Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Frosting Recipe

If you want a truly indulgent treat, try these decadent Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Frosting.

Chocolate chips elevate almost any dessert. At home we add them to breads, bars, and brownies, and of course to cupcakes. These chocolate chip cupcakes are tender and buttery, and they taste incredible topped with a safe-to-eat, edible cookie dough frosting.

First published in 2014 and updated over the years, this recipe remains a weekend favorite. The cupcakes are straightforward to make, though the process benefits from a little patience — especially when cooling the cakes before frosting. If you need a faster sweet, consider a cookie bar recipe, but if you have an hour or a relaxed afternoon, these cupcakes are worth the effort.

The highlight is the edible cookie dough frosting. It contains no eggs, so it’s safe to taste as you go and still captures that classic cookie dough flavor and texture.

What you need to make these chocolate chip cupcakes

Before gathering ingredients, make sure you have the right equipment. A stand mixer makes the job easier but a hand mixer works fine. Other helpful items include measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, a cupcake or muffin pan, cupcake liners (paper or silicone), and a pastry bag with a star tip or a plastic bag with a corner cut out for piping.

Cupcake ingredients

Below are the ingredients for the cupcakes. Exact measurements are in the recipe section further down.

• All-purpose flour — use the pour-and-level method for accurate measuring.
• Baking soda and baking powder — check freshness for proper rise.
• Kosher salt (table salt can be used if that’s all you have).
• Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (or a reliable dairy-free butter if needed).
• Packed light brown sugar.
• Large eggs — bring to room temperature for better incorporation.
• Milk — whole or 2% recommended, 1% also works.
• Semisweet chocolate chips (or dairy-free chips if preferred).

Frosting ingredients

The cookie dough frosting uses many of the same ingredients as the cupcakes, with a few additions to achieve that cookie-dough texture and flavor.

• Unsalted butter, softened
• Packed light brown sugar
• Powdered sugar
• A small amount of all-purpose flour (for texture)
• Milk
• Kosher salt
• Vanilla extract
• Mini chocolate chips for decorating

How to make the chocolate chip cupcakes

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cupcake tin with liners.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• Cream the softened butter and brown sugar in a mixer with the paddle attachment or by hand until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping the bowl as needed. Stir in the vanilla.
• With the mixer on low, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk: half the dry, half the milk, then the remaining dry, then the remaining milk. Mix only until combined to avoid overmixing.
• Toss the chocolate chips with a little flour before folding them in to help prevent sinking, then fold them gently into the batter.
• Divide the batter evenly among 15 cupcake liners. An ice cream scoop helps portion evenly.
• Bake 17–20 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out almost clean. Cool in the pan 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

How to make the cookie dough frosting

Make the frosting while the cupcakes bake so it’s ready when the cakes are cooled.

• Beat the butter and brown sugar on medium-high until smooth, creamy, and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
• Add the powdered sugar gradually, then mix in the flour and salt.
• Spoon in the milk and vanilla and beat until the frosting is silky and spreadable. Adjust milk or powdered sugar as needed for consistency.
• Fill a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe the frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
• Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top after piping. Do not mix the mini chips into the frosting before piping, as they can clog the tip.

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Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Frosting

By Marlynn Schotland

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Cooling Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 50 mins

Servings: 15 cupcakes

Rating: 5 from 7 votes

Decadent cupcakes topped with indulgent cookie dough frosting — a special sweet treat the whole family will enjoy.

Ingredients

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
• 1½ cups packed light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Cookie Dough Frosting

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
• ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Handful of mini chocolate chips for decoration

Instructions

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; set aside.
3. Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each; scrape the bowl as needed. Stir in vanilla.
5. On low speed, alternate adding dry ingredients and milk: half the dry, half the milk, then the remaining dry, then the remaining milk. Mix just until combined.
6. Toss chocolate chips lightly in flour, then fold into the batter.
7. Divide batter evenly into 15 liners and bake 17–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Cool in pan 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Cookie Dough Frosting

1. Beat butter and brown sugar on medium-high until creamy and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
2. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, then mix in flour and salt.
3. Add milk and vanilla and beat until smooth. Adjust consistency with more milk or powdered sugar if needed.
4. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and finish with a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips.

Notes

You can use mini chocolate chips in the cupcake batter if you prefer. For storage: keep frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. You can also freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to two months—thaw fully before frosting.

Nutrition

Calories: 623 kcal, Carbohydrates: 83 g, Protein: 5 g, Fat: 31 g. Nutrition information is an approximation.

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This recipe was first published on January 31, 2014, and has been updated with new photos and helpful baking notes. Republished February 12, 2021.