I first discovered the concept of cheesecake cupcakes when I made and fell head over heels in love with Peaches and Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes (recipe here).  I love Hershey’s cookies and cream chocolate bars so when I saw these in Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes book, I knew I had to try them.  I really like the crunchy cookie base.  It’s the perfect contrast in texture to the smooth and creamy cheesecake on top.

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes Recipe

makes 30,  from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes

42 Oreo sandwich cookies – 30 left whole, and 12 coarsely chopped
2 pounds cream cheese at room temperature (approximately 4 x 250 g packages) OR 2 x 250 g packages  (Note:  This depends on the ratio of cream cheese filling to cookie that you prefer.)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
pinch of salt (Note:  I suggest omitting this)

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.  With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla.  Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand.  Divide batter evenly among cookie-lined cups, filling each almost to the top. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, about 22 minutes.  Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or up to overnight). Remove from tins just before serving.