Oreo Sheet Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting

Name: Oreo Sheet Cake
Prep time: 1 h 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 box (15.25-ounce) chocolate or white cake mix; 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled; 3 large eggs, at room temperature; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; About 20 whole Oreo cookies, crushed into crumbs and small chunks; 1 box (3.4-ounce) instant vanilla pudding mix (optional); 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (optional); 8 ounces full-fat block cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened; 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; About 12 whole Oreo cookies, crushed

By:

Ruby Bennett

Published:

May 30, 2026

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This incredibly easy Oreo sheet cake is a crowd-pleaser for birthdays, barbecues, and gatherings of all kinds. It’s one I come back to again and again, and I always get at least one request for the recipe.

I will be completely honest with you: this Oreo sheet cake is barely a recipe. It’s more of a cheat code I stumbled into one frantic afternoon before a neighborhood potluck. I had a box of chocolate cake mix, a couple cans of vanilla frosting, and a half-eaten package of Oreos staring at me from the pantry. What started as a last-minute scramble turned into the most requested dessert I make. Now it’s my go-to for birthday parties, tailgates, and any time I need to feed a crowd without spending hours in the kitchen.

The magic here is that you’re taking perfectly good store-bought shortcuts and making them taste like you actually fussed. A moist, tender sheet cake, a fluffy frosting loaded with chocolate cookie chunks, and that nostalgic cookies-and-cream flavor that makes both kids and adults light up. Nobody needs to know it took you all of 15 minutes of actual work. (That’s our little secret.)

This incredibly easy Oreo sheet cake is a crowd-pleaser for birthdays, barbecues, and gatherings of all kinds. It's one I come back to again and again, and I always get at least one request for the recipe.

And the best part? You can personalize it a hundred different ways. I’ve made it with white cake mix, with peppermint Oreos at Christmas, and once even snuck in a layer of chocolate ganache for a friend’s birthday. It always disappears. If you’re as chocolate-obsessed as I am, you might also want to try my Double Chocolate Chip Cookies With Roasted Almonds for another easy win.

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Assembling the Easy Sheet Cake Recipe

This is the kind of dessert where the assembly line is half the fun. You don’t need a stand mixer, fancy pans, or even a lick of baking expertise.

I’ve made this with my six-year-old niece helping, and honestly, the only tricky part was keeping her from eating all the crushed Oreos before they hit the frosting. Here’s the blueprint.

Ingredients for the Cake and Frosting

For the cake, you can use any boxed cake mix you like, though I always go with a chocolate one because it feels like the most decadent shortcut. The full homemade frosting is my preferred method, but I’ve included the even-speedier canned frosting version too.

1 box (15.25-ounce) chocolate or white cake mix
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
About 20 whole Oreo cookies, crushed into crumbs and small chunks
Optional for extra moisture: 1 box (3.4-ounce) instant vanilla pudding mix
Optional for deeper chocolate flavor: 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

For the cream cheese Oreo frosting:

8 ounces full-fat block cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 to 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
About 12 whole Oreo cookies, crushed

If you’re in a total time crunch, substitute two cans of store-bought vanilla frosting, brought to room temperature. You’ll still whip in the crushed Oreos, and it tastes ridiculously good.

A quick note: always use full-fat block cream cheese and real butter for the frosting. Low-fat or tub-style cream cheese has more moisture and will make your frosting runny. Nobody wants a weepy cake.

Step 1: Bake the Cake

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9×13-inch metal baking pan, or line it with parchment paper for the easiest removal. In a large bowl, whisk together the cake mix, buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until the batter is smooth. If you’re adding the pudding mix and cocoa powder, stir them into the dry cake mix first.

Now gently fold in the crushed Oreos. I crush about 20 cookies into a mix of fine crumbs and small chunks. You want some pieces visible in the batter, so don’t turn them into dust. A few short pulses in a food processor work great, but a zip-top bag and rolling pin also get the job done. Fold them in right before you pour the batter into the pan to keep those pieces from sinking.

Spread the batter evenly and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Start checking at 25 minutes; a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. I know patience is hard here, but frosting a warm cake will melt your frosting into a sad, soupy mess.

Step 2: Whip Up the Cream Cheese Oreo Frosting

While the cake cools, make the frosting. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, then add the vanilla. Once it’s light and fluffy, fold in your crushed Oreos. Reserve a few larger chunks for texture contrast.

