Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cups white sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Frosting:

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 7 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 18 chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreo(R))
• 2 tablespoons milk, or more as needed

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease two 12-cup muffin tins or line cups with paper liners.
2. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, espresso powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl. Whisk in white sugar and brown sugar.
3. Whisk eggs, water, and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl. Add sour cream and oil and mix well. Add egg mixture to the bowl with the flour mixture and mix well until no dry ingredients remain. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, place cream cheese and butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and cream together until smooth. Add vanilla extract and mix. Add confectioners’ sugar and mix on medium-low speed; whip into a firm consistency, 2 to 5 minutes. Frosting will thicken as you whip. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time to thin if necessary.
6. Crush whole cookies into crumbs in a food processor. Mix cookie crumbs into frosting using a rubber spatula. Chill frosting in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes before piping onto cooled cupcakes.