Description
Soft, moist chocolate cupcakes filled with creamy vanilla buttercream, topped with rich chocolate ganache and a signature cream filling—reminiscent of classic Hostess CupCakes in cookie form.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all‑purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
- ½ cup whole milk
- Buttercream Filling: ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1–2 tablespoons milk
- Ganache Topping: 4 oz semi‑sweet chocolate, chopped • ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in vanilla.
- Alternately add dry ingredients and sour cream with milk in three parts, beginning and ending with dry mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Scoop tablespoon‑sized portions onto baking sheets, spacing 1½″ apart (expect about 36 cookies). Bake 10–12 minutes until tops spring back lightly.
- Cool cookies completely on wire racks.
- Meanwhile, make buttercream: beat butter until creamy, add powdered sugar gradually, then vanilla and enough milk to reach pipeable consistency.
- Transfer buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe a swirl onto half of the cookies, then sandwich with remaining cookies.
- Make ganache: heat cream until just simmering, pour over chopped chocolate, let sit 2 minutes, stir until smooth.
- Dip tops of cookie sandwiches into ganache, let excess drip off. Place on parchment to set (10–15 minutes). Optionally refrigerate briefly to set ganache.
- Enjoy once ganache is firm; store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream if preferred.
- Use dark chocolate in ganache for a more intense flavor, or milk chocolate for milder taste.
- Cookies can be frozen after baking; assemble and top after thawing.
- For a cleaner ganache edge, dip tops twice, letting each layer set briefly.
- Buttercream can be flavored with a touch of almond extract or a hint of espresso.