Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Oh where do I begin. These are the most labor intensive treats I have made to date. They are super tasty, rich, sinful, filling and addictive. I couldn't stop eating them even though I knew just how much butter was in these. It was as if my body was on auto pilot and I was heading for the kitchen out of control. Before I knew it I was halfway into my second, or third, or...don't judge me.

This is a filled cupcake and you fill it by using the cone method. Which is pretty much just taking a knife and cutting a cone shape out of the cooled cupcake. I saved mine. Why? Because they were perfect to munch on as I waited for my cookies to finish baking, because they were amazing even after spending the night in the fridge, and because I can't waste food. The filling is a cookie dough wanna be in that it has most of the ingredients except eggs. You can eat all you want, and thankfully I had a bit left over after filling the cupcakes :-)

As I mentioned it is not a simple cupcake. Assembly is quick. Each ingredient separately isn't difficult. It is the issue of there being 4 parts. Don't skip a part. This is a complete package! I would start by baking the mini chocolate chip cookies a day ahead of time. Then hide most of them so they don't disappear before they are needed. Then the next day I would bake my cupcakes and prepare the filling as they are baking. Chill the filling and as the cupcakes are cooling I would make the frosting. My frosting will be darker than it should be because by the time I got to that part I realized I didn't have as much powdered sugar on hand as I thought. Whoops! So what's a gal to do but add some cocoa powder? It only seemed right. I had come that far and I needed to finish these. The end result was amazing. This frosting actually tastes like cookie dough as well. It's just a perfect cupcake, probably my most favorite ever. And no, I'm not obsessed with cookie dough. It was just that good.

 This recipe comes courtesy of Annie from Annie's Eats. If you haven't been to her site you are missing out! I think I have bookmarked at least 30 recipes. She's my kinda person, she also loves cupcakes! Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes:
From Annie's Eats

Yield:24 cupcakesIngredients: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:
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
3½ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ tsp. salt
3 tbsp. milk
2½ tsp. vanilla extract

For decoration:
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.