Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

So I created this blog last year and then just kind of let it fall by the wayside.  It is not that I wasn't cooking or taking photos of some of my dishes, I just didn't upload the pictures and write the posts.  I promise that is going to change!

My mom hosted Easter this year and I decided to bring a dessert.  I didn't want to do anything traditional and I love making cupcakes so I decided on trying these Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes from Annie's Eats.  I have made quite a few things from Annie's website in the past and have not been let down on any of them.  These did not disappoint either.  Every layer that goes into making these cupcakes is made of the ingredients you would think of in a traditional chocolate chip cookie.  The base is a brown sugar-chocolate chip cake with an eggless chocolate chip cookie dough filling topped with a cookie dough flavored buttercream.  Annie tops her with mini homemade chocolate chip cookies but I have to admit that I was crunched for time so I used store bought.  All of the elements of these cupcakes were amazing but I have to admit that put together they were all a little too sweet for me but not for the rest of my family.  One of my brother's had 3 of them and the other one had 4!  The leftovers went over very well at work the next day too!

 Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
From Annie's Eats


Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 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
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

For the frosting:
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. milk
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For decoration:
Tiny chocolate chip cookies
Mini chocolate chips (I forgot to put these on)

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 a chunk of the chilled cookie dough mixture.

To make the frosting, beat together the butter and brown sugar int he 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.