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 a cake, spooning onto 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
- Spatula
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, 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
Hi, I made this recipe vegan and gluten free by using vegan butter, milk, and chocolate chips and a gluten free flour mix. It worked out really well! Can’t wait to make it again!
so glad you liked it!!
Planning to bake some cupcakes this weekend. Glad I found this, I super love cookie dough. This is going to be perfect! Thank you for sharing this 🙂
Made this frosting for my sons birthday and I almost ate it all before I frosted the cupcakes. It was that good, thank you for sharing!
This frosting was soooo yummy! Seriously, hand me a spoon and I’d be in heaven. So easy to make and was a big hit with the crowd. Paired it with a vanilla cupcake w/fudge core. In order to pipe the frosting, I did not mix the mini chocolate chips in, but instead sprinkled them on top like sprinkles. Will definitely make this recipe again.
So glad you liked it!!
I tried it and it taste amazing only thing is mine kind of was almost curdled but not really. Not sure what I did 😞
Can this frosting sit out after frosting the cupcakes? In the fridge is gets so stiff. After looking it up its says since there is so much sugar it could sit out a few days but not sure how true that is?
Hi, yes the frosting can actually sit out for a awhile, it should be fine 🙂
Delicious! Will be using again and again!
Thanks, I’m glad you liked it!
Quick and easy with ingredients I had at home, perfect touch to any cupcake! Kids loved them!
So glad you liked the recipe!
Dear God, I already regret this recipe coming into my life. So long, waistline. It’s amazing. Hard not to eat with a spoon straight from the bowl.
So glad you like it!
Made this today for my daughters upcoming birthday! Tastes amazing. After cleaning up I noticed my salt sitting I. The counter and realized I never added it! The recipe calls for it but it is not in the directions. I thought it tasted great (prob cause I used salted butter) so I’m not adding it just. Just FYI to you. Thanks for the great recipe, I seriously don’t think I could use plain vanilla buttercream anymore!
Thanks Megan!!
This was so amazing that I would literally make it again just to eat on Graham crackers. I beat together the butter and brown sugar for forever, till the mixture was totally white, but even though the frosting turned out nice and whippy it still had a lot of grit. I followed the instructions and used a packed and leveled 1/4 cup of brown sugar, is there something else I could do to eliminate sugar crystals?
I am in love with this frosting!! I think you have a typo when you were talking about how to store it you said it will last 5 days in the fridge or two months in the fridge, and i think you were trying to say 5 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer. again thank you for the AMAZING recipe!
I’m so glad you like it, and thanks for catching the typo!!
People often understand that it is dangerous to eat raw eggs because of the risk of Salmonella, but eggs aren’t the only potential carrier of foodborne illness in raw dough or batter. Raw flour may be contaminated with harmful bacteria such as E. coli.
(((((Furthermore…raw egg yolks (when ethically sourced from a reputable farmer) are very healthy…)))))
Thanks for bringing this up! While the risk is low, yes there is a risk to eating raw flour, just the same as eating raw or bagged vegetables. You can read more about it here. If this is a concern, you can also toast your flour in the oven at 350 degrees for 5 minutes to kill any bacteria. Just be sure to let it cool before adding to your frosting 🙂
Great tip for keeping flour safe! I cannot wait to make this frosting… ! Did you use crumbled cookie on top of frosting in photo? 😜 Brilliant…
Thank you!!
This looks incredible! I seriously could eat it by the spoonful!
These were a huge hit in my daughter’s classroom! Such a delicious twist on a classic cookie!
I saw your picture and was so excited because I follow Dinner at the Zoo. I love seeing you ladies giving each other positive feedback!!
A moist cupcake or chocolate cake base with this frosting on top and I am in dessert heaven!
Such a moorish recipe! I would just go straight in and eat it with a spoon… it would never have time to get to the cupcakes!
I bet everyone will go crazy after this cookie dough frosting:) Yummy!