Milk and Cookies Cupcakes

As mentioned in yesterday's post, our friends hosted a BBQ to celebrate the long weekend, and I was assigned desserts. Aside from the traditional sheet of Scotcharoos I wanted to bring something fun. And delicious. Immediately I went searching over at Lemon Sugar (seriously people, if you need a sweet treat Erin will hook.you.up).

While searching for the perfect dessert I kept a few very important things in mind:
1) Scott. The man is so attached to his chocolate chip cookies I needed something that would appeal to him. This meant nothing with lemon (which kills me because I LOVE lemony treats), nothing with coconut (this also kills me), and had to resemble his favorite cookie.
2) The ingredients had to be primarily pantry staples. No crazy items that I would only use once, and then have sitting and taking up space in my pantry or fridge.
3) I only had a few hours of uninterrupted time; whatever I was going to make needed to be within the constraints of having a teething 10-month old.
4) Aesthetics. I really wanted something that not only tasted awesome, I wanted it to look equally as awesome.

When I happened across the Milk and Cookies Cupcakes and instantly knew I had a winner staring me down.

Milk and Cookies Cupcakes

2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
6 oz mini chocolate chips, plus more for garnish
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour to coat chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Line cupcake tins.
Beat together eggs and sugar until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
Add flour, milk oil, baking powder, and vanilla and beat for another minute.
Pour mini chocolate chips into a small bowl.
Sprinkle 2 Tbsp flour over chips, mix to coat.
Fold coated chips into batter.
Fill each tin 2/3 full (tip: use an ice cream scoop).
Bake for 18-24 minutes, or until a cake-tester comes out clean from the center of a cupcake.
Remove from cupcake tin right away and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg, room temperature
6 oz mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Line a large baking sheet with a silpat mat or parchment paper, and set aside.
Beat together butter and both sugars until creamy and fluffy.
Meanwhile, combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl.
Add egg and vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until just combined.
Slowly add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Spoon a very small spoonful (about the size of a large marble) on to the cookie sheet.
Bake for 4-5 minutes or until the edges are just beginning to turn brown.
Remove from oven and allow to sit on the cookie sheet for another 1-2 minutes.
Transfer cookies to a wire rack, and repeat.
Allow cookies to cool completely before garnishing.

Tip: If your kitchen is warm it's a good idea to keep the dough in the fridge between batches. Otherwise, the cookies will spread too much.

You could forego the mini cookies, but that would just be silly. I mean, how adorable do they look perched in that bed of frosting?! Don't skip these.

Milk Frosting Ingredients
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, cool room temperature
3 1/2 cups confectioners/powdered sugar
7 oz sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and creamy.
Add the powdered sugar, and beat to combine.
Add condensed milk, cream, and vanilla extract, then beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Generously frost cooled cupcakes.
Garnish with mini chocolate chips and cooled mini cookies.

You should end with about 24 cupcakes, and ton of mini cookies!

I kind of forgot to garnish with the mini chocolate chips. I was too busy swimming laps in the frosting. Oh my gosh people, this stuff is out of this freakin' world awesome.

In the words of Scott, "You knocked this one out of the park." And that, my friends, is when I knew I had success on my hands. The man had to make an annoucement to the other BBQ attendees that there were cupcakes to be consumed. Scott wanted to be fair and give others a shot at the cupcakes before he devoured them himself. Later, I found out he did manage to restrain himself to just two.

Please make these. Please. I PROMISE they will be a smashing success.
And, please go visit Lemon Sugar the next time you need to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Enjoy!

Inspiration: Lemon Sugar
Recipe Source: Raspberri Cupcakes

Linking Up With Foodie Friends Friday, thanks to Kelly at Adorned Well ...A Hand Crafted Life, for hosting!

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