Cookie Dough Cupcakes (Gluten Free, Sugar Free)

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I have a little problem on my hands. You see, I’ve created a monster. He used to be quite the normal dude, eating quite the normal dude diet, till he invited to move in. Dude should have thought that out a little more,  because shortly thereafter, I suggested the the meal that would start the demise of his normal dude-ness: sweet potato and black bean burritos (that picture will tell you just about how long ago this was, without even looking at the date.) That’s right, no meat, no cheese, just… vegetables.

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It was all downhill from there. Pretty soon he came to accept, look forward to, and even suggest vegetarian meals. He’s a helpful little monster. My antics didn’t stop there, and neither did his.

A dude who at one point refused to eat cottage cheese now doesn’t bat an eyelash when I blend it into creamy, healthy pasta sauce or put it in front of him as dessert in the form or peanut butter cheesecake mousse. He expects that pumpkin goes in everything, and fully supported me in converting an entire closet into our own pumpkin storage warehouse when I bought out almost the entire inventory at our local Sam’s Club. Currently in our house, ice cream is synonymous with protein powder, and he’s more than ok with that (sorry, I don’t have a recipe to link for that just yet.)

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But perhaps the most surprising of all, in that I’m surprised how much he wasn’t surprised, are these cupcakes. I went about them so sneakily, preparing them while he was out and cleaning up all of the evidence before he came home. Because silly me thought he might not try them if he saw what was going in on them. Silly me forgot that I’ve done such a number on this dude, that he’ll try just about anything, and usually like it too. I watched eagerly, as he took a bite, then another, and another. Almost finishing it before I could get a word out of him. And then? “Wow, babe, these are good.” And why wouldn’t they be? A fudgey chocolate cupcake, filled with a moist cookie dough center – all natural, and almost entirely sugar free (the exception being the mini chocolate chips.) But I wasn’t satisfied. I needed to know what he thought about the frosting! Because, obviously, it wasn’t any typical frosting. Obviously I had to go and do something totally crazy, like, put hummus on a cupcake.

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Yeah, I said that. Hummus on a cupcake. No, not garlic and tahini-laden hummus, but cookie dough hummus. But like I said, I have a monster. One who was almost bored by that idea. “Yeah, I love it, and no, it’s not weird.” Over, and over, and over again. Until I stopped pestering and lowered my chin in disappointment. Disappointed because apparently I can’t manage to surprise him anymore, and with only 3.5 years of marriage under our belts, I have a long way to go.

But hey, at least I know it worked, and it’s good enough to share with you. And maybe even surprise  you, depending on what you’ve come to expect from me.

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Cookie Dough Cupcakes (Gluten Free, Sugar Free)
Adapted from Gluten Free Cupcakes: 50 Irresistible Recipes Made with Almond and Coconut Flour
Printable Recipe

Cupcakes
5 tablespoons (35gm) coconut flour
4 tablespoons (20gm) natural, unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoons pure powdered stevia extract, such as NuNaturals NuStevia™ White Stevia™
2 eggs
4 egg whites
2 tablespoons agave syrup or maple syrup
6 tablespoons vanilla unsweetened almond milk

Cookie Dough Filling
2/3 cup (75gm) blanched almond flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 tablespoons agave syrup or maple syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons almond milk
12 drops vanilla flavored liquid stevia drops, such as NuNaturals Pure Liquid™ Vanilla Stevia™
3 tablespoons (45 gm) mini chocolate chips**

Cookie Dough Frosting (adapted from The Wannabe Chef and other various bloggers’ versions of Cookie Dough Hummus)
3/4 cup chickpeas, skins removed*
2 tablespoons (32gm) almond butter
2 tablespoons unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line 10 muffin cups with paper liners.

For the cupcakes, combine the coconut flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and stevia in a large bowl. Whisk together for a minute or two, breaking up all of the clumps. Add the eggs, egg whites, agave syrup, and almond milk. Beat with an electric mixer, starting on low speed and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Increase to high speed and beat for about two minutes, making sure no lumps of coconut flour or cocoa remain. Set aside.

To make the cookie dough filling, combine the almond flour and baking soda in a bowl together. Stir in the agave syrup, almond milk, and liquid stevia drops until well combined. Fold in the mini chocolate chips.

Scoop 1 rounded tablespoon of cookie dough into each cupcake liner, and cover with the cupcake batter. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cool completely, then frost and serve.

To make the frosting, puree the chickpeas, almond butter, almond milk, maple syrup and salt in a high speed blender or food processor until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

*To remove the chickpea skins, simply pinch the beans between your thumb and index finger. It seems a bit tedious, but it will produce a much smoother topping.

**The mini chocolate chips are the only exception to the recipe being sugar-free. If that is a concern, you could substitute finely chopped dark chocolate suitable for your diet, or carob chips.

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe: 10
Amount Per Serving
Calories 171.8
Total Fat 8.7 g
Saturated Fat 1.9 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.4 g
Cholesterol 37.0 mg
Sodium 227.9 mg
Potassium 51.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 18.7 g
Dietary Fiber 4.2 g
Sugars 10.3 g
Protein 6.1 g

This recipe is linked to Amy’s Simply Sugar and Gluten Free Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays for 6/21/2011.

