Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes Recipe

Cookies have this amazing chewiness and crunch, while cupcakes are all about that soft, moist goodness. I never even thought about mixing them until one of my fellow bakers introduced me to cookie dough-filled cupcakes. 

And let me tell you, the combo totally hit the jackpot, quickly flying off the shelves at my bakery. Talk about having the best of both worlds in every bite!

Why We Are So Crazy About These Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes Recipe

• Imagine taking a bite of a sweet cupcake and suddenly hitting a pocket of chewy, slightly salty cookie dough. Truly a flavor explosion! And guess what? You can totally make them your own with different cookie dough flavors like chocolate chip or peanut butter, as well as frosting types. 
• These guys come in all sorts of styles. From those gooey, molten-centered ones to ones with baked-through cookie dough, there’s always something for everyone! 
• And let’s not forget how cute they look! Those sprinkles (like with Funfetti cupcakes) and extra dough pieces are practically Instagram materials, perfect for adding some fun to any celebration or party.
• Best part? They’re pretty easy to whip up at home, like any typical cookies and cream cake. There’s no reason not to give them a shot! 

Cookie Dough Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients

Alright, here’s what you need for these delicious cupcakes:

• Light Brown Sugar: This guy is our go-to sugar for that classic chocolate cookie taste.
• Unsalted Butter: Butter brings in that rich, creamy flavor we all love in cookies.
• All-Purpose Flour: Regular flour works perfectly for these cupcakes, but we’ll also need heat-treated flour when making dough buttercream and edible dough balls.
• Buttermilk: Room-temperature buttermilk adds moisture to our cupcakes, giving them that soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture. 
• Chocolate Chips: These little guys will be scattered throughout to add bursts of chocolatey goodness to our baked treats.
• Powdered Sugar: Sifted powdered sugar will sweeten our frosting just right. Mixing in some heat-treated flour also gives it an amazing cookie dough taste without being too sweet.
• Edible Cookie Dough: Don’t forget to whip up or snag a batch of edible dough bites. They’re the cherry on top of our cookie dough cupcakes!

Cupcakes

Step 1.

Get your dry ingredients ready. Grab a bowl and mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Give it a good whisk and set it aside for now.

Step 2.

Got a stand mixer with a paddle attachment? Great! Cream together the brown sugar and butter until it’s nice and smooth. 

Then, throw in the vanilla extract and vegetable oil and give them a good stir. Crack in an egg (and some extra yolk) and mix until everything looks creamy.

Step 3.

Let’s bring it all together. 

While your mixer is on low, start adding in the dry ingredients you prepared earlier. Throw in half of your flour mixture, next all the buttermilk, and finish off with the rest of that same flour mixture. Keep mixing until it’s almost combined, then stop. 

And it’s chocolate chip time next! Gently fold those little bits into the batter.

Step 4.

Get out your cupcake pan with those cute liners, and scoop about 2 ½ to 3 tablespoons of the batter into each one. Just don’t fill past the ¾ mark, or you’ll end up with mini batter volcanoes. Next, slide them into the oven (preheated to 325°F) and let them bake for 17 to 20 minutes. 

To check if they’re done, poke the cupcake center with a toothpick. Does it come out quite clean, with only a few crumbs? Then your cakes are good to go!

Now that they’re baked to perfection, let them cool in their pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to your wire rack to cool down completely. And voila! There you have it.

Frosting

Step 1.

Let’s start by making a creamy mixture! 

Grab a small saucepan and dump in the heavy cream and brown sugar. Pop it on the stove over medium-low temperature and give it a good stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Once that’s done, set it aside to chill. 

Step 2.

Now, let’s take care of the flour. 

Take out your microwave-safe bowl and pour in the flour. Pop it in the microwave and heat it in 30-sec bursts, stirring after every round. Keep going until the thermometer reaches about 165°F; that usually takes 45 seconds or so.

Step 3.

Time for some magic with our butter! 

Toss it into the bowl of your stand mixer, and don’t forget to add some salt for that extra flavor kick. Crank up the speed to medium-high and let that butter get nice and fluffy – we’re talking light in texture and color here. 