If you’re using canned vanilla frosting, simply empty two cans into a bowl, let them sit until easily stirrable, then whip in the crushed cookies until the frosting is evenly speckled and fluffy. No stand mixer needed, just a sturdy spoon and some enthusiasm.

Step 3: Frost and Decorate

Spoon the Oreo frosting over the completely cooled cake and spread it into a thick, even layer all the way to the edges. I like to leave it a little swoopy and rustic. For a store-bought touch that looks fancy, press mini Oreos onto the top, placing one where each planned slice will be. Lightly dust the whole thing with cocoa powder if you want extra chocolate appeal.

If you have time, pop the frosted cake in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This helps the frosting set up, making for cleaner slices and easier transport. The cake actually tastes even better after a night in the fridge because the cookies-and-cream flavor deepens. It’s a dream make-ahead dessert.

Serve the whole sheet cake straight from the baking dish. No fancy platter required, and fewer dishes to wash? That’s my kind of recipe.

Variations on This Easy Dessert Recipe

Once you’ve mastered the basic Oreo sheet cake, it’s dangerously easy to get creative. The assembly method is the same, but you can swap out the cake mix, frosting, and mix-ins to match any holiday, season, or random Tuesday craving. Here are a few of my favorite riffs.

Cookie dough vanilla cake: Use a white cake mix and follow the same steps. Instead of Oreos, fold in crumbled store-bought chocolate chip cookie dough pieces. Frost with a vanilla buttercream flecked with mini chocolate chips.
Peppermint Oreo cake: Perfect for Christmas. Use mint-flavored Oreos and add a quarter teaspoon of peppermint extract to the frosting. Top with crushed candy canes for a festive crunch.
Chocolate-covered strawberry cake: My Valentine’s Day go-to. Start with a strawberry cake mix (or add strawberry gelatin powder to a white mix) and frost with strawberry cream cheese icing. Pile fresh sliced strawberries on top and drizzle with melted semisweet chocolate.
Mocha fudge cake: Dissolve a tablespoon of instant espresso powder in the buttermilk before mixing. Frost with a chocolate whipped cream and Oreo mixture, then drizzle warm chocolate ganache over the top. Fancy enough for a dinner party.
Chocolate nut cake: Use a dark chocolate cake mix and fold in chopped toasted walnuts or peanut butter candy pieces along with the Oreo crumbs. The salty-sweet combo is dangerously addictive.
Red velvet twist: Red velvet cake mix, cream cheese frosting loaded with crushed Oreos, and a sprinkle of white chocolate curls on top. Looks spectacular, tastes even better.

The possibilities are limited only by what you can toss into your grocery cart. For even more inspiration, check out this Oreo sheet cake recipe from Delish or the reliable Allrecipes version for a few different takes on the same idea.

And if you need to feed a really large crowd, double the recipe and bake it in an 18×13-inch half-sheet pan. Adjust the baking time by 5 to 8 extra minutes and keep an eye on the toothpick test.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make Oreo sheet cake from scratch?

Cream together butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking powder, salt, and buttermilk alternately. Fold in crushed Oreos. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan and bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Can you use white cake mix for Oreo cake?

Yes, a box of white cake mix works well. Prepare the mix according to package directions, but add 1/2 cup of sour cream or buttermilk for extra moisture. Fold in 1 cup of crushed Oreos before baking.

How do you keep Oreo cake moist?

Use buttermilk or sour cream in the batter. Do not overbake check for doneness at 25 minutes. Also, brush the baked cake layers with a simple syrup before frosting if making a layered cake.

How long to bake Oreo sheet cake at 350?

For a 9×13 pan, bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes. Start checking at 25 minutes by inserting a toothpick into the center. It should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.

What is the best frosting for Oreo cake?

Cream cheese Oreo frosting is a favorite. Beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and crushed Oreos. For a sturdier option, use Oreo buttercream made with butter, shortening, powdered sugar, and crushed cookies.

Can you freeze Oreo sheet cake with frosting?

Yes. Freeze the unfrosted cake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil for up to 3 months. Frost after thawing. If already frosted, place the cake in the freezer until the frosting hardens, then wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months.

Oreo Sheet Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting

This incredibly easy Oreo sheet cake is a crowd-pleaser for birthdays, barbecues, and gatherings of all kinds. It’s one I come back to again and again, and I always get at least one request for the recipe.