Full-of-cookie cupcakes

A cupcake with a cookie baked into it, topped with icing and decorated with a mini cookie. Sounds cute, right? Two of my favourite things combined into one delicious treat. Cookies and cupcakes = winning combination. That was the plan, anyway!

A few food bloggers have posted similar recipes so I did a bit of research. I wanted to use eggless cookie dough for the centre of the cupcake, as the dough doesn't really cook through during the cupcake baking process. I didn't want to risk anyone getting sick!

So, inspired by the Paris Pastry blog, here is my variation.

Ingredients:

Cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
4 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup miniature chocolate chips (I used 1/3 dairy milk, 1/3 top deck)

Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk

Chocolate buttercream icing
125g butter (at room temperature)
1/4 cup cocoa
2 1/2 cups icing sugar
2 tbs milk

Method:

Cookies
Beat the butter and brown sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add the water and vanilla and beat well. Add flour and salt a bit at a time, mixing in between.
Stir the chocolate chips into the batter.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so it firms up and is easier to handle.

Remove from refrigerator. Line a cookie tray with baking paper and roll out cookie dough into 1 tbsp sized balls. Set aside 20 to go into the cupcakes. Bake the remaining cookies for 5-7 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Allow to cool.

Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 170C, grease and line 20 capacity cupcake pan(s).

Beat the butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating mixture in between for approximately 30 seconds.

In a seperate bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt.

Add half the flour mixture and half the buttermilk to the butter, sugar, and egg mixture. Beat until just combined. Repeat process with the remaining flour and buttermilk. Don't overbeat.

Fill the cupcake liners 1/2 full.

Put a cookie dough ball in the middle.

Bake for 15 - 18 minutes, until lightly browned on top.

Chocolate buttercream icing

Place butter in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric beater to beat for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.
Add the icing sugar and cocoa gradually, and beat until the mixture is fluffy. Add the milk one tablespoon at a time and beat until you are happy with the consistency.

To decorate:

Lightly spread a tablespoon of frosting on top of cupcake. Top with a cookie, and serve.