Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Submitted by Heather

Raise your hand if you're one of those people who would rather eat the cookie dough raw than bake it?  Really?  I must admit that I do my fair share of snitching dough, always ensuring that I scoop up a number of chocolate chips to make it worth my while.  But while I do really love cookie dough, I'd rather bake it into cookies.  These cookies make it so that you don't have to choose - they give you a little of both worlds.  You get a delicious, golden cupcake filled with cookie dough (eggless!) and then topped with tasty cookie dough frosting.  What's not to love?

My kids sure couldn't answer that question.  They loved these cupcakes.  They weren't difficult, but you do have to plan ahead so that you have time to make all three components.  And I didn't even make the fourth!  If you're really ambitious (or just have some cookie dough laying around) you'll make a batch of mini chocolate chip cookies for a garnish.  Don't be thrown off by the frosting.  It's supposed to be a little bit grainy so that it mimics real cookie dough.

You won't be sorry you made these babies, and neither will anyone around you.  Enjoy!

Yield: 24 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS
For the cupcakes:
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet)

For the filling:
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

For the frosting:
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
2 1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract

For garnish:
Tiny chocolate chip cookies
Mini chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total). In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the cookie dough filling, combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up a bit, about an hour.

To fill the cupcakes, cut a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake. Fill each hole with a chunk of the chilled cookie dough mixture.

To make the frosting, beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Beat in the flour and salt. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.

Frost the filled cupcakes as desired, sprinkling with mini chocolate chips and topping with mini chocolate chip cookies for decoration.

SOURCE: annies-eats.com