Soft Frosted Chocolate Cookies: AKA Cupcake Tops
Sneak Preview: This recipe for Soft Frosted Chocolate Cookies will remind you of the top of a chocolate cupcake, aka cupcake tops with a ganache-like frosting. The best part? They’re small, so you can eat more than one.
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Are cupcakes your thing, especially the frosted tops? If you’re nodding, you’ve got to try these soft frosted chocolate cookies.
I experimented with this recipe and ended up with a few extras, which I shared with a friend. She hit the nail on the head when she said they reminded her of the top part of a frosted cupcake.
Three Reasons Why Cupcake Tops Belong in Your Cookie Recipe Collection
- These treats are like tiny chocolate cakes, topped with a luscious chocolate frosting.
- Adding a bit of instant espresso and Dutch-process cocoa to the mix gives them a deep, rich flavor.
- The frosting has a secret ingredient that you’ll never guess.
Recipe Inspiration
My obsession with frosted cookies started with ugly, irregularly shaped, frosted cinnamon cookies my Grandma used to bake for us.
I’ve become slightly obsessed with frosted cookies like these Frosted Lemon Yogurt Cookies and Mini Black and Whites. Like parents with more than one child, my affection for frosted cookies multiplies with each new recipe added to my collection.
The Secret Ingredient in the Frosting
There is a magic ingredient in the frosting. I hesitate to say it, but here goes. Sour cream. (Lite sour cream works just fine.) I promise you won’t taste anything that reminds you of sour cream.
Swipe a little across the top if you aren’t into frosting as much as I am. It’s not necessary to get fancy.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- FLOUR: The recipe calls for unbleached, but you could substitute bleached flour.
- COCOA: I like Hershey’s brand Special Dark, a blend of natural and Dutch cocoa.
- BUTTER: Be sure to let the butter soften to room temperature. You should be able to dent the butter with your finger.
- SUGAR: Use granulated sugar. No substitutes
- BUTTERMILK OR UNFLAVORED YOGURT: If using yogurt, thin it with milk to the consistency of buttermilk.
- INSTANT ESPRESSO: This is a powdered product you will find in the tea and coffee aisle. Add it to any recipe with a lot of chocolate to intensify the chocolate flavor. You won’t detect the coffee flavor.
- BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS: I use Ghiradelli bittersweet chips, but semi-sweet chips would also work if you like your chocolate sweeter.
- SOUR CREAM: You can substitute lite sour cream for full-fat.
FAQ About Soft Frosted Chocolate Cookies or Cupcake Tops
Yes. Double wrap and store in the freezer for up to 1 month.
These cookies should be cake-like in texture. If they aren’t, the dough may have been overworked or overmixed, which develops the gluten.
Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.
Soft Frosted Chocolate Cookies
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Ingredients
- 1¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (11 g) cocoa
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g) butter, softened
- 1 cup (198 g) sugar
- 1 (50 g) large egg
- 2 (58 g) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
- ¾ cup (180 g) buttermilk or unflavored yogurt (thinned with milk to buttermilk consistency)
- ½ teaspoon instant espresso, optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1 cup (170 g) bittersweet chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup (79 g) sour cream + another tablespoon
- 1 cup (120 g) confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
- Whisk or sift together 1¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons (11 g) cocoa, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium-size bowl.
- Use a stand mixer to beat ½ cup (113 g) butter, softened until smooth. Add in 1 cup (198 g) sugar and 1 (50 g) large eggix for two minutes. Add cooled 2 (58 g) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and mix. Add 1 (50 g) large egg and mix for another minute.
- Combine ¾ cup (180 g) buttermilk or yogurt, ½ teaspoon instant espresso, optional, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add alternately with dry ingredients and blend into the egg and sugar mixture until mixed.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C). Drop dough by spoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes until no imprint remains when a cookie is lightly touched. Frost cookies when cooled.
Frosting
- Melt 1 cup (170 g) bittersweet chocolate chips in a microwave on MEDIUM for 1-½ to 2 minutes. Stir and let stand for 3-4 minutes till it all melts. Stir in ⅓ cup (79 g) sour cream + another tablespoon. Add 1 cup (120 g) confectioner’s sugar and beat with a spoon.
- Frosting will be thick and gloppy at first. But as you beat, it will become smooth and shiny. Add another tablespoon or more of sour cream to thin to spreadable consistency. Spread on cooled cookies immediately. Let cookies sit until frosting dries slightly.
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
Paula Rhodes, owner
As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.