Okay, seriously...this may be the best thing I've ever put in my mouth...and believe me, I've tried a lot of deliciousness in my day...These are chocolate chip cookies all the way from the tip of the frosting to the bottom of the liner...only in the form of cupcakes!! To.Die.For! 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Buttercream Frosting

kevinandamanda.com

For the cookie dough:
2 sticks softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 tbsp milk
1 tbsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips

For the cupcakes: (Note: I just used my favorite white cake mix in place of this homemade version...)
3 sticks softened butter
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the frosting:
3 sticks softened butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

To make the cookie dough, combine the butter and sugars in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 mins. Beat in milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Beat in the flour and salt until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Using a 1.5 tbsp scoop, shape the dough into balls or tubes. Freeze on a parchment lined baking sheet overnight.

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total).  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, about 3 minutes.  Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  Stir together to blend.  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.  Blend in the vanilla.

Using a 3 tbsp 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.

To make the frosting, combine the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.  Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth.  Beat in the salt, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips!

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I'm a big fan of cupcakes...Surely I've mentioned that before? But they must be moist and the frosting must be something I would be willing to eat right off the spoon...(aka homemade!) That combination makes for a melt-in-your mouth experience and this red-velvet recipe does not disappoint. Oh-and anything that can be made in "mini" is even better because then the calories don't count...;) These were made for a baby shower.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

(adapted from McCormick)

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 (1 oz) bottle red food coloring
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350. Mix flour, cocoa, soda, and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.

2. Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food coloring, and vanilla. Gradually stir in dry ingredients just until blended. (Do not overbeat!) Spoon batter into muffin cups about 2/3 full. (Recipe yields about 30 regular size cupcakes. So, I usually make several batches of mini ones and then about 12-24 regular ones.)

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• 3. Bake 20-25 minutes (10 minutes for minis) or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting.
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• • • Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter, sour cream and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually stir in powdered sugar until smooth.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

This was a fun dessert on Easter. I made some mini and some regular size and the recipe made oodles! I'm not really all that big on carrot cake, so I was pleasantly surprised when these melted in my mouth. And then I convinced myself they were healthy since there is pineapple, applesauce and a large amount of carrots in them and ate a couple more...Note: I opted out of the nuts.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Paula Deen

4 eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup apple sauce

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 8-oz. can of crushed pineapple, well drained

3 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Small pinch of ground cloves

3 cups grated carrots, grate on larger side of cheese grater

1 cup chopped pecans

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Fresh coconut, shaved and toasted

Preheat oven to 350. Beat together eggs, oil, apple sauce, sugars, pineapple and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and small pinch of ground cloves. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into muffin tins lined with cups. Fill each liner 3/4 full. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 min. Let cupcakes cool completely. While cooling, prepare frosting.

Frosting:

Combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Pile the frosting high on the cooled cupcakes and garnish with the toasted coconut if desired.

Easter Basket Cupcakes

These have been a tradition in my home since I was a little girl. Being a spring baby, my mom always made these for me on my birthday. Even when I was living away from home (but in the same city for college...) I came out to find them on the front seat of my car...Yes, my mom is AWESOME and so THOUGHTFUL. You can use any kind of cupcake....these were just a boxed mix. I prefer a white with pudding so they're light and fluffy. I do however have strong opinions about frosting...For me, it MUST be HOMEMADE. This is the recipe I used for these. I also use this frosting for sugar cookies.

Frosting

4 cups powdered sugar

3/4 cube softened margarine

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

food coloring

Add little bits of milk or canned milk. Whip or stir.

To put the cupcakes together (Layers from bottom to top:)

1-cupcakes

2-green frosting

3-"grass" (mix coconut with green food coloring...)

4-"eggs" (jelly beans)

5-handle (construction paper cut in strips and edges cut to a point)

Stick each end of the handle down into the cupcake. They are NOT sturdy however, so don't try to hold them by the handle...

Melt in Your Mouth Lemon Cupcakes

I'm usually not THAT big of a fan when it comes to lemon desserts. I kinda have to be in the mood. So, when I was looking for a dessert to make a friend, I decided to make lemon cupcakes because I knew I wouldn't need to snitch...and I was in "trying to look good in a swimming suit" mode. I whipped these up...made from a box. Not a temptation...UNTIL...I made the frosting. Uh...let's just say I didn't stop at one or two or three for that matter...and I decided that these may be the best mini cupcakes...EVER! They absolutely melt in your mouth and are super easy to throw together.

Lemon Sunshine Cupcakes

1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist Lemon cake mix

Follow directions on package and make into mini cupcakes...It makes A LOT. I ended up with probably 3 dozen minis and then made close to a dozen regular size.

When cool, frost. I like to pipe the frosting with a 1M or 22 Wilton tip.

Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 stick butter

1 lb. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. lemon extract

yellow color gel or food coloring

Best Chocolate Cupcakes

I'm a sucker for cream cheese...sweet, savory, on a bagel, in an enchilada...I LOVE CC! So it was no surprise when I fell in love with these cream cheese-filled chocolate cupcakes...I mean really, how could you go wrong? I made them a few months ago for a friend's birthday and they were a huge success. But then Courtni (who'd given me the recipe in the first place...) told me she'd tried them in the mini version...ahhh! I love minis! Calories don't count when they're little...;) And so I whipped them up for the shower. Um...to die for!

Best Chocolate Cupcakes

(Donna Hendricks)

Filling-

Blend:

1 8 oz cream cheese (softened)

1 egg

1/3 c. sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

Stir in: 6 oz chocolate chips

Set aside.

Cupcakes-

2 c. water

2/3 c. oil

2 Tbsp vinegar

2 tsp. vanilla

3 c. flour

1/2 c. cocoa powder

2 tsp. soda

2 c. sugar

Mix liquids in one bowl and dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Then mix together until batter is lump free.

Preheat oven to 350. Fill each cup (in muffin tin) 3/4 of the way with batter. Add 1 Tbsp. cream cheese filling on top.

Bake 25-30 minutes. Yields 2 dozen

(For the minis, bake them 12 minutes and check)

**They are not pretty when they come out of the oven, so frosting them is a must! **

Frosting- (Wilton Chocolate Buttercream)

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened

3/4 cup cocoa or three 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate squares, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

3-4 tablespoons milk

To decorate: Pipe frosting starting from the outside working your way into the center with Wilton tip 22 or 1M. Add sprinkles. I like jimmies.