I made Cookie Dough Stuffed Cupcakes: fudgy chocolate cups hiding edible chocolate chip cookie dough topped with silky vanilla bean buttercream, and they will ruin every other cupcake for you.

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I am obsessed with these Chocolate Cookie Dough Stuffed Cupcakes. I love biting into a chocolate cupcake that hides edible chocolate chip cookie dough in the middle.

The contrast of fudgy cake and sweet, raw cookie dough makes me do the thing where I forget manners. I pipe heaps of vanilla bean buttercream on top and call it a day.

But really, it’s the gooey center that hooks me every time. I use unsweetened cocoa powder in the cake and a splash of vanilla extract in the dough because small stuff matters.

Messy? Yes.

Totally worth it. Do not judge me.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour — gives structure, makes cupcakes tender and not cakey.
Unsweetened cocoa powder — deep chocolate punch, a little bitter and rich.
Granulated sugar — sweetens and helps the crumb brown nicely.
Baking powder — makes cupcakes rise fluffy and light.
Baking soda — helps lift and gives slight chew.
Salt — balances sweetness and wakes up chocolate.
Eggs — bind everything together and add moisture.
Vegetable oil — keeps cupcakes moist and soft for days.
Buttermilk — adds tang and makes the crumb tender.
Hot water or coffee — intensifies chocolate and thins batter a bit.
Vanilla extract — rounds flavors and makes it taste homemade.
Unsalted butter for cookie dough — rich base, makes dough silky.
Brown sugar for cookie dough — molasses notes and soft chew.
Granulated sugar for cookie dough — gives a little crunch and snap.
Vanilla for cookie dough — warm, homey flavor pop.
Salt for cookie dough — cuts sweetness and boosts chocolate.
Heat treated flour for cookie dough — safe to eat raw, still floury.
Milk for cookie dough — softens dough to scoopable perfection.
Mini chocolate chips — cute melty pockets of chocolate in the center.
Unsalted butter for buttercream — base for creamy, spreadable frosting.
Powdered sugar for buttercream — sweetens and thickens frosting smoothly.
Vanilla for buttercream — makes frosting taste warm and classic.
Heavy cream or milk for buttercream — loosens frosting so it pipes nicely.
Pinch of salt for buttercream — stops it from tasting too sweet.

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/4 cups (160 g) all purpose flour

1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil

1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk

1/2 cup (120 ml) hot water or hot coffee

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened, for cookie dough

1/2 cup (100 g) packed brown sugar, for cookie dough

1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar, for cookie dough

1 tsp vanilla extract, for cookie dough

1/4 tsp salt, for cookie dough

1 1/4 cups (150 g) heat treated all purpose flour, for cookie dough

2 to 3 tbsp milk, as needed for cookie dough

1/2 cup (90–100 g) mini chocolate chips, for cookie dough

1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, softened, for buttercream

3 to 4 cups (360–480 g) powdered sugar, sifted, for buttercream

1 tsp vanilla extract or seeds from 1 vanilla bean, for buttercream

2 to 3 tbsp heavy cream or milk, for buttercream

Pinch of salt, for buttercream

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners. Whisk together 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl.

2. In another bowl beat 2 large eggs with 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1 tsp vanilla. Slowly add the wet to the dry and mix until combined.

3. Stir in 1/2 cup hot water or hot coffee until batter is smooth. Divide batter among liners, filling each about two thirds full. Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in pan 5 minutes then transfer to a rack.

4. While cupcakes bake, make the edible cookie dough. First heat treat 1 1/4 cups (150 g) flour by spreading on a baking sheet and baking at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes, or microwave in 30 second bursts till it hits 165°F, then cool.

5. Cream 1/2 cup (115 g) softened butter with 1/2 cup packed brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until fluffy. Mix in 1 tsp vanilla and 1/4 tsp salt, then add the cooled heat treated flour and 2 to 3 tbsp milk as needed until you get scoopable dough. Fold in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips.

6. Scoop the cookie dough into 12 small balls and refrigerate or freeze briefly so they hold shape. Using a small knife or cupcake corer, remove a center from each cooled cupcake and discard or snack on it.

