Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake

Wow the title was a mouthful so was the taste of it, it was just unbelievable. I was looking for interesting cupcake recipes and chance upon this one and I thought why not? So many steps, just what I like NOT! But I guess this must be the year I decided that I'm going to live on the edge a little and try recipes outside my comfort zone. There are 3 steps to this recipe; the cookie dough which is the filling, then the cupcake and lastly the icing to decorate the cupcakes. 

Because the cookie dough needs to be frozen when being place in the cupcakes, it's best to do it the night before shape it into balls and then freeze them. You do this as you do not want the cookie dough to melt in the cupcake and lose shape while baking.

For the cookie dough:
2 sticks softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Method:

Combine the butter and sugars in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 mins. Beat in milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Beat in the flour and salt until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Shape the dough into balls or tubes. Freeze on a parchment lined baking sheet overnight.

For the cupcakes:
3 sticks softened butter
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

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350° F/170 deg.  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.

Using a scoop, fill the prepared cupcake liners 2/3 full with the cupcake batter. Place a frozen cookie dough ball on the top center of each cupcake.

Bake for 16-18 mins.

For the frosting:
3 sticks softened butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tablespoons milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Method:

Combine the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.  Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth.  Beat in the salt, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and combined. Decorate cupcakes.

The taste of this cupcakes were out of this world and I  must caution that this is not something you have all the time due to the rich ingredients in this calorie laden recipe. Calorie aside with the effort it took to make this I must say each bite was worth every calorie.