These super moist chocolate cookie dough cupcakes are filled with creamy chocolate ganache and topped with cookie dough frosting!
Quick Tips
- Fill the cupcake tins ¾ full with batter for optimal rise
- I love using a pancake batter dispenser for adding cupcake batter to the tins – it’s much less messy!
- Use a measuring spoon or the back of a piping tip to make a hole in your cupcakes where the chocolate filling will go!
- It’s recommended that you heat treat your flour for the cookie dough frosting in order to make it safe to consume raw, after doing that I also recommend that you sift the flour to get out any flour chunks that formed after heating
- Use a large cookie dough scoop to add the frosting to the tops of the cupcakes for the ‘cookie dough’ effect, otherwise spread with a spoon or use a gallon/piping bag with a larger tip (the mini chocolate chips will get stuck if your tip is too small)
Ingredient Notes
- Vegetable or canola oil
- Granulated sugar: used in the cupcake batter
- All-purpose flour
- Cocoa powder: adds the chocolate flavor to the cupcakes!
- Brewed coffee: this enhances the chocolate flavor in the cupcakes, you will not taste the coffee. You can also substitute warm water
- Salt: omit added salt in the cookie dough frosting if using salted butter
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
- Heavy cream: for the chocolate filling
- Chocolate chips: for the frosting and chocolate filling (use mini chocolate chips for the frosting)
- Brown sugar: for the cookie dough frosting
- Unsalted butter: if using salted butter, omit the added salt in the frosting
- Powdered sugar: for the cookie dough frosting
Try these other cookie dough recipes!
- Edible Monster Cookie Dough
- No Bake Cookie Dough Truffles
- Cookie Dough Stuffed Mini Cheesecakes
- Cookie Dough Topped Brownies
How to make Chocolate Cookie Dough Cupcakes
These chocolate cookie dough cupcakes are so rich and delicious and can be divided into three simple steps.
- Make the chocolate cupcakes
- Make the chocolate filling and fill the cupcakes
- Make the cookie dough frosting and top the cupcakes
How to make the chocolate cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
First, in a large bowl whisk together all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda).
Add oil, water, brewed coffee, vinegar and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined, then beat on medium until well-combined. Scrape down the bowl once complete.
Add paper liner to cupcake tins and fill with batter, filling each cup about ¾ full. I love to use a pancake batter dispenser to add the batter to the cupcake tins since it’s much less messy!
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow them to cool completely before removing them from the pan. Set them aside while you make your chocolate filling.
How to make the chocolate filling and fill the cupcakes
Next, use a small saucepan and stovetop or a microwave to heat the heavy cream until almost boiling.
Add chocolate chips and stir until the mixture is smooth. Set it aside to cool slightly before filling the cupcakes.
Once the cupcakes have cooled, use the end of a spoon or the wide end of a piping tip to make a hole in the center of each cupcake. Use a spoon or a piping bag to add 2-3 teaspoons of ganache into each cupcake.
Set the filled cupcakes aside while you make the cookie dough frosting.
Make the cookie dough frosting and top the cupcakes
Place the flour in a separate microwave-safe bowl and heat on high in the microwave for 60 seconds, stopping every 10-15 seconds to stir the flour. Set aside to cool for 2-3 minutes, then sift the flour to ensure that you break up any flour chunks that formed while it was heating. Make sure that the flour is cooled before adding it to the frosting.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar on high for 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl once complete.
Add in the milk, vanilla extract, **heated, then cooled** flour and salt. Mix until combined.
Add powdered sugar (½-1 cup at a time), mixing well after each addition.
Lastly, add the mini chocolate chips and mix until combined. Enjoy the cupcakes at room temperature, but store in the fridge when you’re not eating them.
Try these other cupcake recipes!
- Banana Sprinkle Cupcakes
- Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
- Chocolate Stout Cupcakes
Chocolate Cookie Dough Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 cup brewed coffee hot
For the chocoalte ganache filling
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the cookie dough frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour heat treated to make it safe to eat
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
To make the cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl whisk together all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda).
- Add oil, water, brewed coffee, vinegar and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined, then beat on medium until well-combined.
- Add paper liner to cupcake tins and fill with batter, filling each cup about ¾ full.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before turning them out on to a cooling rack. Let cool to room temperature before filling and frosting.
To make the chocolate ganache filling
- While the cupcakes are baking, use a small saucepan and stovetop or a microwave to heat the heavy cream until almost boiling.
- Add chocolate chips and stir until mixture is smooth. Set aside.
To make the cookie dough frosting
- Place the flour in a separate microwave-safe bowl and heat on high in the microwave for 60 seconds, stopping every 10-15 seconds to stir the flour. Set aside to cool for 2-3 minutes.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar on high for 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl once complete.
- Add in the milk, vanilla extract, **heated, then cooled** flour and salt. Mix until combined.
- Add powdered sugar (½-1 cup at a time), mixing well after each addition.
- Add mini chocolate chips. Mix until combined.
To assemble the cupcakes
- Once the cupcakes have cooled, use the end of a spoon or the wide end of a piping tip to make a hole in the center of each cupcake. Use a spoon or a piping bag to add 2-3 teaspoons of ganache into each cupcake.
- Use a cookie dough scoop or a piping bag to top each cupcake with frosting. If using a piping bag, simply cut a ½-inch tip in the bag and pipe (do not use a piping tip as the chocolate chips will get stuck).
Carla says
These look so delicious! Do they need to be refrigerated if I’m making them a day ahead of time? Thanks
Jackie says
Thank you for saying that! Yes, the buttercream and ganache center should be kept refrigerated. Just remove them from the fridge an hour or so before you’re ready to enjoy them. They can sit out for 3-4 hours safely. Hope you love them!