Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

After a few days laid up in a post-surgery haze, I am already ready to get back up and around.  I am definitely thankful for the fact that so far, this recovery has been a million times easier than last time. The brace makes moving around a lot less painful, and I am even able to get in and out of bed and move around by myself. I've barely even had to take pain meds--thankfully. I do not do well with pain meds--and I even got to wash my hair today.... well my mom washed it in the kitchen sink, but it is better than nothing, and I have to celebrate the small victories at this point.

On a brighter note, I want to share my experience making these AWESOME cupcakes from Annie's Eats. These are the second type of cupcakes I made for the boyfriend's birthday last week. Even though it was a tough choice, I think he finally admitted these were his favorite because of the creamy filling.

I loved them because they tasted great and the fact that they were filled made me feel like a Master Baker :)

Once again, Annie's Eats' pictures are a million times better than mine, and there were chocolate chips in there, just not mini ones and I guess none wanted to show up for picture day.. This was one of the only ones left when I took pictures (I told you they went fast!), so this is the only picture I got of the yummy filling. You will just have to make some to see how they look ;)

Annie's recipe also includes directions for a mixer, just as a heads up.

Just as a heads up, I got tired and lazy and just wanted to relax and watch football so I didn't try out the frosting, you will have to let me know how that goes if you try it. I just used plain vanilla frosting... technically it was funfetti frosting without the sprinkles (I was planning on making funfetti cupcakes for the party, but like I said, I pooped out).

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes:

3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 ½ cups light brown sugar, packed

4 large eggs

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ 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

½ tsp. vanilla extract

¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips (I used normal sized because that is all I had, but I bet mini would be better)

For the Frosting:

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup light brown sugar, packed

2 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

½  tsp. salt

2 tbsp. milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

For garnish (optional):

Tiny chocolate chip cookies

mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total). In a large bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat together 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 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the larger bowl beating until just incorporated, add 1/2 of the milk mixing until just incorporated. Add 1/2 of the remaining dry ingredients, mix until incorporated, mix in remaining milk until incorporated, mix in remaining dry ingredients. Blend in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes (rotate pans halfway through if using two at once), until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the middle cupcakes comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cook completely.

For the Filling:

Combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat 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 (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 cookie dough mixture and then replace the top part of the cone you cut out. Use a BIG chunk. I was a little nervous because when I ate the filling it tasted kind of flour-y so I didn't think it would be that great, but it ended up being the best part and I regretted not putting enough in each cupcake. 

For the Filling:

Sorry I can't give any tips for this bit because I was lazy, but I can give you the recipe for you to try on your own because it sounds delicious :)

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