Duo of Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

adapted from Erin's Food Files as well as Perfect Cupcakes

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (I used some crunch type chocolate chopped up and a couple cookies and cream chocolate eggs chopped)
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
3 Tablespoons butter, melted or vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 6 cupcake liners into tins.

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; then add chocolate chips. In a small mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg, then add milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and stir until just moistened. Divide among the 6 cups.

Bake until the tops spring back when lightly tapped, 15-18 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack or counter to cool.

Frosting:

For 3 of the cupcakes I used Oreo Ultimate Icing, it's new.

For the other 3, I melted about 1/3 cup Nutella for about 20 seconds in the microwave and iced the cupcakes, also I sprinkles some chopped cashews on top.

Nutella swirl chocolate chip cookies

(adapted from Kirbie’s Cravings who adapted it from Just Jenn)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup Nutella
• 1 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl.
3. In a separate bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar and the brown sugar. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix on medium speed until combined.
4. Add in the flour mixture on low speed until combined.
   
5. Mix in the chocolate chips. Using a large wooden spoon, stir in the Nutella, letting it swirl throughout the batter. Don’t over stir if you want a marbling effect on your cookies.
6. Scoop dough and roll between your palms to shape into 1 inch balls and drop onto baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
7. Bake for about 10 minutes. Remove cookies from tray and let them cool on wire racks.

NOTE: Made these this morning, Larry isn't even up yet! As you can see from the pictures, I did not use chocolate chips. I used chopped up leftover Palmer's peppermint patties, they were from Easter. Yes, Easter was in April, it's now June, but irregardless.....they were BANGIN'! I thought the peppermint white insides would melt into the batter, but they didn't and held up quite nice.

Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes

This was one of the most easy dessert recipes out there I whipped them out yesterday afternoon after Larry and I went food shopping.

Super impressed with the results. Freakin' phenomenal.

(adapted from 52 Cupcakes, originally from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes)

21 Oreos, 16 left whole, and 5 crumbled by hand
2 8-oz packages cream cheese, at room temperature or microwaved slightly
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 275 F.
Line 12 standard muffin tins with paper liners. I had to whip out a 2nd muffin tin to fit the extra 4 (with liners), luckily both tins fit side by side on the same oven rack.
Place 1 whole Oreo in the bottom of each lined cup.
Beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium. Gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla.
Pour in the beaten eggs, a little at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
Beat in the sour cream and salt.
Stir in crumbled cookies by hand.
Pour the batter into the prepared tins, filling each almost to the top.
Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, 22-25 minutes.
Cool in the pans for about 15 minutes, on a wire rack, then transfer to a plate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.