Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

I have made a different version of cc cookie dough cupcakes before. I think I did one with a white cake from scratch and baked frozen cookie dough balls inside the cupcakes. The frosting had little bits of dough in the frosting. They were insanely sweet and delicious but also a bee-otch to make. So many steps with making eggless cookie dough from scratch, cupcakes from scratch, and don't get me started on the frosting. Those were a one time make.

But these...oh yes. These will be on repeat in my kitchen. They still involve a bit of work but after the other recipe this one seems positively simple to me. I guarantee people will devour these.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
recipe adapted from Stick a Fork In It
doctored cupcakes adapted from My Baking Addition
makes 24

chocolate chip cupcakes
1 package butter cake mix
1/2 package vanilla pudding
1 cup greek yogurt
1 cup oil
4 eggs lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat over to 350. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners. Dump all ingredients except chocolate chips, in order, in mixing bowl and mix for 2 minutes. Fold in chocolate chips. Scoop into liners and bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool.

Mini Cookies
In the interest of saving time in an already step laden process, I just bought a package of refrigerated cookie dough. I cut each little cookie block in half and baked according to the directions on the package. You  could totally use your favorite recipe and bake these from scratch but keep in mid they are just a garnish.

chocolate chip cookie dough filling
4 T unsalted butter (room temp)
6 T brown sugar, packed
1 cup + 2 T flour
7 oz sweetened condensed milk
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar. Mix in milk, vanilla, and flour until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips. Set aside but keep at room temperature.

brown sugar buttercream
2 sticks salted butter softened
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 T almond milk (any milk is fine)
2 t vanilla

Cream butter and brown sugar, starting on low speed and increasing to medium. Switch mixer back to low and add powdered sugar slowly. I add one heaping spoonful at a time, waiting until it is fully incorporated until adding the next. Add flour. Finally, add milk and vanilla and beat on low to medium speed until smooth and creamy. Use a rubber spatula to scoop frosting into a ziploc bag. 

Assembly

I made the cupcakes and the cookie the night before. The next morning, I made the filling and frosting.

Core out cupcakes. You can use a small knife or a handy little corer like I have. 

 Use two spoons to fill the cupcakes with approx 1-2 tsp of cookie dough filling. Don't overfill.

 Top with the piece you cored out, pressing down.

Cut the tip off the bag of frosting and pipe it onto each cupcake. Top with a mini cookie. These stay on better if you bite break off a little piece from each first.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
recipe adapted from Stick a Fork In It
doctored cupcakes adapted from My Baking Addition
makes 24

chocolate chip cupcakes
1 package butter cake mix
1/2 package vanilla pudding
1 cup greek yogurt
1 cup oil
4 eggs lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips

chocolate chip cookie dough filling
4 T unsalted butter (room temp)
6 T brown sugar, packed
1 cup + 2 T flour
7 oz sweetened condensed milk
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

brown sugar buttercream
2 sticks salted butter softened
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 T almond milk (any milk is fine)
2 t vanilla

Garnish
Any chocolate chip cookie dough

 Preheat over to 350. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners. Dump all ingredients except chocolate chips, in order, in mixing bowl and mix for 2 minutes. Fold in chocolate chips. Scoop into liners and bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool.

Bake mini chocolate chip cookies. Set aside.

For filling, cream butter and sugar. Mix in milk, vanilla, and flour until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips. Set aside but keep at room temperature.

For frosting, cream butter and brown sugar, starting on low speed and increasing to medium. Switch mixer back to low and add powdered sugar slowly. I add one heaping spoonful at a time, waiting until it is fully incorporated until adding the next. Add flour. Finally, add milk and vanilla and beat on low to medium speed until smooth and creamy. Use a rubber spatula to scoop frosting into a ziploc bag. 

Core out cupcakes. You can use a small knife or a handy little corer. Use two spoons to fill the cupcakes with 1-2 tsp of cookie dough filling. Don't overfill. Top with the piece you cored out, pressing down. Cut the tip off the bag of frosting and pipe it onto each cupcake. Top with a mini cookie. These stay on better if you bite break off a little piece from each first.

