the finely crushed Oreos.
- Pipe frosting onto the cooled cupcakes (I used a jumbo round tip) and garnish with additional crushed Oreos plus a cookie for a tombstone and a mallow pumpkin.
Notes
- Place one Oreo in each cupcake liner before adding batter for the easiest cookie bottom.
- Fill cupcake liners ½ to ⅔ full so the cupcakes have room to rise.
- Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting so the frosting stays fluffy.
- Finely crush the Oreos for the frosting so it pipes smoothly.
- Make-ahead tip: bake cupcakes the day before, then frost and decorate the day you plan to serve them.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
> Use a box of yellow cake mix or chocolate cake mix to make these cupcakes. You can also purchase plain prebaked cupcakes from a bakery to decorate at home.
>This recipe makes 12 cupcakes. A cake mix typically makes 24 cupcakes so you will need to double the number of Oreos to place in the bottom of each cupcake tin. You will also need to double the amount of frosting and decorative toppings.
– colorful frosting. Use gel food coloring to turn the marshmallow frosting green, orange, or purple.
– plastic ring spiders, spider webs, or make ghost cupcakes
– festive Halloween sprinkles or candy
The marshmallow buttercream frosting can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature before using.
The cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the freezer for 3 months. Thaw before frosting.
Store your frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature. This helps prevent them from drying out.
Avoid refrigeration and freezingas they can negatively affect the texture.
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This recipe was first shared August, 2024.
Is it the whole oreo including the creme or just the cookies used for the frosting?
You’ll want to use the whole Oreo!