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21 Responses to “Cookie Dough Cupcakes (Gluten Free, Sugar Free)”

  1. 1

    kitchenmisfit — June 13, 2011 @ 1:31 pm Reply

    You've certainly impressed me! I'll have to give this one a try 🙂

  2. 2

    Dawn Hutchins — June 13, 2011 @ 1:46 pm Reply

    These sound fabulous. What a great use for chickpeas (but you know me, I'm with Ben, I love this stuff.) By the way, thanks SO much for the stevia.  I need to do a post about it but things have been SO crazy lately I'm behind.  I can't believe how much they sent! 

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    Teresa Green — June 13, 2011 @ 2:49 pm Reply

    Love it btw, bird nest (http://www.geocities.jp/hongkong_bird_nest/index_e.htm) is made up of about 58% soluable proteins…the highest amoung all food and even synetic protein powders it greatly increase tissue regeneration

  4. 4

    Branappetit — June 13, 2011 @ 2:52 pm Reply

    these look so good! and i love that you used sweet "hummus", too 🙂 

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    Kaytorade — June 13, 2011 @ 5:14 pm Reply

    Those burritos would convert anyone!

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    Joanne — June 13, 2011 @ 5:28 pm Reply

    These are INSANE!  And they totally give my four sticks of butter cookie dough cupcakes a run for their money.As for this husband business.  If it consoles you, you still shock me every time you come up with something this amazing.  I just don't think you could ever outdo yourself.  And then you do.

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    Jessica Livingston — June 13, 2011 @ 9:12 pm Reply

    Those look… soooooo good. I might just have to make these this weekend!

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    beantownbaker — June 14, 2011 @ 1:47 am Reply

    Sounds awesome Cara! You know I love cookie dough in cupcakes

  9. 9

    Yuri — June 14, 2011 @ 2:13 pm Reply

    I bought Elana's books 2 days ago! Such an interesting recipe u have here. Love the cupcake cups 🙂

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    Julia Mestas — June 14, 2011 @ 3:56 pm Reply

    Love it!  I've created a monster in my husband too.  He recently said 'I love zucchini'  LIES, all lies, he used to HATE zucchini, but apparently meals, like sweet potato and black bean burritos (which we make and LOVE) have changed his tune about veggies. He's a sweet FREAK, so I'll have to try these!!!

  11. 11

    Shannon — June 14, 2011 @ 4:02 pm Reply

    ha, i LOVE it.  and will be making these soon 🙂

  12. 12

    Stephanie Oeverndiek — June 14, 2011 @ 7:16 pm Reply

    Where oh where did you get those cupcake cups?  I love the lip that they have.

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    Cara — June 14, 2011 @ 7:19 pm Reply

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    Chrysta — June 14, 2011 @ 7:48 pm Reply

    wow! so pretty…making these for after our beach days. Just sounds so perfect to take with us…Plus I think chickpeas makes the perfect base for a frosting…awesome stuff as always hon!

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    Lori Lynn — June 14, 2011 @ 10:10 pm Reply

    Wild! I would have never thought to put hummus…Sure, why not? I agree with the dude, sounds really good.LL

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    Kelly — June 14, 2011 @ 10:56 pm Reply

    These sound very creative.  Talk about something that doesn't look gluten or sugarfree.

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    Elina (Healthy and Sane) — June 16, 2011 @ 6:14 pm Reply

    Ok I have to ask – do they taste "weird" at all? Like healthified version of "regular" cupcakes? I'm going to try them anyway, just want to be prepared ;)PS – I have the same muffin cups and I'm obsessed with them. 🙂

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    grace — June 17, 2011 @ 5:57 am Reply

    it's alive! okay, cookie dough hummus is a brand new concept to me, but i'm definitely intrigued. this is a magnificent combination of recipes, cara!

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    Elina (Healthy and Sane) — June 17, 2011 @ 8:43 pm Reply

    Ok I have to ask – do they taste "weird" at all? Like healthified version of "regular" cupcakes? I'm going to try them anyway, just want to be prepared ;)PS – I have the same muffin cups and I'm obsessed with them. 🙂

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    sellgee — October 14, 2011 @ 5:55 am Reply

    I was very intrigued by the sugar free title of this cookie..until…I saw that it's not really sugar free since it has maple sugar and agave nectar in it.  I know it is a small amount, but what would happen without it?  Would it be awful? Thanks for the recipe and the pics look wonderful!

  21. 21

    Cara — October 14, 2011 @ 12:38 pm Reply

    Hi! Just to clarify, I use the term "sugar free" to mean free of refined sugar. This means I have not included regular white sugar, brown sugar, or corn syrup in the recipe. I use natural sweeteners such as maple syrup, stevia, etc. If these are not suitable for your diet, you can certainly feel free to experiment with others, but I haven't tested this recipe out with other sweeteners so I can't guarantee results. If possible I would suggest trying to keep the liquid and dry ingredient amounts the same. Good luck!

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