Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Buttercream Frosting

Always up for a new challenge from my team, and needing to top my previous endeavor, Ames found me the following recipe to try. So much for going with something summery and fruity...

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Buttercream Frosting
Yields 30 cupcakes

For the cookie dough:
2 sticks butter, softened* (I prefer using Butter-flavored Crisco)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 Tbls milk
1 Tbls vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:
Combine the butter and sugars in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes Beat in milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Beat in the flour and salt until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Using a 1 tablespoon scoop, shape the dough into balls or tubes. Freeze on a parchment lined baking sheet overnight.

For the cupcakes:
3 sticks butter, softened* (I prefer using Butter-flavored Crisco)
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

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total) - you will probably have left over batter, so if you have 3 cupcake pans, use them all and line 30 with papers.

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 3 tablespoon 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 and push lightly so it does not fall to the side when moving the pan.

Bake at 350 for 16 to 18 minutes.

For the frosting:
3 sticks butter, softened* (I prefer using Butter-flavored Crisco)
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted to remove lumps
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbls milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 ounces mini chocolate chips

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.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips!

So these were a HUGE hit - much more than I thought they would be. They look a little weird after baking as some ended up with a sink-hole in the middle from the cookie dough. Things to note - you can just buy the cookie dough if you want to (I did as I was short on time). Make sure you divvy it up and freeze it for as long as you can. I only did it for an hour, but I am sure they would have been better if they had frozen longer.

So some of the comments where:

Nate the Great: your cupcake just completed my life's meaning. holy freaking goodness of chocolate

Soccer Josh: i DONT KNOW WHAT KIND OF FROSTING WAS ON THAT CUPCAKE....BUT I BELIEVE I JUST SAW HEAVEN....AND IT WAS GLORIOUS!!!

Soccer Megan: OMG!!!! Those cupcakes are amazing!! My first experience with them... Holy Yumminess!

CFAB: These cupcakes are killing me---best thing to ever happen to me