Delightfully Festive Double-Frosted Halloween Oreo Cupcakes
Home » COOK » Recipes » Holiday Recipes » Halloween Recipes »
If you’re looking for an easy to make cupcake recipe for Halloween, this one for double-frosted Halloween Oreo Cupcakes could be it! Take a box of cake mix, frosting, Oreo cookies, and sprinkles, and in no time you’ll have these delightfully festive cupcakes ready to put out on your Halloween dessert table!
I’ve got 50+ freakishly good Halloween Recipes for you to try out – right-click and open these other recipes in a new tab so that you can read them after this one!
Affiliate Disclosure
We have included affiliate links to products and services related to the topic of this post.
This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you purchase after clicking on those links.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Read Our Full Disclosure and Privacy Policy
Halloween Oreo Cupcakes
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions and to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required as well as understand the steps and timings involved.
These Halloween Oreo Cupcakes are so festive and so much fun to make too!
Halloween Oreo Cookies are split and dipped in chocolate and then covered in sprinkles. The orange creme inside is then used to make the frosting which gets a double dose on top of each cupcake.
These cupcakes are a fun family activity too, so get the kiddos in the kitchen to help you make these for Halloween!
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
You may have some of the ingredients for this recipe in your kitchen already – the full list with measurements is found in the recipe card.
For your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been listed below and linked to Amazon if available online.
- Halloween Oreo Cookies – ones with orange filling. These are going to be split and the creme used in the frosting, while the cookies are dipped in chocolate and sprinkles for topping the cupcakes. If you can’t find these, just use regular Oreos and color your frosting with orange food coloring gel.
- Chocolate Melting Wafers – or you could use regular chocolate chips.
- Wilton Halloween Pumpkin Sprinkles Mix – 5 x (3 oz packages)*
- Box of Chocolate Cake Mix – plus the ingredients to make the cake mix, usually eggs, oil, and water. Use your preferred brand.
- Powdered Sugar – known as Icing Sugar in the UK
- Pure Vanilla Extract – always buy the best you can afford, it really does make a difference!
- Orange Food Coloring Gel – this is an optional ingredient but you may prefer a brighter orange frosting for your cupcakes.
*You are going to need a LOT of Halloween sprinkles for these cupcakes! Probably around 15-ounces total! You can use any kind of Halloween sprinkles you like. We used the Wilton pumpkin mix, but there are lots of great options on Amazon! Here are my favorites:
This recipe uses American cups. They’re a handy piece of kitchen equipment to have along with a kitchen food scale. Having both in your kitchen means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog as I use both cups and weighted measures.
More Recipes Using Oreo Cookies
One of the hero ingredients in this recipe is Oreo Cookies, so here are some more recipes using the same:
- Oreo Spiderweb Cheesecake with Black Velvet Cake Base
- Blood & Bone Oreo Truffles
- Halloween Oreo Cookie Pops
Halloween Oreo Cupcakes Recipe Tips
Dipped Oreo Cookie Tips
- Before starting, prepare a cookie sheet lined with wax or parchment paper for your dipped cookies to lay on while drying.
- Carefully split the Oreos in two, scraping off the orange creme filling to use later in the frosting.
- Use my candy melting tips below – which are also applicable when melting chocolate too. You can use either candy melts or chocolate chips in this recipe.
- Gently tap off any excess chocolate before laying the cookies down onto the prepared cookie sheet and sprinkle with your Halloween sprinkles.
- They should set in an hour or two in a cool, dry place. Do not place them in the fridge as it will make the cookies got soft and we don’t want that!
Melting Tips for Candy Melts
You can melt candy melts/candy wafers in the microwave or a double boiler, or if you plan on making lots of candy covered treats in the future, I recommend investing in a Wilton candy melting pot as treat-making life is then so much easier!
Try this PME one if you’re in the UK, as the Wilton one is not available on Amazon.co.uk.
If you use the Wilton Candy Melting Pot, you can check out Wilton’s demo video on YouTube which is really helpful. They also give tips on how to melt candy melts in the microwave, as well as using the double boiler method.
The two most important things are
- Do not overheat – use an even melting temperature
- Do not add water – it makes the candy seize up and become unusable. Make sure the equipment used is completely dry, and avoid using utensils that retain moisture like a wooden spoon.
If you find that the candy is too thick, add vegetable shortening or (solid) coconut oil in 1 teaspoon increments, up to 1 tablespoon, and stir well.
Another reminder – do not add water. The very first time I used candy melts I managed to get water in the bowl and it was ruined. Learn from my mistakes! Additionally, do not use vegetable oil, butter, milk, or any other liquids as this will also make the candy seize up.
