Super Cookie Dough Cupcakes

What makes them so super, you will surely ask? Well. You have a dozen brown butter cupcakes, see? Like pumped up vanilla cupcakes: nuttier, buttery, comforting. Then, you cut a hole in the top of each one.

 

 Put a dollop of cookie dough on top (egg-free!).

 And then slather some cookie dough frosting all over that thang.

Don't forget the chocolate chip on top. I'd take that over a maraschino cherry any day.

Super Cookie Dough Cupcakes
1 dozen
adapted from the cupcake project

Brown Butter Cupcakes

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsps milk


Preheat oven to 400 F.
First, make the browned butter. Place butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it turns a dark golden color, 3-5 minutes.
Take the pan off the heat and strain into a bowl (to separate from the burned bits).
Let the butter sit until it solidifies, but is still a little soft. (This can take 30 mins room temp; if in a hurry, put it in the fridge for 10 mins).
When ready, beat with sugar. In a separate bowl (I do this directly in the measuring cup), mix flour and baking powder. Add eggs and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture, then mix in the flour. Finally, add milk. If too dry, add a tablespoon or so more of milk.
Fill twelve cupcake liners and bake for 15-20 minutes, until a knife or toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cookie Dough (for frosting and filling)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted (or substitute canola oil for part or all)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsps milk




Mix everything together.

To Assemble:
Cut a small cone out of the top of each cupcake, but inserting a knife and carving a circle out without moving the tip. These little pieces I suggest you eat to keep up your stamina in the coming back-breaking task (not!).

In each cavity, put a small ball of cookie dough, so that 1/4 of the dome rises above the surface of the cupcake.

For the frosting, thin one cup of the remaining cookie dough with 1/2 cup of cream (milk will do as well). Spread around cupcakes, leaving cookie ball uncovered in the middle.

Top with a chocolate chip and serve.

Key Lime Pie Cupcakes

 Yes, once more I have failed you in the picture taking department. I was really, really busy, you see. Busy doing what, you ask? Um. Eating all of these cupcakes. Except this one, which I was able to photograph, looking like not so much at all.

Listen. Trust me. It's not not so much at all. These cupcakes are a whole lot of something. Key limes and sweetened condensed milk make the cake pop with flavor and moist texture, and the graham cracker frosting simulates perfectly the pie crust. I--ugh, I could wax poetic, but I feel that it's in everyone's greater good to just go make it. 

I assume you can use a bottle already-squeezed key lime juice, which I might go so far as to recommend, because squeezing each baby little lime of its precious juice is a serious chore. Especially if you're me and you always have cuts all over fingers. 

Key Lime Pie Cupcakes

adapted from the Cupcake Project

makes 12-16 cupcakes

key-lime cake 

1 1/2 cups cake or all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup key lime juice

Preheat oven to 350 F and line a cupcake tin.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, cream butter and sugar. Mix eggs into butter/sugar, one at a time.
Mix sweetened condensed milk and key lime juice into wet ingredients.
Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined.
Divide evenly and bake for 30 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when touched lightly. 

graham-cracker frosting

3 tbsps unsalted butter, room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup finely crushed graham crackers

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
Mix in the powdered sugar a little bit at a time. Note: You can add more if you prefer a stiffer consistency. Mix in vanilla extract.
Fold in graham crackers.

Frost cupcakes.