Cookie Dough Filled Cupcakes

Not only are these cupcakes super easy to make, they are definitely a crowd pleaser! Who doesn't love the combination of chocolate chip cookies and chocolate cupcakes?  When you bite into the cupcake, you get a nice mouthful of cookie dough that is just delicious and the light whipped cream cheese frosting is the perfect compliment.

*These cupcakes have been featured by Lauren Conrad on her official website and on her Pinterest account and by Pillsbury on their Facebook page!

Chocolate cupcakes with cookie dough filling and a whipped cream cheese frosting
Makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes...

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 8 oz frozen or refrigerated cookie dough (I use Pillsbury Break & Bake!)

1. Break cookie dough into 12 pieces. Roll them into little balls and freeze them for one hour.
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of your standing mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.Add vanilla and mix until combined.
5. On low speed, beat in half of the dry mixture, followed by milk, ending with the remaining dry mixture. Mix until just incorporated - do not overmix.
6. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full with batter.
7. Place a ball of frozen cookie dough on top of each cup. Don't push them in very much - they will fall in while baking!
   
   
   
8. Bake until a toothpick inserted near the center of the cupcake (but not inserted into the cookie dough) comes out clean (about 18-22 minutes.) The dough may not have fallen perfectly into the center of each cupcake, but that's okay - they will still taste great!

For the whipped cream cheese frosting...

• 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips'

1. In your standing mixer, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Set it aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes until smooth.
3. Gently fold in the whipped cream.
4. Fill your piping bag up and frost away!
5. Top with mini chocolate chips or pieces of Cookie Crisp cereal.