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These Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes are tender chocolate cupcakes topped with a scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough frosting. They’re perfect for birthday parties, bake sales, or whenever you want to combine two classic desserts into one delicious treat!
P.S. The cookie dough frosting is eggless and the flour is heat treated making them completely safe to eat.
Kick these cupcakes up another notch and top them with mini chocolate chip cookies.
I made these Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes for Riley’s birthday last week, and they were a total hit! I posted a little video on my Instagram stories and immediately my inbox was flooded with recipe requests. So, here we are… you asked, and I’m delivering!
I think what made these an instant hit is that they’re indulgent. Chocolate cake plus cookie dough frosting just works. It’s nostalgic, it’s fun, and it’s the kind of dessert that makes celebrations feel extra special. Plus they’re way easier to make than they look.
For more cookie dough goodness, try my brownie cookie cheesecake bars or edible sugar cookie dough with sprinkles.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes Ingredients
Below is everything you will need to make the chocolate cupcakes and the chocolate chip cookie dough frosting. I did include important notes on a few of the ingredients, so keep reading!
- Flour: I recommend using unbleached all-purpose flour. This recipe has not been tested with gluten free flour blends.
- Granulated Sugar: Or raw cane sugar.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder:
- Baking Soda
- Espresso Powder: This is completely optional but does boost the chocolate flavor. I recommend Anthony’s because it’s organic and has good flavor.
- Salt
- Egg: Brought to room temperature.
- Buttermilk: Also brought to room temperature. If you do not have buttermilk, you can make it by combining a 1/2 cup of whole milk and a 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar. Stir the two together and allow it to sour for 30 minutes.
- Oil: I use and recommend avocado oil, but vegetable oil will work too.
- Vanilla Extract
- Hot Water
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Frosting: For this you’ll need room temperature unsalted butter, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, salt, whole milk, vanilla extract, and mini chocolate chips. The only ingredient note I have is the flour needs to be heat treated in the microwave or oven to remove any harmful bacteria.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
1. Bake the Cupcakes. Sift together the dry ingredients, add wet ingredients, and whisk warm water into the batter. Divide batter evenly among the 12 cavities, and bake. Cool completely before frosting.
2. Whip up the Frosting. Beat together the butter, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla. Add the heat treated flour and combine. Add the whole milk and continue to beat until light, fluffy, and reaches your desired consistency. Lastly, fold in the mini chocolate chips.
3. Decorate and Serve! Scoop up some chocolate chip cookie dough frosting and plop it on top of the cooled cupcakes. Serve immediately!
Find the complete recipe instructions with measurements below.
Storing and Freezing Information
For the best results, you’ll want to store your Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes in an airtight container or cupcake carrier. At room temperature in a cool and dry place, they are best within 3 days. If stored in the refrigerator, they’re best within 7 days.
These cupcakes also freeze really well, and are good up to 3 months. You’ll want to freeze the cupcakes first, then gently wrap them in plastic wrap and place in an freezer-safe container or sealable plastic bag.
Helpful Recipe Tips
MEASURE FLOUR WITH THE SPOON AND LEVEL METHOD: Scooping flour straight out of the bag always gives you more than what you need, which means a dry and tough cupcake. To properly measure flour, all you have to do is fluff it up with a whisk, spoon it into a measuring cup, and level it off using a knife. No shaking or packing required.
HEAT TREAT THE FLOUR THAT GOES INTO YOUR FROSTING: We do this to kill any harmful bacteria that might be in the raw flour. It can be done in the oven or microwave, the only requirement is that the flour reaches 165° F. In the microwave this takes one minute (four 15 second intervals with stirring in between). In the oven at 350° F it takes 5 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
More Cupcake Recipes You Might Enjoy
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
EQUIPMENT
- 12-cavity cupcake baking pan - stainless steel
- paper baking cups - any color, or black
- cookie scoop - large
- cupcake carrier - for storing
INGREDIENTS
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour - unbleached and measured with the spoon and level method*
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder - Anthony's
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg - room temperature
- ½ cup buttermilk - room temperature
- ½ cup avocado oil - or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup hot water
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Frosting
- 2 cups all-purpose flour - unbleached
- 1 cup unsalted butter - softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup brown sugar - lightly packed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4-6 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
INSTRUCTIONS
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line a 12-cavity cupcake baking pan with paper baking cups or parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, avocado oil, egg, and vanilla extract until combined. Add it to the dry ingredients and continue whisking until the dry ingredients have just absorbed.
- Continue whisking while slowly adding in the hot water until incorporated. Divide the batter equally among the 12-cavities, filling them 2/3 of the way full.
- Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick test comes out clean. Let the baked chocolate cupcakes cool 10 minutes before removing them from the cupcake baking pan. Cool on a wire rack until room temperature.
- Before turning off oven, heat treat the flour. Onto a parchment lined baking sheet, spread out the flour in a thin, even layer. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before adding to the frosting below.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Frosting
- Beat together the softened unsalted butter, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla extract for 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightened in color and fluffy.
- Add the cooled, heat treated flour and beat together until combined.
- One tablespoon at a time, add the whole milk and beat until incorporated until the desired consistency is reached.
- Add the mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and fold together until dispersed among frosting.
- Using a large cookie scoop, scoop up 2 tablespoons of chocolate chip cookie dough frosting and plop on top of the cooled chocolate cupcakes.
RECIPE NOTES
- Spoon and Level Method: To properly measure flour, fluff it up with a whisk, spoon it into a measuring cup, and level it off using a knife. Do no shake or pack.
- A Note on Making Ahead of Time: The cupcakes can be made up to 3 days in advance. But, do not make the frosting ahead because it will stiffen (due to gluten developing in the flour over time).
- Homemade Buttermilk: Take a 1/2 cup of whole milk, remove and discard 1/2 tablespoon of the milk. Replace it with a 1/2 tablespoon of white vinegar. Set it aside to sour for at least 10 minutes prior to using.
- Heat Treat Flour in the Microwave: Place flour that goes into the frosting in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 4, fifteen second intervals, stirring between each interval. Allow to cool before putting it in the frosting.
STORING INFORMATION
- Room temperature, in an airtight container or cupcake carrier for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerated, in an airtight container or cupcake carrier for up to 7 days.
- Frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
