Ahhhmazing Snickerdoodle Cup-Cookies

Megan is more of the from scratch girl between the two of us. For me, with a 3 year old constantly trying to help or needing my attention I like the quick and easy so I will try to jazz up things from a box. I get home from work about 30 to 40 minutes before my husband and daughter get home so I like the things that I can have about ready by the time they walk through the door. With this recipe I take cookie dough and bake it like a cup cake and top it off with a home made frosting. I don't know if it is the brand I use or what but these are so good they could pass as cookie or cupcake. And they don't last in my house you can't walk by them without eating one, they just beg you to consume them. 

I use Krusteaz brand snickerdoodle cookie dough found in the baking isle at my local Walmart. 

Prepare the dough according to the package, make sure you preheat the oven to temperature on the box, and prepare a cupcake pan with a baking spray. Blend together the butter and egg then add the packaged dry materials. I usually use a blender for the butter and egg then a spoon for the first half of dry ingredients. You'll find about half way through the dough gets hard to work with a spoon so at that point I just use my hands to finish the kneading. 

Krusteaz includes the cinnamon sugar packet, pour that out into a plate or bowl. You will get a bit of dough and roll it into a ball and cover it in the cinnamon and sugar. The ball will be bigger than a ball for a regular cookie but small enough so that when you place it in the cupcake pan it doesn't touch the sides. Once the dough ball is covered place it in the cupcake pan. 

Repeat until all the dough is used. I usually get around 10 cup-cookies from it this time I got 11. Depending on the size of your balls you may get more or less, and that's not an issue. 

Now don't they just look cozy in there? All ready to be baked into deliciousness.. Mmmmm.... I usually take the left over cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle a little on top of the raw dough before it goes in the oven, you know just to make sure... In the oven it goes for about 25 minutes. Now that time is not a definite, and the box can't tell you exactly how long either. I have found that when some of the tops start caving in a little they are done.

While those are baking go ahead and make your frosting. Now I didn't take pictures of the progress of the frosting but this is a fool proof recipe for a vanilla buttercream.

1 cup softened butter 

3 cups confectioners sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1-2 tbsp whipping cream

In a bowl mix butter and sugar using a whisk attachment to your mixer until combined.Then continue to mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add vanilla and whipping cream (1 tsbp at a time) until desired consistency.  

That's it how easy could it get? Now a couple of notes. 

1 I once accidentally used regular attachments instead of the whisk. It still comes out delicious however it mixes a whole lot faster. 

2. I've never tried milk instead of whipping cream but in a bind I think it could do. 

3. You could always use a can of frosting from the store it's still good, but homemade is so much better. 

Now back to the cup-cookies. 

Like I said they are done when some of the top start to cave in. Not all the tops may cave so don't wait for all of them to cave in otherwise you'll over cook them. 

Don't they just look heavenly? No? That's because you haven't put on the frosting yet! So lets pipe on some frosting. I used the piping bag and a tip. If you don't have those things no problem! Put the frosting in a zip lock bag and snip the corner. Boom instant piping bag. Now my piping looks horrid because I continuously tried to get a picture while piping and that just didn't work out but as long as the frosting is on there it does not matter. 

I will usually sprinkle a cinnamon and sugar mix on the frosting but that's just for looks. Now to really see what we created. Keep in mind this is cookie dough cooked as a cup cake. 

Now how good do those look? Anyone tasting snickerdoodle in their mouth just looking at it? I know I am. This inside is so moist like a cupcake but the outside has just a little crunch of the cookie. It is the perfect marriage of the two. Please leave a comment if you make them tell me what you think. I know they're not home made but for a box you just couldn't do any better. 

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