Recipe Recap: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough-Stuffed Cupcakes

I made Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough-Stuffed Chocolate Cupcakes to take to Chelle and Jeremy's cookout. Most of the people who had those AND the brownie-stuffed cupcakes liked the latter better. Not that they didn't like these enough to eat them, they just preferred the others. I think I did, too.





















I doctored up a cake mix according to Tidy Mom's instructions:
1 box cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 c. melted butter
1 c. water

For the cookie dough centers, I used Nestle's mini break-and-bake cookies. I spooned some batter into my liners, then plopped (yes, I'm pretty sure that's a technical cooking term) one of the unbaked cookies into the middle.
















Then I covered the dough with a little more batter before putting the tins in the oven.
















Unfortunately, I can't remember where I got the frosting recipe from so I don't know who to credit, but here it is.

3 sticks room temp butter
1/2 c. vegetable shortening
7 - 8 c. sifted powdered sugar
1/4 - 1/2 c. milk

Cream butter and shortening until smooth, approximately 3 minutes on medium using paddle attachment. Slowly add sugar. Once all added, crank speed up to med-high and whip for approximately 1 minute. Add milk depending on how stiff you need/want your frosting.

To the butter cream, add:
1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. light brown sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
milk as needed

This frosting was good if you like a stiffer, almost crunchy bakery-style frosting. I liked how well it piped onto the cupcakes, but I don't know that the flavor was anything to write home about.
















I had a few left over break-and-bake cookies so instead of popping them raw into my mouth, one after another (which I SOOO could've done), I baked 'em up and used them to garnish the cupcakes.





















Aren't they cute?
















The McHusband liked the little cookie halves. I sent leftovers into the office with him, and I think a couple showed up minus their cookie toppers.