Once your butter’s looking fabulous, add in our cooled cream and brown sugar mixture. Keep that mixer going until everything’s nicely combined.

Now, while your mixer is still going, switch it to low speed and gradually throw in the heat-treated flour and powdered sugar.

Want to keep the mixture spreadable? Easy! Just add a tablespoon of heavy cream at a time and beat well after every addition.

Finally, load your piping bag with this frosting. You’re all set!

Edible Dough Balls

Step 1.

Prep the flour. Just follow my guidelines from step 2 of making frosting to heat-treat it. Check with your thermometer until it hits around 165°F inside! 

Step 2.

Time to cream the sugar and butter! Toss them into your stand mixer bowl (fitted with a paddle attachment) and let them whisk until they’re fluffy and light.

Step 3.

Pour in the heavy cream and vanilla extract, and let the mixer work its magic until everything’s real smooth. Don’t forget to scrape down the bowl’s sides! 

Then, mix in heat-treated flour until your dough comes together. Finally, gently fold in those chocolate chips.

Step 4. 

Roll it into little balls to use as decorations for each cupcake. Once you’ve got them all rolled up, just set them aside for later. Easy peasy!

Decoration

Step 1.

Once your perfect cupcakes have cooled down, it’s time to get frosting! 

Grab your piping bag (or just a spoon) and pipe some of that delicious frosting atop each cupcake. Go for a fancy swirl or just spread a generous dollop – it’s all up to you!

Step 2.

Let’s add a little extra pizzazz. Pop some of those cute little dough balls we made earlier right on the frosting. And for a finishing touch, sprinkle on some chocolate chips. Just like that, you’ve taken your molten cookie dough cupcakes to the next level!

Notes

1. 

Before you get started, make sure the eggs are all at room temperature. My favorite trick? Pop them in warm water for about 10 minutes. Room-temp eggs blend into the batter like a dream and won’t cause your melted butter to get all clumpy.

2. 

When scooping your batter into those liners, don’t go overboard! Aim for about  ¾ full. If you overdo it, your cupcakes might end up sinking in the middle after baking. And nobody wants a sad, sunken cupcake, right?

3.

It’s super important to make sure the baking powder is fresh for that perfect rise.

I usually drop a teaspoon of it into some hot water. If there are bubbles, the baking powder is good to go. If not, time to toss it out!

Oh, and remember, baking powder and soda are not the same thing, so don’t mix them up! 

4. 

To nail your cupcakes, it’s a good idea to use oven thermometers. This way, your oven will definitely be heated to the correct temperature. Your cupcakes will bake evenly and come out nice every single time! 

5. 

How to get your flour measurement just right? 

If you’re measuring flour by volume, remember to spoon it into your measuring cup and then level it off with a knife. This will give you the right amount without packing it down too much.

For even better accuracy, you might want to consider using a kitchen scale to weigh your flour. No more guesswork; your measurement will always be spot on!

6.

If you want to skip the buttercream, go ahead and whip up these cupcakes one day earlier. Just cover ’em up and leave them chilling at room temperature until you’re ready to dig in.

Still planning to go all out with buttercream? Then you can get a head start by making it 3 days ahead, then pop it in the fridge until showtime. Remember to give it some time to soften up at room temp before you frost away.

How about the edible dough balls? Well, I usually make them 5 days earlier and keep them chilling in the fridge until ready to rock. As always, let them warm up to room temp before you start frosting.

FAQs

My Cookie Dough Turned Out Dry and Crumbly. What Went Wrong?

• Did you possibly dump in too much flour? It’s a common mistake. Next time, be sure to measure it out carefully and don’t go crazy with the mixing.
• And hey, maybe there just wasn’t enough moisture in the mix. Double-check if you got the right amount of butter and eggs in there. If all seems good, but your dough still feels like it needs a drink, throw in a tablespoon of milk.

Can I Use Any Type Of Flour In The Cookie Dough Recipe?

Never use any raw or old flour for your cookie dough! It might have some nasty bacteria lurking around. Just stick to heat-treated flour that’s labeled safe for edible cookie dough.

Good luck!

Discover More Unique Cupcake Recipes: