Drooling over these Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes, this recipe is very easy to make! These cupcakes start with a homemade vanilla cupcake with crushed chocolate chip cookies mixed in. It’s topped with a Chocolate Chip Cookie Frosting made with crushed cookies, brown sugar and vanilla extract.
This post is sponsored by ADA Mideast. All opinions are my own
Cookie Cupcakes with Cookie Frosting
Milk and Cookies, is there a better combination? These Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes are a nod to everyone’s favorite combo.
These are homemade vanilla cupcakes with crushed chocolate chip cookies mixed in the batter. They’re topped with a Chocolate Chip Cookie Frosting made with crushed cookies, brown sugar, and vanilla extract.
I love cookie-flavored cupcakes! They’re similar to Oreo Cupcakes but made with chocolate chip cookies instead of Oreos. Which part do you think you’ll like best? The cupcake or the frosting? I love the bites with extra chocolate chips and cookies. It also wouldn’t hurt to serve these cupcakes with a big ol’ glass of cold milk!
This month I am partnering with the American Dairy Association Mideast. Did you know June is National Dairy Month? All month I am celebrating America’s dairy farmers, who provide us with healthy dairy foods.
Years ago, I had the opportunity to visit some of these farmers in Ohio, and it was an experience I will never forget. I loved meeting the hard-working farmers and their families, many of whom are were 3rd or 4th generation dairy farmers. Meet Ohio and West Virginia dairy farming families at Drink-Milk.com.
In Ohio and West Virginia, dairy farm families raise more than 268,000 dairy cows on about 2,200 dairy farms. In an average year, Ohio and West Virginia dairy cows produce approximately 5.6 billion pounds, or about 656 million gallons of milk. Imagine how many cookies you’d need to go through that much milk.
Lucky for you, this cupcake recipe calls for milk as well!
A Few Key Ingredients
- Chocolate Chip Cookies– I Used Chips Ahoy but you could use any variation of crunchy cookies like Keebler or something similar. The cookies get nice and soft once they’re baked. You’ll need a 13oz bag to use in the cupcakes and frosting and I grabbed a bag of mini cookies to use for a garnish
- Sour Cream- This keeps the cupcakes extra moist. You can use plain or Greek yogurt instead. Plus, Greek yogurt is high in protein, which helps to keep you fuller longer, and it packs in dairy’s 9 essential nutrients
- Brown Sugar- I used a touch of this in the frosting, only 2 tablespoons. If you don’t have any on hand, you can skip it.
- Heavy Whipping Cream- Another key ingredient to make a fluffy frosting, but if you don’t have any on hand, use milk instead.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes
These cupcakes might sound complicated but they’re actually much easier than you think. First, the cupcake is based on my Vanilla Cupcake recipe. Then you’re going to be adding some chopped chocolate chip cookies.
Step 1: Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the pan with cupcake liners.
Step 2: Crush some cookies: Use a large Ziploc bag and something heavy like a cookie scoop to smash the cookies into a rough crumb. You’ll need about 2 cups of cookie crumbs, which is approximately 15 cookies, or half a bag of Chips Ahoy.
Step 3: Make the batter. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract beating until well combined. Then mix in the sour cream.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients. Combine the remaining dry ingredients and then alternate adding half of the dry ingredients and half of the milk, mix well and then add the remaining dry ingredients and milk. Once the batter is mostly mixed, add in the crushed cookies, folding to combine with with a spatula.
Step 5: Fill and Bake. I recommend using a large cookie scoop or 1/4 cup measuring cup to fill the liners about 2/3 full. Bake at 350°F for approximately 15-18 minutes. You’ll want to test this with a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake to ensure they are baked all the way through. The toothpick should be clean. Let these cool before you frost them.
When filling the cupcake liners, do your best to evenly distribute the cookies amongst the batter. If there’s not enough batter, you will have some funky-looking tops on your cupcakes. That’s okay though, we’re covering it up with this luscious chocolate chip cookie frosting.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Flavored Frosting
Okay, let’s talk about the frosting for a minute. Most of my frosting recipes start with cold butter, which allows you to control the consistency of your frosting. You’re essentially softening the butter using the paddle attachment of your mixer.
The key to making a good frosting is to whip it at various stages, but especially at the beginning. This will not only soften the butter but whip to a much lighter consistency. After each addition of powdered sugar is incorporated, I also beat the frosting for a minute or two until it’s nice and fluffy.
How to Make the Frosting
- Grind up the cookies: You’ll need about 15 cookies for the frosting. As long as you grind your cookies into fine crumbs, this frosting should be pipeable.
- Whip the butter: Cut the butter into 1 tablespoon size pieces to help the mixer break it down easier. Using the paddle attachment, whip the butter for about 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl occasionally. The butter should be light, fluffy, and whipped.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Add 2 cups of powdered sugar at a time, mixing on low speed until it’s incorporated into the butter. Alternate adding the heavy cream and vanilla extract as you add the additional powdered sugar. Then increase the speed to high and beat for 30-60 seconds each time you add more sugar. Repeat until all your powdered sugar and brown sugar have been added.
- Add the crushed cookies: When adding the last cup of powdered sugar, add the crushed cookies to the frosting. Slowly beat the crumbs into the frosting then beat at a high speed for 60 seconds.
How to Decorate Cookie Cupcakes
You can decorate the cupcakes any way you’d like. If you’d like to pipe the frosting, use a large open tip like an Ateco 846 or even an open rough tip like Ateco 809. If you don’t have large piping tips, try use the large cookie scoop to scoop the frosting on top of the cupcakes.
I placed some mini chocolate chips on top and garnished them with a mini Chips Ahoy cookie. The cookies will soften as they sit in the frosting, so if you want a crunchy cookie, add them right before serving!
How to Store Finished Cupcakes
If you’d like to make the cupcakes in advance, I recommend only about 24 hours ahead of time. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Frosted cupcakes should also be stored in an airtight container at room temperature and they’re best served within 3 days of preparation.
Can I Freeze Them?
I actually don’t recommend freezing the cupcakes if you don’t have to. They’re best when served fresh. The frosting however can be frozen. Prepare the frosting according to the instruction. Place in an airtight container in the freezer. Thaw for several hours and re-whip for a minute or two in the mixer before frosting the cupcakes.
For more recipes, information, dairy nutrition and to meet Ohio and West Virginia dairy farmers, visit www.Drink-MIlk.com, and follow the American Dairy Association Mideast on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
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Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 28-30 cupcakes
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes start with a homemade vanilla cupcake with crushed chocolate chip cookies mixed in. It’s topped with a Chocolate Chip Cookie Frosting made with crushed cookies, brown sugar and vanilla extract.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 2 cups (380g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (118 ml) vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) vanilla extract
- ½ cup(118 ml) sour cream
- 2 ½ cups (350 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons (11.2 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
- 1 ¼ cups (296 ml) milk (I use nonfat)
- 2 cups roughly chopped Chocolate Chip Cookies (roughly half the bag of Chips Ahoy)
For the frosting:
- 2 cups (454g) unsalted butter, cold
- 7 cups (911g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons (28g) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) heavy whipping cream
- 15 Chocolate Chip cookies, crushed into fine crumbs
- 1 bag (8oz) Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies for garnish (optional)
- Mini chocolate chips for garnish (optional)
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- In a large Ziploc bag, crushed the chocolate chip cookies into small pieces using a rolling pin or something similar.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until the eggs and oil are well incorporated. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Next mix in the sour cream and beat until well combined.
- In a separate bowl combine the remaining dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and salt. Add half the dry ingredients, and half of the milk and mix just until the flour starts to incorporate. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until well combined. Fold the crushed cookies into the cupcake batter. Use a spatula to stir the batter from the bottom to the top to ensure it’s well mixed.
- Using a large cookie scoop, divide the batter evenly, filling each liner 2/3 full.
- Bake at 350°F for 15-18 minutes. Test the cupcakes for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cupcake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes are done. Cool Completely.
For the Frosting:
- In a food processor, grind the chocolate chip cookies into fine crumbs. Set aside.
- Cut the butter into pieces. Using the paddle attachment, whip the butter for 3-4 minutes, scraping down the bowl occasionally. Beat the butter until it looks lighter in color.
- Add 2 cups of powdered sugar at a time, mixing on low speed until it’s incorporated into the butter. Alternate adding the heavy cream and vanilla extract as you add the additional powdered sugar. Add the brown sugar together with some of the powdered sugar. Then increase the speed to high and beat for 30-60 seconds each time you add more sugar. Repeat until all your powdered sugar has been added. When adding the last cup of powdered sugar, add the crushed cookies to the frosting. Slowly beat the crumbs into the frosting then beat at a high speed for 60 seconds.
- In a large piping bag fitted with a large tip, pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes and place a mini cookie on top and garnish with mini chocolate chips.
Notes
- You’ll need one full-size, 13oz bag of Chip Ahoy to use in the cupcakes and frosting
- You’ll need an additional 8oz bag of Mini Chips Ahoy for the garnish
- Storing baked cupcakes: Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 472
- Sugar: 50.1 g
- Sodium: 210.5 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Carbohydrates: 64.8 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 3.4 g
- Cholesterol: 59.1 mg
Although I did not some of the ingredients, it still came out very well.
