Incredibly moist and fluffy cupcakes brimming with both pumpkin and buttery Biscoff cookie butter, topped with smooth and tangy cream cheese frosting, and drizzled with MORE cookie butter!
Ever since I made my Biscoff Pumpkin Pie last month and discovered that cookie butter and pumpkin are a match made in heaven, I’ve been DYING to make some cupcakes with this divine duo. So instead of writing some long overdrawn intro, let’s just get straight to the cupcakes, shall we?
Behold…the most perfect Pumpkin Biscoff Cupcakes you will ever see!!!
Not only do these these cupcakes look absolutely charming, but they taste phenomenal! I was in pure ecstasy after taking my first bite. I couldn’t believe how incredibly fluffy and exceptionally moist they were. Not to mention, they had the perfect balance of pumpkin and cookie butter flavor. And the luscious cream cheese frosting? Well, let’s just say that pumpkin, cookie butter, and cream cheese frosting make the BEST threesome…
As I mentioned earlier, these cupcakes are perfectly moist! That’s because both pumpkin and sour cream are incorporated into the batter. A whopping cup of pumpkin puree gives these cupcakes that delightfully moist crumb while also infusing them with just the right amount of pumpkin flavor. Although only 1/4 cup of sour cream is added to the batter, it makes all the difference in delivering a good amount of moisture and richness to these cupcakes.
Speaking of richness, along with one whole egg, I added an extra yolk to the batter. The additional fat in the egg yolk helps create a more tender and moist cupcake that is full of flavor. Moreover, the extra egg yolk aids in binding the ingredients together, resulting in a cupcake with a more stable texture. # ItsScienceKindOf
To infuse these cupcakes with that cookie butter goodness, I added a 1/2 cup of cookie butter to the batter. And to enhance the flavor of the cookie butter, I added a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar. I love brown sugar for the maple flavor it provides, and granulated sugar for its structure. Not too much sugar is called for in the batter since cookie butter also adds sweetness.
As for spices, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice are essential for heightening the flavor of both the pumpkin AND cookie butter. You only need a 1/2 teaspoon of each, but it makes ALL the difference in amplifying the sweetness of these cupcakes.
When determining the type of frosting to top these cupcakes with, I had a difficult time deciding. Did I want to do pumpkin frosting? Cookie butter frosting? Brown sugar frosting?? Brown butter frosting???
Honestly, all of those options would be perfectly dandy on these cupcakes. HOWEVER, I’ve always been a sucker for pumpkin or spice cake and cream cheese frosting. The luscious tanginess of the cream cheese frosting is to-freaking-die-for when it’s paired with cinnamon-spiced treats. (Think cinnamon rolls…) I knew that this frosting would be exquisite on top of these Pumpkin Biscoff Cupcakes. And folks, I definitely was NOT wrong…
To add a little pizazz to these cupcakes, they’re dressed up with a drizzle of cookie butter and a sprinkling of Biscoff cookie crumbs. To make the cookie butter “drizzleable”, just scoop it out into a small bowl and heat in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. After it’s melted, let it sit for a few minutes before drizzling so that it doesn’t melt the frosting.
In case you’re still on the fence about what to make for your upcoming holiday gathering (or ANY gathering, really!), I HIGHLY recommend these Pumpkin Biscoff Cupcakes. I served these at our Christmas family gathering this past weekend, and everyone loved them. Even the pumpkin haters wanted seconds! If that’s not a sign of a scrumptious cupcake, I don’t know what is…
Pumpkin Biscoff Cupcakes
Ingredients
Pumpkin Biscoff Cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup cookie butter (Biscoff or Speculoos spread)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup sour cream
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
For Topping:
- 2 Tablespoons melted cookie butter*
- 1 Biscoff cookie, crushed
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and spices; set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, cookie butter, and both sugars together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, mixing until combined. Add the pumpkin and sour cream, and continue beating until fully incorporated. Add the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined.
- Scoop batter into cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until you gently press on the top and it springs back instantly instead of leaving a dent. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and salt together on high until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, a cup at a time, until all of the sugar has been added and frosting is smooth. Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.
To Assemble:
- Pipe a dollop of frosting on top of each cupcake. Drizzle melted cookie butter on top and sprinkle with crushed cookies. Cupcakes keep well covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.