C is for CUPCAKES! 🧁 This is the FIRST recipe ever posted on the website! After some reminiscing, it became clear that it was time to update the recipe, adding in new techniques I've learned and updated ingredients.

These Cookie Monster Cupcakes were created when I was originally just allergic to eggs and corn. However, I wanted this recipe to be flexible, allowing substitutions for any ingredients to cater to most food allergies. Besides, what's the point of making a kid-friendly recipe if it is not also food allergy-friendly?

AD

Cookie Monster Cupcakes

Table of Contents:

• Ingredients

  • Cupcakes

• Alternative Options:

  • Cupcake Mix Options

  • Cookie Options

• Ingredients

  • Buttercream Frosting

  • Vanilla Mousse Frosting

• Alternative Options:

  • Frosting Options

• Directions

  • For the cupcakes

  • For the Frosting

  • For Decorating

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes:

• 2 eggs

  • ¼ cup of vanilla yogurt or applesauce for each egg

• ½ cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter of choice, room temperature​

  • can use dairy-free or vegan options of butter or palm shortening

• 1 cup of cane sugar

• ½ cup milk of choice

• 2 ¼  cups unbleached all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 tablespoon oil - sunflower, canola, or olive

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 package of chocolate chips, including the 2 chips per cupcake

• 1 package of your favorite chocolate chip cookies, or homemade chocolate chip cookies

Cupcake Mix Options:

Here is a selection of mixes we recommend if you rather not make from scratch.

• Simple Mills Almond Flour Vanilla Cake Mix: Shop on Amazon!

• Bobs Red Mill Vanilla Cake Flour: Shop on Amazon!

Food Allergy Friendly Cookie Options:

Here is a selection of packaged or mixes we recommend.

• Partake chocolate chip cookies: Shop here!

• Otto’s Naturals Grain-Free Ultimate Cookie Mix: Shop here!

Ingredients:

For the Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 cup milk of choice (we used almond milk)

• 5 tablespoons finely ground sweet rice flour or rice flour (we used Bob’s Red Mill brown rice flour)

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

• pinch of salt

• 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter or butter substitute

• 1 cup cane sugar

• 2 ½ teaspoons blue food coloring*

For the Vanilla Mousse Frosting:

• 1½ cup heavy cream

• ½ cup and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 ½ teaspoons blue food coloring*

Food coloring disclaimer*

You can use a natural food coloring product, food coloring product you like to use, or add ½ cup of frozen blueberries to a food processor and strain the liquid into a cup or bowl; add the blue liquid to the divided frosting mixtureand whip until combined.

Frosting Options:

Here is a selection of frostings we recommend if you rather not make it from scratch.

• Simple Mills Organic Vanilla Frosting (contains coconut): Shop on Amazon!

Now that you got all the ingredients, let's get started!

Directions

For the cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cupcake pan with cupcake papers.

2. In a medium-sized bowl with an electric mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, lightly beat the egg, butter, and sugar together until light and fluffy.

3. Add milk, flour, vanilla, oil, and baking soda. Beat with the mixer for about 2 minutes, until light, creamy, and fully combined.

4. Divide the batter among the 12-liners in your prepared pan, filling each cup 3/4 of the way.

5. Bake for 22 minutes, or until it passes the toothpick test (insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean). Remove from the oven and allow cooling for a few minutes. Then transfer the cupcakes to a wire cooling rack. Let the cupcakes cool fully before decorating!

For the Frosting:

• Buttercream Frosting

  • In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk the flour into the milk. Stir constantly over the heat until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Set the saucepan aside to let the mixture cool to room temperature - this is very important because if you don't let it fully cool, the end result will be lumpy and will separate.

  • In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter/butter substitute and sugar together. Add in the cocoa powder and beat to combine.

  • Switch the paddle to a whisk, add the cooled milk-flour mixture, and beat until it resembles whipped cream.

• Vanilla Mousse Frosting:

  • Add all the frosting ingredients into a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, and whip until light and fluffy - about 5 minutes at medium-high speed.

For Decorating:

1. In a small bowl, add un-dyed vanilla frosting for the eyes and set it aside in the fridge.

2. Dye the remaining frosting blue.

3. Place the frosting into a 16oz frosting bag, or your favorite frosting tool, fixed with a Wilton 2D decorating tip. Pipe frosting evenly over cupcakes.

4. To make the eyes, in a clean bag or frosting tool, fixed with a Wilton Round #1A decorating tip fill with the un-dyed vanilla frosting. Add two separate dollops at the top of the cupcake and place a chocolate chip in the center of the whites; I place the chocolate chips upside down so that the flat bottom is facing upwards.

5. For the mouth, press a cookie into the front of the frosting. If the cookies are too big, cut them in half.