If you are using your microwave, test melt a small amount of candy melts first, to see how it works. You may need to adjust the temperature and time to suit your machine. Heat in 15-30 second increments, stirring the candy melts each time. They may not look melted, but they might have started melting from the inside. Stirring helps to distribute the heat.
Cupcake Making Tips
- Use festive Halloween-themed cupcake liners to bake your cakes in.
- Use an ice cream scoop to equally divide the cupcake mixture between the cupcake liners.
- The cupcakes should be ready in about 20 minutes – test their doneness by inserting a toothpick into the cakes. It should come out clean when the cupcakes are cooked through. Bake for an extra 2 minutes and check again.
- Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Cupcake Frosting Tips
- When making the frosting you want the end result to be creamy, smooth, and for it to hold a stiff peak. You may have to adjust the amount of powdered sugar and cream slightly to achieve the consistency you need.
- If the orange creme from the cookies doesn’t give you an orange enough color, then feel free to add some orange gel food coloring a little at a time to reach the desired shade.
- These cupcakes are double-frosting, the first layer is flattened and rounded off a bit to create the base for lots of sprinkles, and then there is a swirl of frosting on top of that.
- Put an ice cream scoop to good use again for the first frosting layer and use a knife or angled spatula to level it off.
- Use a piping bag fitted with a large star tip for the frosting swirl.
- If you feel like you are going to be making a lot of cakes and cupcakes in your future, I think it is worth investing in a set of piping tips so that you know you always have the right ones on hand for a recipe.
- Do not overfill the piping bag with frosting, and make sure you squeeze the frosting down the bag to expel any air bubbles.
- If you are not confident with your piping skills you can practice on some parchment paper first and scoop the frosting back into the bag to use on the cupcakes.
More Halloween Cupcake Recipes
Looking for more Halloween cupcakes to make? Check these recipes out next:
How Do I Make Halloween Oreo Cupcakes?
Just check out the recipe card below with full ingredients, and instructions. You can print the card out too (don’t worry, the pics don’t print to save your ink!).
Halloween Oreo Cupcakes
Take a box of cake mix, frosting, Oreo cookies, and sprinkles, and in no time you'll have these delightfully festive cupcakes ready to put out on your Halloween dessert table!
Ingredients
For the Oreo Decoration
- 24 Halloween Oreo Cookies
- 1 (8 oz) bag of chocolate melting wafers or chips
- 5 (3 oz) packages Wilton Halloween Sprinkles Mix, divided
For the Cupcakes
- 1 box of chocolate cake mix + ingredients to make as listed on the box.
For the Orange Oreo Frosting
- Halloween Oreo Cookie creme (reserved from above)
- 3 cups unsalted butter, softened.
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 7 Tbsp heavy whipping cream (double cream)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Orange food coloring gel, optional
Instructions
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Carefully separate the Halloween Oreos, and reserve the creme to use in the frosting.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between, or according to the package instructions.
- Dip half of each cookie into the chocolate.
- Place onto the prepared cookie sheet and sprinkle with some Halloween sprinkles. Repeat until you have 24 coated cookies. Leave to set in a cool, dry place for a few hours.
- Preheat oven according to the box mix instructions and place 24 cupcake liners into cupcake pans. Set aside.
- Make the cupcake batter according to the box instructions and use an ice cream scoop to evenly divide the batter between the cupcake liners.
- Bake for the instructed time (usually 20 minutes) or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the frosting use an electric stand or handheld mixer and place the reserved Oreo creme (from step 2), butter, powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla into a mixing bowl.
- Beat on medium speed until combined and smooth and stiff peaks form.
- You can add some orange food coloring gel if you want a deeper orange color.
- Scoop 1 cup of frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and set aside.
- Use a medium ice cream scoop to place frosting onto each cooled cupcake and then spread out slightly into a thick disc.
- Pour the Halloween sprinkles into a deep bowl and stir to combine, then dip each cupcake into the sprinkles to cover.
- Pipe a swirl of frosting on top of each cupcake.
- Insert a chocolate-dipped Halloween Oreo into the side of the frosting swirl and sprinkle extra sprinkles on top if you like. Enjoy and Happy Halloween!
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 444Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 76mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 0gSugar: 37gProtein: 1g
This site uses Nutritionix to provide estimated nutrition. Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Meal!
You’ve made the dessert, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to make a full meal!
- Appetizer: Quick & Easy Pepperoni Mini Mummy Pizzas
- Main Dish: Toxic Mac ‘n’ Cheese
- Beverage: Wicked Witch Cocktail
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too!
The post is part of the Crafty October series on The Purple Pumpkin Blog. Check out Crafty October from 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012 for awesome Halloween ideas and inspiration; including recipes, printables, crafts, and more!