Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

 Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with cream cheese buttercream frosting and chocolate chip cookie crumbs reign supreme in the dessert world. Soft, fluffy, moist, and bursting with flavor, these cupcakes are the absolute BEST!

And after you try Chocolate Chip Cupcakes, make sure to try these banana cupcakes, these pumpkin cupcakes, and these carrot cake cupcakes!

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

I’m excited to be sharing one of our family’s favorite desserts: Chocolate Chip Cupcakes. These are such a fun mashup of chocolate chip cookies and cupcakes — I mean, chocolate chip cookies and cupcakes were meant to be together, don’t you agree?

A really good cupcake is pretty hard to pass up… but adding luscious cream cheese frosting and chocolate chip cookie crumbs on top takes them right over the top. These cupcakes are inspired by our favorite cupcakes at Milk & Cookies, a local bakery. I think they should really call them Cookie Monster Dreams, because these are a cookie-lover’s dream come true!

How to make Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

The cupcake base is made with a yellow cake mix with mini chocolate chips mixed in. Not just any plain cake mix, though– this cake is so rich, tender and incredibly moist thanks to a few secret additions (pudding mix, sour cream, and buttermilk)!

The cupcake then gets topped with a cream cheese frosting for a little extra richness, and chocolate chip cookie crumbs for a little extra pizzazz. 

Cookie crumbs

We use store-bought cookies smashed into crumbs, but if you are have some chewy chocolate chip cookies lying around, use those to crumble on top. While you don’t have to top these cupcakes with cookie crumbs, it adds a delicious flavor and makes for a fun garnish.

• For store-bought cookie crumbs, I recommend grabbing crisp cookies like Chips Ahoy® or Famous Amos® Chocolate Chip Cookies. 
• Either coarsely chop the cookies or give them a quick pulse in a food processor or blender.

Cream cheese frosting

This cookie-filled cream cheese frosting is the perfect complement for Chocolate Chip Cupcakes. It’s luscious, creamy, and thick with so much flavor, thanks to the cookie crumbs. Below are a few frosting tips:

• Set out the butter and cream cheese about an hour before to get them to room temperature. If the ingredients aren’t the room temperature, they won’t combine completely, and you will end up with a chunky frosting rather than a fluffy cream cheese frosting.
• See this article for tips to bring the cream cheese and butter to room temperature quickly.
• Use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to beat this frosting until smooth.
• Slowly add in the powdered sugar while mixing on a low speed. Add more or less powdered sugar, according to personal preferences. More sugar will make the frosting sweeter and firmer, and less sugar will leave the frosting a bit tangier and less firm.

Cupcake baking tips

• Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature before starting. This helps ensure your cupcakes rise evenly (and don’t sink or fall).
• Don’t over-mix the batter. Over-mixing results in denser muffins, less fluffy muffins.
• Bake Chocolate Chip Cupcakes in the center of your oven.
• Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting, to avoid melted puddles of frosting.
• Be sure to check out this article for more tips.

More cake recipes:

• Chocolate Cake with chocolate frosting
• Waffle Cake with cream filling
• Pumpkin Cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting
• Edible Cake Batter food-safe
• Bundt Cake two flavors — chocolate and vanilla

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Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

5 from 1 vote

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These super-moist Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with cream cheese buttercream frosting and chocolate chip cookie crumbs, reign supreme in the dessert world. Soft, fluffy, and bursting with buttery flavor, these chocolate chip cupcakes are the absolute BEST!

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Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

5 from 1 vote

- Review this recipe

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

These super-moist Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with cream cheese buttercream frosting and chocolate chip cookie crumbs, reign supreme in the dessert world. Soft, fluffy, and bursting with buttery flavor, these chocolate chip cupcakes are the absolute BEST!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate chip cupcakes

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 24 cupcakes

Calories 328kcal

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup full-fat sour cream
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, optional
• 1 box (15.25 ounces) Betty Crocker Super Moist Yellow Cake Mix, (or your preferred brand)
• 1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla pudding mix, dry (do not prepare)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup miniature chocolate chips

Frosting (See Note 1)

• 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese. softened to room temperature
• 2 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/16 teaspoon (tiny pinch) fine sea salt
• 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/2 cup chocolate chip cookie crumbs, plus more for garnish if desired

Instructions

• PREP: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two cupcake pans with liners (24 liners total). Set aside.
• CUPCAKE BATTER: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with a fork. Add in the sour cream, canola oil, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using. Stir until completely combined. Add the cake mix and pudding mix into the bowl. Stir until mostly combined (streaks of cake mix will still be there). Pour in the buttermilk and mix until batter is fully combined and smooth. Don't over mix. With a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips.
• BAKE: Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full (batter should yield 24 cupcakes). Bake for 18-23 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean or with moist crumbs when inserted in the middle of a cupcake. Remove from the oven and allow to completely cool before frosting.
• FROSTING: In a large bowl (or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), beat together the butter and cream cheese. Add the powdered sugar, a cup at a time until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract and salt. Slowly add in the heavy cream to reach desired consistency. With a spatula, fold in about 1/2 cup chocolate chip cookie crumbs.
• DECORATE: Frost cupcakes with a butterknife and top with additional cookie crumbs if desired.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: We've found the amount of frosting in the recipe is perfect for 24 cupcakes, but if you like a lot of frosting, you may want to double the frosting amounts.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 24cupcakes | Calories: 328kcal | Carbohydrates: 38.7g | Protein: 2.9g | Fat: 18.8g | Cholesterol: 43.3mg | Sodium: 219.8mg | Fiber: 0.7g | Sugar: 30.2g

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