This weekend, a friend of ours celebrated a birthday. It's a well known fact in our circle that this particular friend loves a good cookie cake, but he had requested that I bring cupcakes to the barbecue! So it was an easy decision for me to figure out a top notch recipe for cookie dough cupcakes.
The recipe I went with wound up being absolutely amazing! I made the executive decision to do these cupcakes two ways: one with a cookie dough frosting and chocolate chips and a version with a decadent chocolate buttercream with a mini cookie garnish.
They key to a decadent cookie dough cupcake is being able to find that flavor all throughout the cupcake. The way I like to do this is baking the dough right in the center of the cupcake!
Before you start, you'll want to determine your favorite cookie recipe, forming small balls with the cookie dough and freezing them about 24 hours before you bake the cupcakes. This is a great way to ensure the dough will stay, well, doughy as it bakes inside the cupcake! It makes for a completely delicious surprise when you bite into your cupcake.
Here's what you'll need for the cookie dough:
1 stick of butter, room temperature
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 c. flour
2 tbs. milk
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. mini chocolate chips
In a mixer, cream your butter then add both sugars and mix until smooth.
Beat in the egg and mix until well incorporated, then beat in the milk and vanilla.
Add the salt to your flour and gradually mix in about 1/4 c. at a time.
Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula and roll the dough in to small, nickle-quarter sized balls placing them on wax paper on a cookie sheet. Place 24 of the balls in the freezer overnight. If you have leftover dough, form them into equally sized balls and bake them for 11-14 minutes at 375. You can use these for a cupcake garnish if you'd like!
Here's what you'll need for the cupcakes:
2 sticks of butter, room temperature
1 c. brown sugar -- packed
1/4 c. sugar
3 large eggs
2 1/3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tbs. vegetable oil
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Line two muffin pans with 24 of your favorite liners.
In a medium bowl, combine your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt -- set aside
In a large mixing bowl, cream your butter then add in your sugars just as you did with the cookie dough. Add your eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition.
Gradually add your dry mixture, about 1/4 c. at a time, alternating with the milk, sour cream and vegetable oil until all of the ingredients are incorporated, then finish off with the vanilla.
The key to consistent baking is filling your tins very evenly. Using an ice cream scoop is a great way to ensure each of your tins are filled to the same level! Remember, you'll want to save a bit more room in your tins than normal for these! Once your tins are filled to the same level, add a frozen dough ball to each tin and bake for 18-24 minutes.
Here's what you'll need for the buttercream(s):
Each of these recipes should make enough icing for about 12 cupcakes -- this way you can use a different frosting for each half of your cupcake yield.
Cookie dough buttercream:
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1-2 tbs. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Cream your butter and brown sugar until smooth, then begin adding powdered sugar, 1/4 c. at a time.
After you've added half of the powdered sugar, beat in 1 tbs milk and salt, then continue adding the powdered sugar until your frosting reaches a desired consistency. If you want it to be a bit stiffer, you can add more powdered sugar. If you'd like it to be a bit creamier, add another tbs. of milk!
After you've reached your desired consistency, beat in the vanilla.
After you've frosted your cupcakes, sprinkle more mini chocolate chips on top for added flavor, texture and decor!
Decadent Chocolate buttecream:
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
3 oz. dark chocolate
1/4 c. cocoa
3 tbs. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Cream your butter and brown sugar until smooth, then begin adding powdered sugar, 1/4 c. at a time.
In a small bowl, melt your dark chocolate and 2 tbs. of milk in the microwave. Stir in the cocoa and mix until smooth. After you've added about half of the powdered sugar, add the chocolate and another tbs. of milk.
Then add in the rest of the powdered sugar (to your desired consistency) before mixing in the vanilla.
After you've frosted your cupcakes, add one of your small extra baked cookies as a garnish!
So the next time you're looking to please a cookie lover by making cupcakes, I hope you'll give these recipes a try! I absolutely loved both versions of this cupcake.
These recipes were adapted from a bit of guidance from Kevin & Amanda and have been Cookie-Monster approved.
