Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes

I think that a warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie is one of the most comforting things in the world. I didn't have a mother who would bring me a warm tray of cookies and milk whenever I had a bad day or just because I was a good girl - not saying that's a bad thing though! I guess I never knew what I was missing, and I kind of just do that for myself now ;)

These are basically the love child of my obsession with cupcakes + my obsession with chocolate chip cookies. I think my babies are pretty cute, don't you?

I mean visually, these cupcakes are pretty stunning. Audibly, they're pretty stunning too. I mean, come on, if someone said to you, "Would you like a chocolate chip cookie cupcake?," how could you in your right mind say no or even hide the fact that saliva is dripping down your chin? These cupcakes are pretty spectacular taste-wise as well. Anything brown sugar is all kinds of right in my mind! I omitted the original cookie dough center in the recipe since I heard it was too sweet, but the cupcake this way was perfect.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes

Yields: about 12 cupcakes

Original recipe here.

For the brown sugar cupcakes:

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

1 1/3 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet)

For the cookie dough frosting:

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 + 1/8 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup flour

large pinch of salt

1 1/2 tbsn. milk

2 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mini chocolate chips, for decoration (optional)

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a cupcake tin with liners and set aside. 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 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 among the prepared cupcake tin, about 2/3 full. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow 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 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 powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in the flour and salt. Mix in the milk and vanilla 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.