Wow. So much baking this past week. Loaves of Cinnamon Sugar Bread for the roommates and friends, brownies for the old roomie who was visiting, my mom's awesome rice crispy treats for and taco salad for the MSU game (sadface), and finally chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes for one of my good friend's 21st birthdays.

Now, for a 21st birthday, you'd think that the baked goods should be something like Irish Carbomb Cupcakes, but the kid thought that would be silly since the alcohol gets evaporated when cooking. Beyond that, there were no preferences. Difficult.

After coming up with a few ideas one of his roommates, as well as one of mine, decided that I should make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes. I've been wanting to make them for about a year, but never really had room in the fridge/freezer for the cookie dough! But there was room today!

Recipe adapted from here:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes!
Makes 24 cupcakes

For the Cookie Dough:
2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 tbsp milk
1 tbsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup mini chocolate chips

-Cream together the butter and both of the sugars. I always mix things by hand, so make sure the butter is softened, otherwise it'll be a bit of work! After that is mixed, add the milk and vanilla. Mix in the flour until well blended. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips! Scoop into balls (about 1.5 tbs in size) and place on a tray/plate that has been lined with parchment paper (wax paper works fine too). Freeze, preferably overnight. 

For the cupcakes:
3 sticks butter, softened
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

-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cupcake tins with cupcake liners (24 total).

-Start by creaming together the butter and brown sugar. Once that is light and fluffy, beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until completely integrated. 

-In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

-Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk into the butter, sugar, egg mixture, starting and ending with the flour. Only mix until just blended. Finally, mix in the vanilla. 

-Scoop approx 3 tbs of batter into each liner and then add a cookie dough ball on top. 

-Place on a middle shelf in the oven and bake for 16 minutes or so. When you do the toothpick check, make sure you are poking the cupcake and not the cookie dough ball. 

-Let cool!

For the frosting:
3 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

-Cream together the butter and brown sugar (it's like a theme!). Add in the powder sugar. Once that is all mixed together, add in the milk and the vanilla extract. Be careful with the liquids, depending on the consistency of frosting you'd like. I didn't have a problem with it this time, but I know that it can be difficult to use a decorate them!

Now, I just have to figure out how to transport 21 cupcakes over to the birthday kid's apartment!

**pictures to come**