CTB 2014 - The Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook

I have a problem.  A cookie dough problem.

It all started with the chocolate chip cookie cake from last week.  I under baked the cookie cake a little so that the center wasn't completely done. I was left wanting more cookie dough. What's a girl to do?  Break out her Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook!

Everything I've made from this cookbook has been amazing. From the cookie dough layer cake to the cookie dough stuffed French toast, I want to make everything in this book. That couple over there at Love & Olive Oil really know how to make me smile - Put cookie dough in everything!

I brought these bad boys to work last week and they disappeared in seconds! I was happy to give the lot of them to one of my coworkers and let him pass them out.  That way I wasn't the bad guy if someone didn't get one!  Actually, I didn't even get one that day.  Luckily I had eaten two the day before, so all was fine.

This recipe has quite a few steps and a number of different things that you need to prepare.  Just keep in mind that you need lots and lots of butter.  And all that butter is totally worth it.  These cupcakes are delicious.  Way to go Lindsay & Taylor, I love your cookbook.

One Year Ago: Pear-Cranberry Soda
Two Years Ago: Banana Bread Donuts
Three Years Ago: Cherry Turkish Taffy

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Stuffed Chocolate Cupcakes

Adapted slightly from Original

Cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 ºF.  Line a 12 cup muffin tin with pretty paper liners.

Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Whisk remaining ingredients, milk through eggs, in a small bowl.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add wet ingredients and stir until everything is just combined.

Add about 1/4 cup batter to each cupcake liner.  Bake for 20-22 minutes.  A toothpick, inserted in the center of the cupcake, should come out with only crumbs clinging to it.  Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack.  Remove cupcakes from the tin and let cool completely.

Using a paring knife (or a cupcake corer, like I did), cut about a 1-inch cone in the center of each cupcake. Pinch the tip of the cone off and set aside (eat), scoop out a little of cake from the cupcake too.  Prepare the cookie dough filling.

Cookie Dough Filling

1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed until fluffy.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add milk and vanilla.  Beat until combined.  Add flour and salt and beat on medium until fluffy and well combined.  Divide cookie dough in half.  Add 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips to one half of the dough.  Transfer this half to a zip to plastic bag, remove all the air and close.  Snip off a corner and use this to fill the centers of your cupcakes. Replace the cap of the cupcake.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Buttercream

3/4 cups (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 cups powdered sugar
Remaining 1/2 of the cookie dough from above.

Beat butter on medium-high until fluffy.  Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time.  Add cookie dough that you saved from above and beat 2-3 minutes, until fluffy!  Either spread on the cupcakes with a knife, or pipe on with a piping bag and star shaped tip.

Pop your completed cupcakes in the fridge for at least an hour to let all of the flavors meld.