I’m sharing a batch of charming chocolate chip “cubcakes” today — cupcakes decorated to look like little bears, complete with tiny chocolate chip cookie ears you can nibble on.
These are easy and fun to decorate. The only special item you need are very small chocolate chip cookies to use as ears and mouths.
Below you’ll find the recipes and a few tips for the mini cookies. Mix the cookie dough, but do not stir the mini chocolate chips into the dough — you’ll add them to the surface for the ears.
I started by portioning the dough with a 1-1/2 inch scoop to get a uniform amount, then divided each portion into roughly six equal pieces and rolled them into tiny balls. This helps produce very small cookies without overworking the dough.
For the cub’s mouths, bake a few cookies without any chips. For the ears, dip each rolled dough ball into a bowl of mini morsels so the chips adhere to the surface, then press them in slightly so they stay put.
Place the prepared cookie dough balls on a baking sheet about two inches apart. They bake quickly — about 5 minutes at 375°F (190°C) — and should be removed once the edges are just beginning to turn golden. If you want perfectly round cookies for a uniform look, you can use an Ateco #808 decorating tip as a cutter after baking.
They turn out delightfully small and cute — ideal for topping cupcakes.
Assembling the cubcakes is straightforward:
- Frost each cupcake with brown-sugar-flavored frosting. For the nose, cut regular-sized chocolate morsels in half; I used Ghirardelli morsels because their flatter profile works well.
- Insert two mini chocolate chip cookies on either side of the top of the cupcake to form ears. Press them in far enough so they stay upright. You can add a small dab of frosting behind each ear to help prop them up if needed.
- For the mouth, press one of the chipless mini cookies against the lower front of the frosted cupcake.
- Melt a few chocolate morsels in the microwave and use the melted chocolate to glue a halved regular morsel (upside down) onto the mini cookie to form the nose. Once set, the chocolate acts as a secure adhesive.
- For the eyes, press two miniature chocolate morsels into the frosting with their flat sides facing up.
- Use a toothpick dipped in a little melted chocolate to draw a small smile beneath the nose.
The result is irresistibly cute — perfect for parties, gifts, or a fun baking project with kids.
Chocolate Chip Cubcakes
1 hour 30 minutes
20 minutes
1 hour 50 minutes
Ingredients
Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup semi-sweet mini morsels
- Ateco #808 decorating tip (optional for perfectly round cookies)
Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup oil
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1 cup chocolate morsels
Cubcake Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1–3 teaspoons milk, as needed
Instructions
For the cookies:
Make the cookies first; you can prepare them a day or two ahead. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a stand mixer, cream the butter with both sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined.
Use a 1-1/2 inch scoop to portion the dough, then divide each portion into six roughly equal pieces. Roll each piece into a small ball. For ears, press the balls into a shallow dish of mini chocolate morsels so the chips adhere. Place the balls on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Reserve some plain balls without chips to bake for the cub mouths.
Bake at 375°F for about 5 minutes, or until the edges are just slightly brown. This recipe yields about 90 tiny cookies.
For the cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with 16 cupcake liners. In a stand mixer bowl, combine the dry ingredients, then add the eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla and mix until combined. Stir in the hot water — the batter will be thin.
Fill each liner about two-thirds full, sprinkle some chocolate morsels on top if desired, and bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Makes about 16 cupcakes.
For the frosting:
Cream the butter and brown sugar in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa, powdered sugar, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the creamed butter in several additions, mixing until incorporated. Stir in vanilla, then add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Enjoy!