Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes

I've been playing with this recipe for a few weeks now. When I found the recipe it used boxed cake mix and a crappy cookie dough recipe, well crappy in my opinion. The first time I made it I used the suggested cookie dough recipe, but made my own yellow cake and buttercream. The cupcakes were good, but I knew my cookie dough would be better. I finally remade them with my cookie dough recipe and they were a slam dunk! Plus I had enough cookie dough leftover to make a batch of cookies. Win-win!

For the cookie dough:

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened (unsalted)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup semi-sweet chips
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

*If you don't want the tri-chip variety you would just use 2 cups of semi-sweet chips

What to do:

• Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
• Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; gradually beat in flour mixture.
• Stir in chips
• Scoop out small portions of dough to place inside cupcake
• Roll into balls and place on wax paper on cookie sheet
• Place cookie sheet in freezer for two hours

*For remainder of dough bake for 9-11 minutes in a 375 degree oven

For cupcakes:

• 3/4 cup of butter, softened
• 3 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups milk

What to do:

• Stir together flour, baking powder and salt
• In a large mixing bowl beat butter
• Gradually add sugar about 1/4 cup at a time until combined
• Add eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each are added
• Beat in vanilla
• Alternately add flour and milk mixture until just combined

Prepping cupcakes:

• Preheat oven to 375
• Scoop your cupcake batter into your muffin/cupcake pan
• Drop one of your frozen cookie dough balls in the middle
• Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake (not cookie dough) comes out clean
• Allow to cool

Chocolate Buttercream You Need:

• 3/4 cup of butter, softened
• 8 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar *I know this is a lot, it's enough to frost 2 cakes, so just add until you think you have enough to frost your cupcakes
  
• 1/2 cup of cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• 1/4 cup milk to start, will need more
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

What to do:

• In a very large mixing bowl beat butter until smooth
• Gradually add 2 cups of powdered sugar beat well
• Slowly beat in 1/4 cup of milk and vanilla
• Gradually beat in remainder of powdered sugar and cocoa powder
• Beat in enough milk to reach desired consistency
  
  
  

Alternately you can use boxed yellow cake mix and store buttercream, but it's so much better homemade! Enjoy!