Recipe: Girl Scout Cookie Cupcakes

Hi all! I know it's been a while since you've seen me around these parts, but I tried out a new recipe over the weekend and wanted to share it with you! I was inspired by one of the posts I curated for Rue Now on ways to cook and bake with Girl Scout cookies, so I whipped up two different variations of vanilla cupcakes with peanut butter frosting and Girl Scout cookies baked in. :) They're quick and easy to make and are a total crowd-pleaser, so I highly recommend trying them when you're able to get your hands on some Tagalongs and Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies!

Girl Scout Cookie Cupcakes: Vanilla Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream and Tagalongs or Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies baked in
makes 12 Tagalong cupcakes and 12 Peanut Butter Sandwich cupcakes
inspired by this post

for the cupcakes...

• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 Tagalong cookies
• 12 Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Line two muffin tins with paper liners. Put 1 Tagalong at the bottom of each liner in one tin and 1 Peanut Butter Sandwich cookie at the bottom of each liner in the other.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of your standing mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth.
5. Add the sugar slowly and continue beating until fluffy, or about 3 minutes
6. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
7. Add the dry ingredients from the bowl in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla extract, scraping down the sides of the mixer bowl after each addition. Mix until just incorporated; do not overbeat.
8. Fill each liner in both tins almost to the top and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean.
9. Let cool completely on wire racks before frosting. Take care to keep the Tagalong cupcakes separate from the PB Sandwich cupcakes so you can tell the difference for frosting and decorating. :)

for the peanut butter buttercream...

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoon heavy cream
• 3-4 cups confectioners sugar
• 10 Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies, 6 cut in half and 4 chopped into pieces
• 10 Tagalong cookies, 6 cut in half and 4 chopped into pieces

1. In the bowl of your standing mixer, beat the butter and peanut butter together on medium-high speed until smooth and combined.
2. Reduce speed to medium and add the salt, vanilla extract, and heavy cream, scraping down the sides of the bowl until mixed.
3. Add the confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, until frosting reaches the right consistency.
4. Fill a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe a dollop of frosting on to each of the PB Sandwich cupcakes. Top with some chopped up cookie pieces and a cookie half for decoration!
5. Add the chopped Tagalong cookies to the remaining frosting and mix on low speed until incorporated. (If you run out of Tagalongs, which I did, you can chop up a peanut butter filled dark chocolate bar and use those instead!)
6. Fill a new piping bag with a large star tip and pipe a messy dollop of frosting on to each Tagalong cupcake. You want it to look like messy ribbons. :) Top each with a cookie half and enjoy!!

Here are the Tagalong cupcakes...

...and the Peanut Butter Sandwich cupcakes!