Thank you so much!
These cupcakes are so good!! My granddaughter & grandson are really going to love them. I’m going to make ermine frosting for on top & sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top.
Thank you so much Debbie!! I hope they enjoy them!
Hi there!
The cupcakes themselves are super sweet, is the frosting extra sweet also? I might switch it out for something else to tone down the sugar if so.
Thanks!
Hi Arielle, yes the buttercream is sweet. I would recommend you try a whipped cream-based frosting like this Mascarpone Whipped Cream and mix the crushed cookie into that. It’s much less sweet. However, you will need to refrigerate the cupcakes.
Do the eggs, butter and milk have to be room temperature?
If you can that’s great but most of the time I forget so I did not specify because it will bake just fine without room temperature ingredients
This cupcake is amazing! I made it for a co-workers birthday and everyone loved them!
Yeeees Rachel!! Thank you so much!
I love this recipe I made it once for my co-workers and now my family wants it. I can’t seem to get the icing right. It’s stiff and crumbly at the same time. I’m not sure what I did wrong as I followed the steps how they were listed.
Hi Paige, if it’s stiff, then try beating the butter for longer in the beginning, and then after each addition of powdered sugar, beat for an extra minute or two. Lots of time whipping the frosting. It will stiffen a bit after it’s been sitting, but it should not be stiff when it’s finished. I am not sure what it means when you say crumbly. But you could try adding another tablespoon on milk and heavy cream.
Is using almond milk ok instead of regular milk?
Yes this should work just fine
Hi Julianne! Your Cookies and Cream cupcakes are a favorite around my house, and my hubs’ baseball team always ask for them. I usually add a bit of cream cheese to the frosting to help with stability (mostly in summer since we live in Az). Could I do the same with this frosting? My grandson’s bday is coming out and I was going to do the Oreo, but I thought these would be great too. Thanks So Much for sharing your great recipes!
Hi Francesca, I don’t see why not. The frosting recipes are very similar. Sounds delicious!
Could you make this into a cake, my brother wants it as a birthday cake,. Would you recommend 2 separate cake tins or 1 big cake tin, what kind of timings. When I made your carrot cake cupcakes as a cake it needed an extra 10 mins?
Hi Jessica, yes this could be make into cake no problem. Safest bet is probably a 9×13 inch cake, but it could also be done as a layer cake. 8-inch either 2 or 3 layers. For the 9×13 inch cake, you can probably cut the frosting recipe in half. For a layer cake, you shouldn’t need to make any alternations to the frosting. As far as baking time go, I’d estimate anywhere from 20-30 minutes is a best guess depending on the pan size.
Hi,
So I did make this into a 3 tier cake today it came out OK haven’t tasted it yet but just a question in the icing, as once it was made and fully whipped it seemed to harden should I have added more cream or something else to make it softer and easy to put over the cake?
If you made it and then let it sit for awhile it will get a little more firm. Just rewhip it. If it got thicker and more firm as you made it, then yes a little more cream.
Hi Mrs. Julianne! Do you think I could make homemade chocolate chip cookies instead of store bought? Thank you!
Hi Fiona, I am sure that would work.
just made these for my brothers birthday party. He’s a picky eater and even he LOVED these! They turned out exceptional and got rave reviews!! the frosting is amazing:):):) definitely a keeper….thanks for the great recipes we love them!!
So awesome Laura! I love when I impress a picky eater- HA! Thanks for sharing!
For the frosting.. is your butter cold or room temperature/soft? Thanks!!
Hi Kelly- it’s cold. I’ll update the notes, thank you!
Can I use canola oil instead of vegetable oil?
I have not tested this specific recipe with canola oil but I believe it should work
Fantastic recipe…. my son insisted that I use Famous Amos cookies, as they are his favorite box cookies, however, they do not have as many mini chocolate chips – so next time, I will add more mini chips to the recipe. Enjoy!
This is awesome Wendy!! Thank you so much for sharing, I love it.
Near the end when adding crushed cookie to frosting, it says to add with the heavy whipping cream. Is there more cream? The 2 tbsp went into frosting alternating with the vanilla extract.
That’s fine Karen! Just 2 tablespoons of heavy cream
Can I replace sour cream with buttermilk?
It is recommended to replace the sour cream with nonfat Greek Yogurt
If using full fat milk do you need to adjust amount of milk used?
Hi Michele, no it should be fine
Can I substitute Crisco shortening for the butter used in the frosting?
Yes, that should work fine