Milk & Cookies Cupcakes

Remember when milk and cookies always made things better? There is just something about dunking a cookie into a tall glass of cold milk that takes me back to simpler times. And now thanks to Lemon Sugar a cupcake will so the same. The frosting is made with condensed milk for a smooth, creamy texture. Add a mini chocolate chip cookie as garnish and you have a perfect after school (or work!) treat.

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Vanilla Cupcake Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 and 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 oz mini chocolate chips, plus more for garnish
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour (to coat chips)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
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 Tablespoons of flour over chips, and mix to coat.
Fold coated chips into batter.
Pour batter into lined cupcake tins, filling each tin 2/3 full.
Bake for 18-20 minutes (or use a cake-tester). Remove from cupcake tin right away, and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 36-48 mini cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes ♦ Bake Time: 4-5 minutes per batch

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated (white) sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon 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.

Note: If your kitchen is warm, it would be a good idea to keep the batter in the fridge between batches. Otherwise, they will spread too much.

Allow cookies to cool completely before garnishing.

Milk Frosting Ingredients:

3 sticks (1 and 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, cool room temperature
3 and 1/2 cups confectioners/powdered sugar
7 oz sweetened condensed milk
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon 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.