Frosted Circus Animal Cookie Cupcakes

These frosted circus animal cookie cupcakes are a fun way to highlight the treat that has withstood the test of time. And they are a perfect topper for any party or afternoon snack.

A close up of a circus animal cupcake with other cupcakes around it against a weathered wood background.
We top our cupcakes with a scoop of made-from-scratch frosting and a whole circus animal cookie.

RELATED READING: Easy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

At Ruffles and Rain Boots, I love stretching my creativity when it comes to sweet treats. Over the years, I’ve shared hundreds of creative cupcake recipes.

But these? Everyone will go bonkers for these frosted circus animal cookie cupcakes because the classic flavor and color is on full display.

If you need to make a grocery store run for your frosted circus animal cookies, bookmark this page to make it easy when you are ready to create your fun dessert.

A vanilla cupcake with pink frosting on top and a pink circus animal cookie against a white marble background with several cupcakes in the background.
We crushed our circus animal cookies in the food processor and then folded them into the frosting, along with sprinkles, and pink food coloring.

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RELATED READING: Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cupcakes (Oh, So Tasty)

  • If you are using a scoop to add the frosting to the cupcakes, you can make a coarse mixture of the frosted animal cookies. If you are using a piping bag and a piping tip, you will need to use a finer powder of the cookie so they will fit through the tip.
  • We used Mother’s Circus Animal cookies for this recipe, which can be found at any major grocery and most retailers in your area and they can be found on Amazon.
  • If you are short on time and cannot make our handmade buttercream frosting as outlined below, use at least one can of frosting from your local grocery store in white.
A close up of a circus animal cupcake with other cupcakes around it and a pan of unfrosted cupcakes against a weathered wood background.
Attention party animals! You are going to love our frosted circus animal cookie cupcakes.

Below are the ingredients I used to make these frosted circus animal cookie cupcakes.For tips on adding the crushed cookies to the frosting, read the information above.

  • Circus Animal Cookies, crushed
  • Unsalted butter softened at room temperature
  • Powdered sugar
  • Pure vanilla extract
  • Heavy cream
  • Pink food coloring
  • Non-pareil sprinkles
  • Baked Cupcakes (Highly-Rated Easy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe)
The ingredients for the frosted circus animal cookie cupcakes against a white marble background.

Each step for this recipe is detailed below to make it easy to follow. Keep this page open while creating your cupcakes. If you would rather have a printable recipe, scroll down and select the print button.

A baker creaming butter in a large round glass mixing bowl against a white marble background.

Add Circus Animal Cookies to a food processor and pulse until a semi-fine powder and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl add the butter. Using an electric hand or stand mixer, beat on high until smooth, or about 2 minutes.

A large round glass bowl with creamed butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla against a white marble background.

Add in half of the powdered sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons of heavy cream, mixing on low until incorporated into the butter.

Add in the vanilla extract and food coloring and mix to combine.

A baker mixing pink frosting in a large round glass bowl against a white marble background.

Add in the remaining half of the powdered sugar and the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until fluffy.

A bowl of pink frosting with crushed circus animal cookies and sprinkles against a white marble background.

Fold in the crushed animal cookies and sprinkles.

A spoon placing pink frosting on top of a cupcake against a white marble background.

Scoop frosting onto cooled cupcakes, using a large cookie scoop.

Top with additional sprinkles and garnish with a leftover cookie.

A baker's hand placing a circus animal cookie on top of a frosted cupcake against a white marble background.
  • We used an ice cream scoop to place the frosting onto the cupcakes. If you would prefer to use a piping bag fitted with a 1M, large star tip, and pipe a mountain-like frosting decoration, that would look great too!
  • We used pink food coloring for the frosting to go along with the pink and white cookies we used but go crazy.
  • You can use a vanilla-boxed cake mix for our pre-baked cupcakes or purchase store-bought cupcakes and scrape off the frosting.

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A close up of a circus animal cookie cupcake on a weathered wood surface with other cupcakes surrounding it.
Entertain kids of all ages with this easy-to-make frosted circus animal cookie cupcake recipe.
Yield: 24 cupcakes

Frosted Circus Animal Cookie Cupcake Recipe

A close up of a circus animal cupcake with other cupcakes around it and a pan of unfrosted cupcakes against a weathered wood background.

Entertain kids of all ages with this easy-to-make frosted circus animal cookie cupcake recipe. We start with pre-baked and cooled cupcakes and then make our delicious homemade frosted animal cookies and buttercream frosting. We crushed our circus animal cookies in the food processor and then folded them into the frosting, along with some sprinkles and pink food coloring, into the from scratch frosting. We then top the cupcake with a scoop of the frosting and a whole circus animal cookie.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Additional Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Circus Animal Cookies, crushed
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Pink food coloring
  • 2 tablespoons nonpareils sprinkles
  • 24 Vanilla Cupcakes (My Easy Cupcake Recipe)

Instructions

  1. Add Circus Animal Cookies to a food processor and pulse until a semi-fine powder and set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl add the butter. Using an electric hand or stand mixer, beat on high until smooth, or about 2 minutes.
  3. Add in half of the powdered sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons of heavy cream, mixing on low until incorporated into the butter.
  4. Add in the vanilla extract and food coloring and mix to combine.
  5. Add in the remaining half of the powdered sugar and the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until fluffy.
  6. Fold in the crushed animal cookies and sprinkles.
  7. Scoop frosting onto cooled cupcakes, using a large cookie scoop. Optional: piping bag + tip.
  8. Top with additional sprinkles and garnish with a leftover cookie.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 508Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 329mgCarbohydrates: 69gFiber: 2gSugar: 52gProtein: 4g

All nutrition information is estimated. For accuracy, please calculate your exact brands and ingredients if accuracy is desired.

Did you make this yummy recipe?

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