With Sprinkles on Top

The last of my Rippin’ Good-inspired treats are these fudge striped cupcakes. When I was a kid (before all fun was removed from life and OSHA started to get picky), you could take a tour of the Rippin’ Good cookie factory. It was the best thing ever if you were a child – like a Willy Wonka situation come to life. Minus the creepy boat ride and dying children. But my most vivid memory from the tour was watching the assembly line that produced fudge stripe cookies. It was pretty mesmerizing to watch the smooth lines of fudge fall over each cookie. :)

Rippin’ Good Fudge Stripe Cupcakes
Recipe source: Young Married Chic
Print Recipe

For the cupcakes:
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the icing:
4 cups of powdered sugar
4 tablespoons of softened butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tablespoons of cream or milk

Extras:
Melted Chocolate for drizzling (I used store-bought chocolate icing)
Mini Fudge Stripe Cookies for topping

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° and line two cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar.
3. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
4. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
5. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
6. Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Lastly, blend in the vanilla
7. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners.
8. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely

For the Icing:
1. In a mixer, place the powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla. Beat until fluffy
2. Add in the milk one tablespoon at a time until it is at desired texture
3. Ice cupcakes and then top with chocolate drizzle and cookies

Another favorite cookie of mine (I have a lot of favorite cookies) is the Carousel Frosted Animal Cookie. These are not to be confused with other frosted animal cookies – because they are better than any of the competition. A few years ago I made cut-out cookies inspired by these little pink and white beauties.  This time around I’m featuring them on cupcakes. There is nothing special about these cupcakes — they are mainly here to serve as a decorating idea! Hope you enjoy!

Rippin’ Good Carousel Frosted Animal Cupcakes
Print Recipe

1 box cake mix (I used funfetti), plus required oil and eggs
1 batch of buttercream icing (take your pick from any featured here)
Rainbow nonpareils
1 box of Rippin’ Good Carousel Frosted Animal Cookies

1. Make cupcakes according to box directions and allow to cool completely.
2. Make a batch of buttercream icing and frost each cupcake.
3. Dip the sides of the cupcakes into a bowl of rainbow nonpareils. Top each cupcake with a frosted animal cookie.

A mere 30 minutes from my hometown of Oshkosh, Wisconsin lies one of the greatest places on planet earth: the Rippin’ Good cookie factory and outlet store. Yes, a cookie outlet store. There, in this magical building, you will find all the delicious cookies you could ever want at dirt cheap prices. Rippin’ Good makes Creme Wafers, Fudge Striped Cookies, Carousel Circus Animal Cookies, Oatmeal Pies, and the list could go on and on. This week I’m posting three recipes that feature Rippin’ Good Cookies.

Today’s recipe is for creme wafer cupcakes. The assorted creme wafers are my favorite of all the Rippin’ Good cookies. I can’t even pick a favorite between the strawberry, vanilla, or chocolate. Mmmm mmm. These cupcakes are made from a box mix — and the frosting features crushed creme wafers. Hope you enjoy!

Rippin’ Good Creme Wafer Cupcakes
Print Recipe

3 box cake mixes – strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate (plus the required eggs + oil)
2 cartons of assorted creme wafers, set one carton aside to use as garnish
1 batch of buttercream frosting (you will need more if you plan on making a lot of cupcakes)

1. Bake cupcakes according to box directions. I didn’t want to end up with 72 cupcakes, so I only baked about 12 of each flavor. Do what you’d like – but keep in mind that you’ll need more frosting (and more creme wafers) if you make more cupcakes.
2. Make a batch or two of buttercream icing. Divide the icing into three containers.
3. Open up one package of creme wafers. Crush the strawberry wafers using a food processor. Repeat with the vanilla and chocolate wafers.
4. Mix the crushed cookies into the buttercream icing. There is no real science to the ratio of icing to crushed cookies – just do what works for you and what you think tastes best.
5. Frost the cupcakes and garnish with a creme wafer.

Glamorous, huh? ;-)

This lovely recipe comes from my dear friend Amber’s blog, Bluebonnets & Brownies. I love Amber, her cute family, her love of Disney, and her consistently great recipes. But I will be honest: I’m not a huge fan of strawberry-flavored foods. Love me some strawberries, but something always goes awry for me with strawberry flavoring. These cookies though? Ohhh my goddddd. I loved ’em! Really and truly.

Chocolate-Stuffed Strawberry Crinkle Cookies
Recipe source: Bluebonnets & Brownies
Print Recipe

1 box Pillsbury “Pudding in the Mix” Strawberry Cake Mix
2 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup powdered sugar
18 “fun-size” Three Musketeers Candies, frozen

1. Freeze a bag of “fun-size” Three Musketeers Candies for at least 2 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir vigorously with a spatula until will blended.
4. Place the powdered sugar into a separate small bowl, then unwrap 18 frozen Three Musketeers.
5. Using a medium cookie scoop or tablespoon, shape a dough ball, and then drop it into your hand. Press a frozen chocolate into the ball of dough and then roll it in your hands until the chocolate is completely enrobed in cookie dough. The dough will be sticky.
6. Drop balls of dough into the powdered sugar sugar and roll to coat heavily.
7. Place the balls of dough on the parchment lined baking tray 2 inches apart. Bake for 9-11 minutes.
8. The middles of the cookies may look slightly undercooked when removed from the oven. That is okay. They will continue to cook as they cool. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.

Makes about 18 cookies.

My friend Britteny’s birthday was a month ago today. We were in the midst of law school finals, so she didn’t really get a proper celebration. As I’ve always said, law school is the killer of all things joyous. But I digress. Britteny loves anything and everything lemon, so I made her these cookies. They were a big hit at school!

Hope all of you in the United States had a nice Memorial Day weekend!

Lemon Cookies
Recipe Source: Love from the Oven
Print Recipe

1 box lemon cake mix
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Juice from one lemon
Grated lemon peel from one lemon
1 cup pink and yellow Nestle Springtime Morsels (or white chocolate chips)

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well to combine. Dough will be quite sticky. Chill covered in refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
2. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375F. Once oven is ready, remove cookie dough from fridge and drop by spoonfuls (approximately 1-2 tablespoons per cookie) onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
3. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until very lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Store tightly covered.