Cookie Dough Stuffed Cupcake Recipe That Melts Hearts

If you’re wondering why these cookie dough stuffed cupcakes deserve a spot in your baking repertoire, I’m here to tell you they’re nothing short of magical. They combine two irresistible treats – soft, moist yellow cake and that forbidden pleasure of raw cookie dough (don’t worry, it’s egg-safe).

The contrast between fluffy cake and dense, chocolate-studded cookie dough creates a textural paradise that’ll make your taste buds dance. And the presentation? Slice one open at your next gathering and watch eyes widen. Who doesn’t love a surprise center? These are guaranteed crowd-pleasers for birthdays, potlucks, or those moments when ordinary dessert simply won’t do.

These cookie dough stuffed cupcakes bring together the best of both worlds – tender, moist yellow cake and that irresistible chocolate chip cookie dough we all sneak tastes of when baking.

The ingredient list might seem long at first glance, but you’ll likely have many of these staples already in your pantry. And trust me, the combination is absolutely worth the effort when you bite into that perfect contrast of fluffy cake and dense, chocolate-studded dough.

Ingredients:

1½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup butter, softened
¼ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg (for the cookie dough)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 cup water
⅓ cup canola oil
3 eggs (for the cake batter)

When shopping for these ingredients, quality matters for the best flavor. Look for real butter rather than margarine, and consider splurging on good vanilla extract—it makes a difference!

The miniature chocolate chips work better than regular-sized ones for the cookie dough filling, distributing more evenly throughout each bite.

And while the recipe calls for a box cake mix (which is totally fine and creates consistently great results), you could substitute your favorite scratch yellow cake recipe if you’re feeling ambitious.

Let’s start with the cookie dough filling, which needs to chill before we stuff our cupcakes. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1½ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon sea salt. Set this dry mixture aside while you cream ½ cup softened butter with ¼ cup white sugar and ½ cup brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in 1 egg and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until well combined. Gradually mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated, then fold in 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips. Cover this cookie dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours—this firms it up so you can easily form it into balls later.

While the cookie dough is chilling, you can prepare your cupcake batter. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two muffin tins with paper liners. In a large bowl, combine the 18.25 ounce box of yellow cake mix with 1 cup water, ⅓ cup canola oil, and 3 eggs. Beat everything together for about 2 minutes until smooth and well blended.

Anyone else find something deeply satisfying about watching cake batter come together? Fill each cupcake liner about one-third full with the cake batter. Now comes the fun part—take your chilled cookie dough and roll it into 24 small balls, about 1 inch in diameter. Place one ball on top of the batter in each cup, then cover with remaining cake batter until each liner is about two-thirds full.

Bake these little treasures for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake portion comes out clean. The centers will still be gooey from the cookie dough, which is exactly what we want! Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

The contrast between the fluffy cake exterior and the rich, chocolate-studded cookie dough center is simply divine. And the best part? You can frost these with your favorite buttercream or cream cheese frosting if you want to get fancy, or just enjoy them as is—either way, they’re guaranteed to disappear quickly at any gathering.

While these cookie dough stuffed cupcakes are absolutely delicious as written, you might want to experiment with some tasty substitutions and variations to make them your own.

Try swapping vanilla cake mix for chocolate or red velvet to create an entirely different flavor profile. Not a fan of semisweet chips? Dark chocolate, white chocolate, or even peanut butter chips work beautifully in the cookie dough center.

For a grown-up version, I’d add a splash of bourbon to the cookie dough mixture—trust me, it’s divine.

You can also incorporate crushed Oreos, chopped nuts, or rainbow sprinkles for texture and visual appeal.

When pairing these indulgent cookie dough stuffed cupcakes with complementary offerings, you’ll want to balance their sweetness with something that cuts through the richness.

I recommend serving them with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream that slowly melts against the warm cupcake, or a strong coffee to offset the sweetness.

Fresh berries make a perfect accompaniment too—raspberries and strawberries provide a tart contrast.

For drink pairings, consider cold milk (obviously), hot chocolate for the truly decadent, or even a dessert wine if you’re feeling fancy.

Isn’t it amazing how the right pairing can elevate even the most perfect dessert?

Final Thoughts

These cookie dough stuffed cupcakes have truly become my absolute favorite treat to make for special occasions—or honestly, any day I need a bit of happiness in dessert form.

The combination of tender cake and that hidden treasure of chocolate chip cookie dough creates magic in every bite.

What I love most is how they never fail to bring smiles to people’s faces.

There’s something about cutting into a cupcake and discovering that cookie dough center that turns adults into delighted children again.

Can you imagine a better dessert? Neither can I. They’re worth every minute of preparation.