Cookie Bottomed Cupcakes

These look like normal cupcakes prior to their frosting, don't they?

Here's the thing: this is a food blog. So, I'm sure you're aware of this and that since you're reading, you probably like food. And cooking it. Or maybe just making other people cook it for you. Whatever works, I'm not here to judge. If you follow me on twitter, or have seen previous posts, you probably know that I could just about swear by the blog How Sweet It Is. Seriously, I think I'm addicted. If you don't follow her, you really should.

I'll admit I generally stick to her baked goods, just because I tend to cook with things that don't so much require a recipe, or things I can just make up as I go along based slightly off a recipe because it's just easier. (Though she recently posted a recipe for some roasted potatoes I am going to have to do. Soon.) Let me tell you: her baked goods recipes...OUT OF THIS WORLD. Combinations you might not think of, but that may or may not blow your mind. This one is definitely a keeper.

May I present to you: Cookie Bottomed Cupcakes.

Meaning, cupcakes with a slightly gooey cookie baby inside. The best of like, every world. You can find Jessica's original post on them HERE, but I'll post how I made them, using her cookie recipe and a boxed cake mix (a little easier when you're working with multiple batters).

I also am just giving you the recipe for the "double batch of cookies" as she suggested, because it is the perfect amount to make about 24 cupcakes (you'll have a lot of cake batter) and then some extra cookies to use as toppers. You can always half it if you're wanting to make less cupcakes, or not do the toppers. Using half the recipe should make 12 cupcakes and a few cookies to cut up and throw on top.

Cookies:

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cup brown sugar, loosely packed

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

"Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside in a bowl.

Beat butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer until it’s light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Line a muffin tin with liners and give each a quick spritz of non-stick spray. Using a spoon also sprayed with non-stick spray, press about 1 1/2 tablespoons of cookie dough into the bottom of each liner." (I did this on some, and for others just dropped the same amount of cookie dough in but left it in a ball... this makes more of a "center" than a bottom, but both are delicious!)

Cake:

1 Box of Cake Mix (I used a yellow, butter recipe)

Anything the box mix calls for

Make mix as directed on box. To save the extra dishes, I just made sure the second bowl used in the cookie batter was big enough and then used that for the cake batter once it was empty.

Use an ice cream or cookie dough scoop to drop the batter on top of the cookie. It might be a little bit more full than when you would normally make cupcakes (slightly over a third). If you are doing the "ball of cookie dough", just make sure the cake batter has blanketed the dough. You will probably have extra batter left over even after doing 24 cupcakes, so you can either make plain cupcakes, throw the batter away, or do whatever else you please with it.




Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 18 minutes. They should be just starting to turn golden brown on top when they're ready. For the extra cookies, these can be baked at the same temperature for approximately 8+ minutes... just drop them in balls approximately the size of what you put in the bottom of the cupcake tins and keep an eye on them after 8 minutes.


Wait until cupcakes are cooled and then frost with frosting of your choice. I just used a cream cheese frosting. One store bought container should contain just enough to do a decent sized covering on 24 cupcakes. I then cut up some of the spare cookies into sixths and stuck a little piece on top of each one. Voila!

ENJOY!

But be careful if you make the full batch, make sure you have plenty of friends or family to pass the extras along too... they are too tempting to have too many just sitting around in your line of sight. ;-)

In other news, I'm about to move to my dad's apartment in Chicago to work on the job search in the Corporate Event Planning field. This basically means that aside from job searching, I'll be living right by a Whole Foods and having plenty of time to experiment and document recipes. I'm hoping things around here pick up a little as a result. Hope to see you back again soon!

Christmas means cookies!

While these aren't necessary holiday cookie recipes, Christmas always puts me in the mood for baking and I thought I'd share two recipes with you: My creation of Alex in Wonderland cookies, as well as Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup cookies. The Alex in Wonderland cookies are a little different in their ingredients than most cookies and have a very rich texture to them, and the different types of chips can be easily substituted with whatever you desire!

ALEX IN WONDERLAND COOKIES

1 1/2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/2 Cup Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1-14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 Cup Softened Butter
1 Cup Nestle Chocolate Chunks
1 Cup Nestle Butterscotch Chips
1 Cup Sweetened Coconut Flakes

1. Mix Graham Cracker Crumbs, Flour, and Baking Powder in bowl.
2. In Separate bowl, mix condensed milk and softened butter.
3. Combine two bowls and mix together.
4. Add remaining ingredients and mix with wooden spoon until thoroughly combined.

Spoon onto cookie sheet in about a 1 tablespoon portion. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Depending on size of cookies, they may require a longer baking time. I tend to make cookies a little larger than most recipes call for, usually requiring a baking time of about 12 minutes. You just want to make sure they're just starting to get golden on the top.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUP COOKIES
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 squares (1 oz each) unsweetened baking chocolate
1 cup sugar
1/2 Stick (or 1/2 Cup) Butter Flavor CRISCO stick (or all vegetable-shortening)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup finely chopped peanuts (in separate bowl for rolling)
1 bag miniature peanut butter cups, unwrapped.

(Optional Drizzle: 1 cup peanut butter chips)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F, place sheets of foil or wax paper on countertop for cooling cookies.
2. For cookies, combine chocolate chips and chocolate squares in microwave safe container. Microwave at 50% (medium) for 2 minutes and stir until smooth. Full power (Most microwaves typical setting) can be used by microwaving chips 1 minute at a time and stirring in between. Cool slightly.
2. Combine sugar and shortening in large bowl. beat at medium speed of electric mixer until blended and crumbly. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then add salt and vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add chocolate mixture slowly. Mix until well blended. Stir in flour and baking soda until well blended.
3. Shape doug into 1 1/4 inch balls and roll in peanut mixture. I really just rolled the top half of the balls and then placed that half facing up, 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.

4. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes or until set. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Press peanut butter cup into center of each cookie immediately when removed from the oven, and remove cookies to foil/wax paper to cool.

5. For the optional drizzle, place peanut butter cheaps in heavy resealable sandwich bag. Seal and microwave at 50% (medium) power for 1 minute, then knead bag. Repeat until smooth, or melth by placing bag in hot water. Cut tiny top off corner of bag and squeeze out drizzle across cookies.

(I didn't do step 5, as I did not have any HEAVY bags and the seams kept popping when I tried to drizzle the peanut butter on the cookies!)

ENJOY!