Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cupcakes |Cooking With Amanda

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cupcakes Photo

If you can believe it, back in the day I wasn't a huge chocolate and peanut butter girl. I know, heartbreaking, isn't it? On Halloween night, after a particularly successful time trick-or-treating, I would trade all my Reese's Peanut Butter Cups for Almond Joys or Life Savers (again, heartbreaking, right?) Chocolate and peanut butter just wasn't my jam - at the time.

As I got older, my position started to soften on the combination. It's still not one of my favorites (I like them separate more than I like them together – I'm a rebel, after all), but from time to time, I get a serious hankering for the two. I love me some Reese's Pieces, especially melted down into hot popcorn when I'm watching a movie (but then, those skip the chocolate all together). White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups rule my face. And Peanut Butter M&M's? Yeah, I can get down with those.

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cupcakes Picture

But there's nothing as iconic or classic as a milk chocolate peanut butter cup! And when I'm craving this combo, I head straight for the big guns. And a recent craving is what inspired me to whip up these chocolate peanut butter cookie dough cupcakes!

Rich chocolate cupcakes topped with a sweet-and-salty peanut butter cookie dough "frosting", then garnished with a peanut butter cup and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Trust me, no one will be trading these cupcakes for Life Savers.

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cupcakes Image

They're true show-stoppers, and perfect for your next birthday party, especially if the birthday boy or girl is a PBC lover. (That's peanut butter and chocolate, for those of you not in the know.) Those scoops of frosting make decorating a breeze. No piping tips needed here!

Adding that drizzle of chocolate sauce just adds a little flair - and if you know me, you know I'm all about a little flair (or a lot)!

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Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cupcakes Recipe

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Ingredients

1 box chocolate cake mix, plus ingredients on back of box
1 package sugar free fat free chocolate pudding mix
2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
miniature peanut butter cups
chocolate sauce, like sundae sauce or chocolate syrup

Directions

For the Cupcakes:

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 2 muffin tins with about 18 paper liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, prepare the cake mix according to package directions; stir the box of pudding mix (the dry mix) into the cake batter until combined.
Portion the cake batter evenly among the muffin tins, filling tins about 3/4 of the way full.
Bake for approx. 15-18 minutes or until cupcakes are set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs (not wet). Cool the cupcakes completely.

For the Cookie Dough:

Once cupcakes are cooled, make your cookie dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk and vanilla with the paddle attachment or until creamy.
Add in the flour, about a cup at a time, until a soft cookie dough has formed.
Using a cookie dough scoop, portion heaping 1/4-cup sized balls of cookie dough on top of each cupcake, pressing gently to adhere the dough to the cupcake. I rounded the dough out a little with my fingers.
Garnish with a peanut butter cup half, then drizzle with sauce.
Serve immediately, or store leftovers airtight in the fridge for up to 2 days.