Monster Cookie Cupcakes, Happy 2nd Birthday Frustrated Baker!

A few days ago, this blog hit its 2 year birthday and what better way to celebrate than with a ridiculously indulgent cupcake recipe?!  After all, that is kind of what I am all about.  These cupcakes were actually a special request from my boss at Starbucks.  He found the picture and I hunted down a recipe.  I even brought them in as a treat on my last day!

I don't know if any of you are familiar with monster cookies, I know I wasn't...I lived a sheltered childhood apparently!  That's okay though, these cupcakes more than make up for a lifetime without monster cookies, though after seeing some recipes for those I think they may make an appearance at our house very very soon!  These cupcakes are essentially peanut butter chocolate chip cupcakes, which pretty much makes them perfect, then to make it even more amazing, you top them with a "cookie dough" made of peanut butter, oatmeal, chocolate chips and m&m's!  (I say "cookie dough" because it isn't really cookie dough...there isn't anything in there that would need to be cooked for little ones to eat it.)

So if you are looking for a way to celebrate, oh say maybe the return of everyone's sanity now that the kiddos are going back to school (cue resounding cheers from every parent across America) you should consider making these, guaranteed they will make everyone smile even if they are crying inside at the thought of homework again. : D

Our ingredients for the cupcakes

Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl and then stir in the peanut butter

...until nice and smooth.  Add the eggs,

milk and vanilla.

In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.

Add the dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture.  Bake in a 350F oven for 17-20 minutes.

For the "frosting", beat together the butter and peanut butter in a mixer.

Add in the flour and mix until incorporated.

It will come out nice and smooth like this.

Add in the brown sugar.

Then the oats and powdered sugar.

Stir in the m&m's and chocolate chips.

Doesn't that look amazing?!

Scoop onto our cooled cupcakes

Enjoy!

Monster Cookie Cupcakes
Makes 16-18 cupcakes, recipe adapted from Something Swanky

cupcakes:
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.  Prepare 2 cupcake pans with liners and set aside until later.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and then stir in the peanut butter until smooth.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Add the vanilla, milk and eggs to the peanut butter mixture and stir until smooth.  Slowly add the dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture and whisk until incorporated.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Scoop into cupcake liners, filling about 3/4 full.  Bake at 350F for 17-20 minutes.

monster "cookie dough" frosting:
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cups oats
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 regular size package of m&m's

In a mixer, cream together the peanut butter and butter until smooth.  Add in the flour and mix until incorporated then do the same with the brown sugar.  Next beat in the oats, followed by the powdered sugar, salt and adding in as much milk as you need to bring the "frosting" together.  Stir in the chocolate chips and m&m's.  Scoop onto the cooled cupcakes using a small ice cream scoop and enjoy!