Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Cupcake or cookie, cupcake or cookie ... which one to choose ... the dilemma is now solved with cookie dough cupcakes...

For the mini cookies...

• 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 4 tbsp whole milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

  

Combine the butter and sugars in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Mix in the flour and salt until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Using a small scoop, shape the dough into balls or tubes. Freeze on a parchment lined baking sheet overnight.

For the cupcakes...

• 340g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 310g light brown sugar, packed
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 340g all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners .

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. 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. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix well.

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.

Using an ice cream 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. Bake at 350 for 16-18 mins.

Remove cupcakes to a wire rack to cool and if you haven’t eaten them all up, top them off with a swirl of Brown Sugar Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

For the Brown Sugar Swiss Meringue Buttercream...

• 5 large egg whites
• pinch of salt
• 275g cups brown sugar
• 4 sticks unsalted butter, very soft
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Fill a saucepan (large enough to fit your mixing bowl just a few inches) with a few inches of water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to med-low so water continues to simmer.

 In your stand mixer bowl, hand whisk the egg whites, sugar and salt just until combined. Place over simmering pot and whisk for approx 4 mins until the egg whites are hot (about 150 degrees). The sugar should be dissolved by this time as well. Whisk on medium until whites have increased in volume and the outside of the bowl is just slightly warm to the touch.

Beat on low-speed until mixture is completely cooled. Increase speed to medium and add butter pieces one at a time. Scrape the bowl and continue to beat until buttercream is glossy, smooth and thick. It may separate at first, but continue beating and it will emulsify. Add vanilla flavouring and beat until combined. Use immediately.