Instant validation

 dress: Target

jacket: Target

wedges: Target

shockwaves necklace: [un]possible cuts 

This outfit felt so effortless and simple but I love that it still looked put together. I totally credit this Isis necklace from [un]possible cuts for polishing up an otherwise casual outfit. I've been wearing it all the time. It's crazy how often I get asked about their necklaces when I wear them. Instant validation :)

Chocolate Bourbon Cupcakes

 I love to bake and have a soft spot for cupcakes in particular. I get asked to bake cupcakes for parties now and again but to be honest I offer more often than I get asked. We all have our creative outlets and coming up with new combinations of cakes, fillings, and frostings is mine. This morning I baked two batches of cupcakes for two birthday parties. Both taking place today and both for boyfriends of my friends. Enter the Maker's Mark cupcake.

 I adapted this recipe from multiple sites, all of which I will link here.  This is what I came up with

Chocolate Bourban Cupcakes
adapted from Betty Crocker's Boozy Bourbon Cupcakes  and My Baking Addiction's Doctored Strawberry Cupcakes (my go to doctored cupcake recipe)
makes 24
1 box Devil's Food cake mix
1/2 package chocolate pudding mix (the 3.4 ox box)
1 cup greek yogurt (I used nonfat b/c I have it)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup water
4 eggs lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla

Preheat over to 350. Line muffin tin with paper liners.
Dump all ingredients, in order, in mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Spoon batter into muffin tin. I use a scoop and it is the perfect portion. Bake for 15-22 minutes. Check at 15 with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, they are ready!

Bourbon Frosting
from How Sweet It Is
makes exactly enough for 24 cupcakes

2 stick unsalted butter at room temp
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 tbsp bourbon

Cream butter in a mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. On low speed, slowly add powdered sugar one heaping spoonful at a time, until it is all combined with butter. Add vanilla and 2 tbsp of bourbon. Beat on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until frosting is light and fluffy. If frosting is too thick add the last teaspoon of bourbon and beat again for a few seconds. I did not need the last tbsp. Using a rubber spatula, scoop buttercream into a ziploc bag. Cut off one corner of bag and pipe frosting onto cupcakes.

Garnish with toffee bits.

JCP...who knew???

dress: JC Penny's

cardigan: Target

heels: Ampersand by Seychelle's

necklace: Premier Designs

belt: Target

I spent last Saturday at Concannon Vineyards in Livermore. A group of us spent the afternoon drinking wine, snacking, playing washers, and enjoying the last moments of summer break. I still have a week and a half of break but counselors and administrators had to go back to work this week. 

Did yall know that JC Penny's has super cute clothes? This is new information for me. Not having  stepped foot in JCP in years,  I went looking for sheets. As I walked in I was immediately struck but the cut, print, and fabric of the clothes. Those are the things I look at when shopping. I justify buying something new and adding it to my overstuffed closet if: the cut is flattering, the print is something special, or the fabric has a nice feel to it. Pretty much, does the item have something unique that I am not going to find in every store in the mall. I only bought this dress but I will being going back for sure to check things out again.

layering piece

dress: Anthro clearance

chambray: Lauren Conrad clearance

wedges: Target

shockwaves necklace: [un]possible cuts

I had a lazy week post-Peace Corps reunion.  I had the luxury of being on summer break so I could putter around the apartment in yoga pants for a few days, cooking, reading, and watching Game of Thrones for the first time. This outfit symbolized a return to the world at large. It took having set plans with my friend Rita to actually get me in real clothes. So I got myself all fancied up. Heels, lipstick, the whole shebang. 

I've had two other chambray button ups and this one from Kohl's is my "third time it's a charm." The first one ripped, the second was too stiff, but this one is perfect. Soft and worn in just right. It's a great layering piece, which one needs in the Bay Area.