Cookie Dough Cupcakes

These were amazing! Oh, I loved them so much... every little part of them. They start with a perfectly tender cupcake that hides a sweet surprise of cookie dough inside. Then they're topped with the most delectable frosting that tastes just like cookie dough. Topped off with the most adorable mini chocolate chip cookie, they couldn't be cuter or tastier.

All cookie dough components are egg free. The frosting was interesting because it included flour... it sounds weird, but it gave the frosting that true cookie dough flavor.

There's a lot of components to these cupcakes, so I definitely suggest making your cookie dough filling and mini chocolate chip cookies in advance. I even made my frosting a day early and then just had to let it warm up a bit before I piped it onto my cupcakes.

For the cookies on top, just use your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and bake them into tiny little balls. Be sure to underbake them just a bit so they'll stay nice and soft and chewy once they sit on top of the cupcakes.

Seriously, do not be intimidated by the steps in this recipe. I'm not going to lie... it was a lot of steps, but it was worth every single second. They are DIVINE.

Source: Annie's Eats
Makes 24 cupcakes

Cupcakes:
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cookie Dough Filling:
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
6 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. flour
7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Frosting:
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened slightly
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup flour
3/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. milk
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For Decoration:
Mini chocolate chip cookies
Mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 2 cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total).

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat together on high speed, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

3. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

4. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture on low speed, alternating with the milk. Mix each addition just until incorporated. Don't over mix during this process.

6. Blend in the vanilla and fold in the chocolate chips. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners.

7. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

To make the cookie dough filling:
1. Combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

2. Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth.

3. Fold in the chocolate chips, cover with plastic wrap and chill until the mixture firms up, at least an hour. (I made mine the day in advance.)

4. Fill the cupcakes, using the cone method. Cute a cone shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake. Fill each hole with a chunk of the cookie dough mixture. Keep your chunks large... about 3/4 inch in diameter. Once they've been filled, you can either cut off the tip of each cone shaped portion and put them back on the cupcake, or you can just discard them. You'll cover your hole with frosting.

To make the frosting:
1. Beat together the butter and brown sugar, until creamy.

2. Mix in the powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in the flour and salt. Add the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.

3. Frost the cupcakes as desired, sprinkling with mini chocolate chips and topping with a mini chocolate chip cookie if desired.

4. Step back for a moment to admire your gorgeous baking creation and all your hard work. Then dig in. They're so scrumptious!