7. Fill each hollow with one cookie dough ball, pressing it down lightly so the top is level with the cupcake. Let stuffed cupcakes chill while you make the buttercream so the dough doesn’t melt.

8. For vanilla bean buttercream, beat 1 cup (230 g) softened butter until pale, then gradually add 3 to 4 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract or seeds from 1 vanilla bean, a pinch of salt and 2 to 3 tbsp heavy cream or milk until you reach a smooth, pipeable consistency. Taste and adjust sugar or cream.

9. Pipe the buttercream onto the chilled cupcakes using a large round or star tip, swirl how you like. If you want, sprinkle extra mini chips or a little cocoa on top. Store cupcakes in the fridge for up to 3 days or at room temp for a day.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheated to 350°F / 175°C)
2. 12-cup muffin tin plus paper liners
3. Mixing bowls (one large, one medium)
4. Whisk and rubber spatula (or wooden spoon)
5. Measuring cups and spoons, plus a kitchen scale if you have one
6. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a sturdy whisk if you want an arm workout)
7. Baking sheet (for heat treating the flour)
8. Small knife or cupcake corer and a cooling rack
9. Piping bag with a large round or star tip (or a zip bag with the corner snipped)

FAQ

Q: Is the cookie dough safe to eat raw inside the cupcake?

A: Yes, if you use heat treated flour and no raw egg in the dough. The cookie dough here uses heat treated flour and no eggs, so it’s safe. If you cant get heat treated flour, you can toast regular flour in the oven at 350F for about 5 to 7 minutes until it smells nutty, then cool it before using.

Q: Can I make the cookie dough or cupcakes ahead of time?

A: Totally. You can make the cookie dough and refrigerate it up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Baked cupcakes stay fresh in an airtight container at room temp for 2 days, or in the fridge for 5 days. If you frost them, store in the fridge and let them sit at room temp 30 minutes before serving so the buttercream softens.

Q: My batter looks thick or thin, does that matter?

A: Slight differences are ok. If batter is too thick add a tablespoon of extra buttermilk or coffee until it pours slowly. If it’s too thin, add a tablespoon more flour. Remember hot coffee can deepen the chocolate flavor, so try that if you want richer cupcakes.

Q: Can I substitute ingredients like oil, milk or sugar?

A: You can swap vegetable oil for melted coconut oil or light olive oil, but flavor may change. Buttermilk can be made by adding 1/2 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice to 1/2 cup milk, let sit 5 minutes. For brown sugar you can use white sugar plus 1 tbsp molasses if needed. Avoid swapping too many things at once though, or the texture can get weird.

Q: How do I freeze these for later?

A: Freeze unfrosted cupcakes in a single layer on a tray till solid, then move to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then bring to room temp before frosting. You can also freeze frosted cupcakes but freeze them flat, then thaw in the fridge to avoid sweating.

Q: Any tips to stop the cookie dough from sinking or leaking out when baking?

A: Make cookie dough balls firm and slightly chilled before stuffing. Fill cupcake liners only 2/3 full with batter, then press the chilled dough ball into the center. Bake straight from the fridge if possible, and dont overfill the cups. If you still see little leaks, reduce dough ball size a bit.

Chocolate Cookie Dough Stuffed Cupcakes Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour → cake flour or a 1:1 gluten free all purpose blend. Cake flour will give a lighter crumb, so use 2 tbsp less if you swap. Gluten free blends vary, so follow their xanthan gum notes.
Unsweetened cocoa powder → Dutch process cocoa. It’s smoother and richer, just note it reacts less with baking soda, so if your recipe relies on soda alone you might need baking powder too.
Vegetable oil → melted unsalted butter or light olive oil. Butter adds flavor and makes the crumb a bit richer, but use the same volume of melted butter; light olive oil keeps things moist with a mild flavor.
Buttermilk → regular milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar per 1/2 cup, or plain yogurt thinned with a little milk. Let the acid sit in the milk 5 minutes to curdle before using, works almost exactly like buttermilk.

