These decadent and delicious chocolate fudge brownie cupcakes are insanely easy to make! One bowl and no mixer needed – what are you waiting for?

If you still have chocolate chip cookie dough frosting leftover (who are you??) that didn’t end up sandwiched between graham crackers or just eaten off a spoon, you better get your little buns into the kitchen and make these chocolate fudge brownie cupcakes.

It’s obviously the right thing to do.

An unwrapped chocolate cupcake with a thick layer of cookie dough frosting on top.

These decadent fudge brownie cupcakes are insanely easy to make. One bowl, no mixer needed.

If you care to don your rockstar baking pants, you might even have them in the oven in less than 10 minutes. Time it and let me know.

You might think a chocolate cupcake is a chocolate cupcake is a chocolate cupcake, but that is not necessarily the case here.

A chocolate cupcake with a thick layer of frosting and a bite taken out.

More compact in their rich fudginess than your traditional light and fluffy chocolate cupcake, these divine treats are exactly what they sound like – a fudgy brownie in cupcake form.

You can see from the details in the recipe that you’ll get an even 12 cupcakes out of the batter. They are on the short, pudgy side of things so if you want them taller, make 9 or 10 cupcakes and add more batter to each cup.

I kind of like them just the way they are.

A chocolate cupcake with a heaping scoop of cookie dough frosting on top.

As with many things fudge and brownie related, these cupcakes are absolutely amazing after being chilled for a bit.

That fudgy factor increases exponentially, so don’t hesitate to make them ahead of time and toss them in the fridge. It will only make them better. Plus, you’ll feel super human for exerting the self-control needed to not dig in right away.

Of course you can top them with whatever your little heart desires, but I do think these chocolate fudge brownie cupcakes exist on this earth for cookie dough frosting and cookie dough frosting alone.

The whole combo reminds me of this ancient cookie dough topped brownie recipe in the dinosaur archives of my site (we’ve come a long way, baby).

The combo of cookie dough and brownies is apparently timeless.

One Year Ago: Chocolate Chip Applesauce Snack Cake
Two Years Ago: Simple Skillet Green Beans {The Best Fresh Green Beans Of Your Life}
Three Years Ago: Beat the Heat: Over 100 No-Oven-Required Meals!

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Chocolate Fudge Brownie Cupcakes

4.52 stars (90 ratings)

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces (113 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (see note)
  • ½ cup (113 g) salted butter
  • ¾ cup (159 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs
  • cup (95 g) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • [Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Frosting], or other frosting of your choice

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  • In a medium microwave-safe bowl, add the chopped chocolate and butter (you can do this on this stovetop also). Microwave for one minute. Stir. Continue microwaving at 30-second intervals, stirring after each time, until the chocolate and butter is melted and combined (don’t overheat; microwave until just melted and smooth).
  • Stir in the sugar and vanilla until well-combined. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring or whisking vigorously after each addition.
  • Stir in the flour and salt.
  • Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake for 17-20 minutes, until just baked through; don’t overbake. The cupcakes won’t be domed like a normal cakey cupcake – they’ll be flatter and more dense like a delicious brownie.
  • Remove the cupcakes to a cooling rack to cool completely. Frost as desired and chill until ready to serve.

Notes

Nutrition Facts: the nutrition facts for this recipe were calculated based on the cupcakes, but do not include the frosting. 
Chocolate Chips: I use Ghirardelli chips (either bittersweet or semisweet) for the chocolate or chopped baking chocolate (usually found above the chocolate chips in the baking aisle – or the Trader Joe’s pound plus bars work great, too).
Chilled Cupcakes: keep in mind that these cupcakes taste best chilled, in my opinion. Of course, I wouldn’t turn one away unchilled, but if you like the extra fudginess that comes when you chill brownies, plan ahead so they can have time in the refrigerator.
Doubling: this recipe doubles great.
Serving: 1 Cupcake, Calories: 213kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 62mg, Sodium: 133mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 16g

Recipe Source: adapted from this recipe at Sally’s Baking Addiction; I reduced sugar and flour, used different chocolate, added weights in ounces, altered baking time after a MKC reader, Karen (same one who sent me the divine cookie dough frosting), sent a picture after making the combo for a baby shower (they were met with rave reviews)