Every time I make these, folks go nuts.  I mean, really it’s the best of both worlds:  cookie dough AND a cupcake!  I did make this as a 2 layer round cake one time for a friend’s birthday.  It was good, but really the cupcake form factor is the best for this recipe, because you get just the right amount of cookie dough filling in proportion to the cake and icing.

There are no eggs in the “cookie dough” filling, making it safe to eat raw.  The sweetened condensed milk is what holds the mixture together instead of eggs.  And the use of brown sugar in the icing, gives the icing that cookie dough flavor and texture.  The recipe does take time, but it’s well worth it.

I’ve seen several versions of this recipe on many different blogs, but the recipe I found that I like best is on Tidymom.net.  This version has you filling the cupcakes after they are baked and cooled, which is how I usually fill cupcakes.  Some recipes have you drop the cookie dough into the cake batter, and then bake, but I like the other method better.

When it comes to filling cupcakes, there is a cool little tool that is specifically for this purpose, and it works great!  The Cuisipro Cupcake Corer is only around $5 and available on Amazon. Cuisipro Cupcake Corer

I took these cupcakes to a Superbowl party one time and the guys asked me if there was a bowl of cupcake “insides” somewhere that they could munch on!  In fact, there was, but my kids and husband had already devoured it.  Seriously, this little contraption is worth it.  If you don’t have one, the end of a large piping tip works great.  Just use a back and forth twisting motion down, and then back up. You’ll use this tip later to pipe on the icing, so you might as well invest the dollar or so on it!

I know a lot of people like to top the cupcake with a mini chocolate chip cookie, but personally I find this to be completely unnecessary, and almost overkill.  The cupcake with the filling and icing is perfectly delicious without the cookie (and I think they look prettier without).

Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes:

• 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1½ cups light brown sugar, packed
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (do not use self-rising flour!)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 cup milk (whole works best, but 1% or 2% is fine – you can also use evaporated milk if you have any on hand)
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (regular size)

Cookie Dough 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. pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips (mini really works best here; don’t sub regular size chocolate chips)

Cookie Dough 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 or water
• 2½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract

Instructions
Cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Using the paddle attachment on your mixer, combine the butter and brown sugar. Cream together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
4. Add about a ¼ of the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture, mixing on low. Then add about ¼ cup of the milk. Alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, and mixing each addition just until incorporated.
5. Blend in the vanilla.
6. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
7. Divide the batter evenly between 24 cupcake liners. I use an ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake pan to ensure an even amount in each cup. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cupcakes bake and cool, prepare cookie dough filling.  This can also be done a day in advance.

Filling:

1. Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
2. Add flour, beat until incorporated.
3. Add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla and beat until smooth.
4. Stir in the mini chocolate chips with a spatula.
5. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up a bit, about an hour or so.
6. Remove from the refrigerator and form into 24 small balls.
7. After the cupcakes have cooled completely, fill the cupcakes by cutting a small portion out of the center of each cupcake. Using a cupcake corer works best (see above for a description on where to get one), or you can use the end of an icing tip. An apple corer works well, too.  *Boston Girl Bakes has a great little video on YouTube that demonstrates these techniques.  Place a small ball of cookie dough in the center of each cupcake.
8. This step is important: EAT THE CUPCAKE CENTERS YOU JUST REMOVED.  You should never, ever let these go to waste!

Icing:

1. Beat butter and brown sugar with your mixer’s paddle attachment on high speed until creamy and fluffy. I let this go for about 5 minutes, as it ensures the butter is nice and fluffy, and the brown sugar is mixed in well so the icing isn’t too grainy.
2. Mix in the confectioner’s sugar until smooth.
3. Beat in the flour and salt.
4. Mix in the milk (or water) and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.

Frost cupcakes using a pastry bag and either a 1A round or 1M open star piping tip. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, and enjoy!
Wilton 402-1001 No. 1A Round Decorating Tip, Multicolor
Wilton 402-2110 1M Open Star Piping Tip