Gluten Free Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Back a few weeks ago, when the weather was hot and smoky, I was sitting on my new couch doing nothing except flipping through channels on my new tv. (I'm a spoiled brat, I know.) It was mid-morning and it was the first chance I've had to watch the Food Network all summer. ALL SUMMER! What is wrong with me?! Any self respecting food blogger would at least try to watch something once a day, right? I've been too busy watching my children play, pretending I look good in my swimming suit at the pool, and going on "field trips" with them to watch much tv. Anyway, Down Home with The Neelys was on, and for some reason, I've never watched it before. My 11-year-old was in a sleepy summer stupor next to me, but when they mixed up this Cookies and Cream Cake she sat bolt upright and said, "Mom, we have got to try that!" What can I say? I've raised Oreo lovers at my house. I must admit, until I found the Kinnikinnick brand of gluten free "chocolate sandwich cookies" I figured the taste of Oreos was lost to me forever. But now, all doors are open to cookies and cream desserts. Bless them, over at Kinnikinnick.

The Neelys made up a yummy looking chocolate cake from scratch complete with buttermilk and cocoa, but I took the easy summer road and used a gluten free chocolate cake mix from Namaste and the Kinnikinnick brand sandwich cookies.

I also used a jar of vanilla frosting from Betty Crocker, which is also gluten free. Here's how I made these delicious oreo-flavored treats:

1. Mix up cake batter according to directions on package

2. Crush an entire package of Kinni-Toos cookies in a large ziploc bag with a rolling pin.

3. Add 1 1/2 cups crushed cookies to the cake batter, mix well, and spoon into muffin tins lined with paper liners.

4. Bake according to package directions.

5. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of crushed cookies to frosting and mix well. Frost cupcakes with frosting when cooled.

So easy, so easy to eat. They are so rich and chocolatey when they first come out of the oven. My kids loved these and I must say I was glad I froze them individually so that I couldn't eat the whole batch at once. But they didn't last the week...that 11-year-old found my stash and they were gone double time. Now that she's back in school I'll have to make some more. I may not even share this time.

Happy eating!