Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes with Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

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Vanilla cupcakes with a cookie dough center and a delicious, classic vanilla buttercream frosting. Life-in-the-Lofthouse.com
 
 

Cupcakes are a big weakness of mine. I can eat way too many of the little suckers. That’s why when I made these Cookie Dough Cupcakes, I had to take them to my co-workers. Kale wasnt too happy about it, but I just had to get them out of my house. After I had one (okay, two) I didnt trust myself alone with them anymore.

Vanilla cupcakes with a cookie dough center and a delicious, classic vanilla buttercream frosting. Life-in-the-Lofthouse.com
 

Just look at that inside. It’s chocolate chip cookie dough! Mmmmm! The trick to keeping the dough from baking inside the cupcake is to add them to the batter frozen. You use an eggless cookie batter, shape them into balls and freeze them overnight so their nice and solid. The cupcake is a simple homemade vanilla batter, and the frosting is a classic vanilla buttercream. These things are sinfully good!

 

 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

 

Cookie Dough recipe:

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 3/4 cup brown sugar

  • 4 Tablespoons milk

  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips

 

Cupcake recipe:

  • 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

 

Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3-4 Tablespoons half & half (or milk)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

 

 

 

To make Cookie Dough:  Combine butter and both sugars in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Beat in the flour and salt until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough at a time, and shape into balls. Place cookie dough balls on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight. (I froze mine for 24 hours)

 

 

To make Cupcakes:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 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 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. Mix each addition just until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla.

 

Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full with the cupcake batter. Place frozen cookie dough ball on the top center of each cupcake. Bake at 350 for 16-18 minutes.

 

To make frosting:  Place butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until creamy. Slowly add in a powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating on medium speed until smooth. Pour in half & half, salt and vanilla, and continue to beat until smooth and combined.

 

Frost cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. Makes 24 cupcakes.

 

*Note: Be sure to only fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full with the batter. You dont want the cupcakes over-flowing while they bake. You may have a little bit of batter left over after filling all 24 cupcake liners *

 

 

 

Frozen cookie dough balls

Vanilla cupcakes with a cookie dough center and a delicious, classic vanilla buttercream frosting. Life-in-the-Lofthouse.com
 
 
 
 
 

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter

Vanilla cupcakes with a cookie dough center and a delicious, classic vanilla buttercream frosting. Life-in-the-Lofthouse.com

 

 

 

 

Place frozen cookie dough onto the center of batter
and then pop em’ in the oven

 

Vanilla cupcakes with a cookie dough center and a delicious, classic vanilla buttercream frosting. Life-in-the-Lofthouse.com

 

 

 

After they bake, they’ll look something like this.
 
Don’t worry about the cookie dough still showing,
the frosting will hide those little balls of heaven!

 

Vanilla cupcakes with a cookie dough center and a delicious, classic vanilla buttercream frosting. Life-in-the-Lofthouse.com

 

 

 

 

 

Vanilla cupcakes with a cookie dough center and a delicious, classic vanilla buttercream frosting. Life-in-the-Lofthouse.com

 

 

 

 

 

Vanilla cupcakes with a cookie dough center and a delicious, classic vanilla buttercream frosting. Life-in-the-Lofthouse.com

 

Heaven!

 
 
 
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34 thoughts on “Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes with Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

  1. I’m guilty of baking because I want to bake and then sending all of the treats to work with the husband. If they aren’t in the house, I’m fine. But if there are baked goods in the kitchen, I’m going to eat all of them (which I am NOT supposed to do!) or get extremely moody because I can’t eat them. Ha. I would definitely have to get these out of the house! They look great. 🙂

  2. Oh Holls! These look AAAAMAZING!!!! I have always wanted to make these but had the same fear that I would eat the whole batch! I definitely will have to make these when I have somewhere that I can take them besides my belly 🙂

  3. Oh, I still have a few pounds to lose from the holidays and these aren’t helping. The cold weather has turned me to the oven and now I am going to have to make more goodies! Yum, these look too delish.

  4. There are no words for how incredible those look! I could use one right about now! Beautiful and perfect Holl!!!

  5. I made these last night for our family…they should be outlawed in at least 48 states I am sure. 🙂 Oh my goodness, they were delicious!!! Thank you so much for the recipe and yep, I can’t be left alone with them so half of them went to work with my hubby. They are AWESOME!!!! I will definitely make these again, and again, and again…

  6. My sister wants me to make the cookie dough cupcakes into a cake. How would I do that? Roll out a 8in circle of cookie dough and put on top of batter like the cupcakes??

  7. These cupcakes taste amazing! I did reduce the sugar by half in thr frosting otherwise it would have been way to sweet and DO NOT FILL THEM 2/3 they will bubble over only half way

  8. I made these for my husband’s birthday today. They are RIDICULOUS! Ridiculously good. We substituted mini M&Ms for the chocolate chips in the cookie dough. This is the most butter that I have ever used in any cupcake recipe. It did make 36 cupcakes. I ran a bit short and didn’t have enough frosting for all of the cupcakes. I am thinking about freezing about 12 of these to have on hand. Thoughts? Has anyone tried freezing unfrosted cupcakes before?

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