Pro Tips

1) Heat treat the cookie dough flour really well and let it cool completely before mixing it in. If it’s even a little warm the butter will go soft and your dough gets greasy.

2) Use hot brewed coffee instead of water in the cupcake batter if you want a richer chocolate flavor. It won’t taste like coffee when baked, but it’ll deepen the cocoa.

3) Chill or briefly freeze the cookie dough balls so they hold their shape when you stuff the cupcakes. While coring, save the little removed crumbs to mix into frosting or snack on.

4) Chill the stuffed cupcakes before piping the buttercream so the dough doesnt melt into the frosting. If your buttercream seems too stiff, add cream a teaspoon at a time until pipeable; if too soft, pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Chocolate Cookie Dough Stuffed Cupcakes Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

I made Cookie Dough Stuffed Cupcakes: fudgy chocolate cups hiding edible chocolate chip cookie dough topped with silky vanilla bean buttercream, and they will ruin every other cupcake for you.

Servings

servings

Calories

726

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheated to 350°F / 175°C)
2. 12-cup muffin tin plus paper liners
3. Mixing bowls (one large, one medium)
4. Whisk and rubber spatula (or wooden spoon)
5. Measuring cups and spoons, plus a kitchen scale if you have one
6. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a sturdy whisk if you want an arm workout)
7. Baking sheet (for heat treating the flour)
8. Small knife or cupcake corer and a cooling rack
9. Piping bag with a large round or star tip (or a zip bag with the corner snipped)

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups (160 g) all purpose flour
1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk
1/2 cup (120 ml) hot water or hot coffee
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened, for cookie dough
1/2 cup (100 g) packed brown sugar, for cookie dough
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar, for cookie dough
1 tsp vanilla extract, for cookie dough
1/4 tsp salt, for cookie dough
1 1/4 cups (150 g) heat treated all purpose flour, for cookie dough
2 to 3 tbsp milk, as needed for cookie dough
1/2 cup (90–100 g) mini chocolate chips, for cookie dough
1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, softened, for buttercream
3 to 4 cups (360–480 g) powdered sugar, sifted, for buttercream
1 tsp vanilla extract or seeds from 1 vanilla bean, for buttercream
2 to 3 tbsp heavy cream or milk, for buttercream
Pinch of salt, for buttercream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners. Whisk together 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl.
In another bowl beat 2 large eggs with 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1 tsp vanilla. Slowly add the wet to the dry and mix until combined.
Stir in 1/2 cup hot water or hot coffee until batter is smooth. Divide batter among liners, filling each about two thirds full. Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in pan 5 minutes then transfer to a rack.
While cupcakes bake, make the edible cookie dough. First heat treat 1 1/4 cups (150 g) flour by spreading on a baking sheet and baking at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes, or microwave in 30 second bursts till it hits 165°F, then cool.
Cream 1/2 cup (115 g) softened butter with 1/2 cup packed brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until fluffy. Mix in 1 tsp vanilla and 1/4 tsp salt, then add the cooled heat treated flour and 2 to 3 tbsp milk as needed until you get scoopable dough. Fold in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips.
Scoop the cookie dough into 12 small balls and refrigerate or freeze briefly so they hold shape. Using a small knife or cupcake corer, remove a center from each cooled cupcake and discard or snack on it.
Fill each hollow with one cookie dough ball, pressing it down lightly so the top is level with the cupcake. Let stuffed cupcakes chill while you make the buttercream so the dough doesn't melt.
For vanilla bean buttercream, beat 1 cup (230 g) softened butter until pale, then gradually add 3 to 4 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract or seeds from 1 vanilla bean, a pinch of salt and 2 to 3 tbsp heavy cream or milk until you reach a smooth, pipeable consistency. Taste and adjust sugar or cream.
Pipe the buttercream onto the chilled cupcakes using a large round or star tip, swirl how you like. If you want, sprinkle extra mini chips or a little cocoa on top. Store cupcakes in the fridge for up to 3 days or at room temp for a day.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.