This delicious buttercream frosting tastes just like chocolate chip cookie dough! It's a delicious filling for cakes, cookies and topping cupcakes and brownies. Plus you can make a batch in less than 15 minutes so try it on your favorite dessert today!
I love this buttercream frosting. It's so easy and really does taste like cookie dough!! It's a great topping or filling for cakes, cupcakes, brownies, or filling macarons.
And, as an American buttercream frosting, you put everything in a bowl and mix so it takes less than 15 minutes to make.
INGREDIENTS
- All-Purpose Flour: make sure the flour has been heated and cooled to kill any bacteria
- Butter: Both salted or unsalted butter work fine. If using salted, cut the salt in the recipe to ¼ tsp
- Milk: this is to thin out the frosting to your desired consistency, you can use whipping cream or non-dairy liquid as well.
- Chocolate: I personally prefer mini chocolate chips but you can use any type of chocolate chips or candy you want.
How to make cookie dough frosting
This frosting is so easy! As an American Buttercream frosting, you're putting everything in a bowl and mixing together. Because this frosting uses two types of sugar and flour it works best to add in the order of the recipe instructions.
Using Raw Flour
Because raw flour can harbor bacteria, heat it up before using. You're looking to get it to at least 160℉. There are 2 easy ways to achieve this:
- Bake the flour at 350℉ for 3-5 minutes.
- Microwave for 1 minutes, stirring every 15 seconds.
Be sure to let the flour cool completely before adding to the frosting or it will melt the butter.
Tips for making Cookie Dough Buttercream
- When making this frosting, cream the butter and brown sugar first to get it as creamy as possible. If you add it out of the order of the recipe it can get a little grainy.
- If your powdered sugar is very stiff or hard, you might need to put it through a sifter so there are no lumps in your buttercream.
- Because of the chocolate chips, you're not able to pipe the frosting through a pastry bag like a normal frosting (unless you use a very, very large tip – and even then it can still clog). This frosting works great for spreading on the inner layers of an easy devil’s food cake, spooning onto French Macarons or sandwich cookies, or my favorite, using an ice cream scoop to scoop on cupcakes! You can also add the chocolate chips after you’ve piped the frosting.
- While mini chocolate chips are great in this recipe, you can also try regular chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, mini M&Ms, or your favorite chocolate bar!
- More Questions? Check out this American buttercream frosting recipe for more common American buttercream questions and answers such as how much a typical batch of frosting will cover, and how long frosted cakes and cupcakes can sit out.
Storing and freezing Cookie Dough Frosting
Because of the chocolate chips in this frosting, it’s best the day it’s made as it can be hard to remix.
But, this frosting will last in the fridge for about 5 days in the fridge or up to two months in the freezer. Make sure it is in an airtight container or very tightly wrapped so it doesn't take on any flavors from your fridge or freezer. When ready to use, let come to room temperature and remix.
Looking for other frosting recipes? Check these out!
- Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Chocolate Buttercream
- Mint Frosting
- Cake Batter Frosting
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Cookie Dough Frosting
Equipment
- Standing or Hand Held Mixer
- Bowl
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup softened butter (2 sticks) salted or unsalted, see notes
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour baked and cooled
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp milk or cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- If you haven't done so, bake the flour at 350℉ for 3-5 minutes or microwave for 1 minutes, stirring every 15 seconds. This will kill any bacteria that might be in the flour. Be sure to let it cool completely before adding to the buttercream or it will melt the butter.
- Using a standing mixer or hand held mixer with paddle attachment, cream the 2 sticks butter, salt, and ½ cup brown sugar on medium high for 2-3 minutes until very light and fluffy.
- Turn the mixer off and add the powdered sugar. Mix on low until incorporated. Once incorporated turn to medium and mix another minute.
- Add flour, mix on low until incorporated, then mix on medium another minute.
- Add 2 tbsp milk or cream and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Mix on medium low until combined, then mix another minute on medium until light and fluffy.
- Using a spatula gently fold in the chocolate.
Notes
- If using salted butter, cut the salt in the recipe to ¼ tsp.
- When making this frosting, make sure to cream the butter and brown sugar first to get it as creamy as possible. If you add it out of the order of the recipe it can get a little grainy.
- Because of the chocolate chips, you’re not able to pipe the frosting with a pastry bag. It works best for spreading on the inner layers of a cake or spooning onto macarons or sandwich cookies, or my favorite, using an ice cream scoop to scoop on cupcakes! You can also pipe the frosting first and add the chocolate chips after.
- I used mini chocolate chips, but you can chop up regular chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, M&Ms, or your favorite chocolate bar.
- More Questions? Check out this American buttercream frosting recipe for more common American buttercream questions and answers such as how much a typical batch of frosting will cover, and how long frosted cakes and cupcakes can sit out.
- Recipe adapted from Raspberri Cupcakes
Patty says
Tastes great! The frosting is a bit thick for spreading. I would add less chocolate chips and a bit more cream or milk if still thick with less chips. Extra chips can be sprinkled on top. Overall it was really good!
Sophia says
so glad you liked it!!
Suzanne says
This looks so good! What a great treat to make for a get together!
Jp says
Too sweet. Brown sugar makes it grainy and does not taste like cookie dough. Just sweet grainy fluffy frosting
Katie says
I’d like to add cream cheese to this recipe. Do you have any suggestions on how or when to add this ingredient?
Sophia says
Hi, I haven’t tried adding cream cheese, but I would suggest creaming it with the butter and brown sugar. Keep me posted how it turns out!
Kris says
So fricken delicious nice creamy texture and if you want a more cookie dough texture add a little more flour.
Sophia says
glad you liked it!
Caitlin says
Amazing recipe! Second time making it and this time i melted the butter slightly and it turned out way better! Would you recommend putting this in the fridge?
Libby says
At first I thought there was no way it will actually taste like cookie dough, just buttercream with chocolate chips. But I was wrong! It’s super delicious. Putting it in the center of my first homemade chocolate cake!
Sophia says
so glad you liked it! i’m sure it was delicious with your chocolate cake!
Kassi says
It’s so good. I make it every year for my birthday with a dark chocolate cake. It can be a tad thick so I add a little more liquid just to make the consistency spread a little better.
Best with real butter but still delicious with vegan butter and water instead of milk too. (My husband is lactose intolerant so I’ve made it both ways.) I look forward to it every year! 🙂
Megan says
I’ve made this before and it was amazing! Tonight it is a bit grainy despite creaming my brown sugar and sugar (for quite some time) first. I used dark brown sugar… could that be why?
Me says
This frosting is fantastic. It is now one of my top 3 frostings to use. Used the frosting on birthday cupcakes and everyone loved them.
Sophia says
glad you like it!
Rachael says
I have been wanting to try this recipe for quite some time. I decided today was the day! When I first tried it, I described it to my husband as “cloyingly sweet” (forgive me – I take it back!) after eating it straight from the mixing bowl. I had to remind myself that this is a frosting not a dough! Paired with chocolate cake (Ina Garten’s Beatty’s Cake), the balance was beautiful and this was confirmed by family who are not fans of sweets!
My Father-in-law’s birthday is tomorrow, Columbus Day. He has been diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer and I was happy to make this frosting for what could be his last birthday cake. Sometimes you touch lives far beyond realization. Thank you for sharing!