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My all-time favorite cookies in the world are chocolate chip cookies and growing up, my mom’s go-to recipe was always the classic Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe found on the back of a package of NESTLÉ’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels.
So it was no big surprise when we found this Toll House Chocolate Chip Cupcakes recipe in my mom’s old recipe box! Like this delicious pie recipe, these Toll House Chocolate Chip Cupcakes are modeled after the classic cookie recipe from the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts.
These Toll House Chocolate Chip Cupcakes start with a dense batter that is partially baked in cupcake liners. Then, partway through the baking time, a topping of brown sugar, chocolate chips and walnuts is added to the top, then the cupcakes are baked until done. This approach helps form a super moist cake-like bottom later and a crunchy, chocolaty topping that is simply incredible!
This recipe does not appear on NESTLÉ’s website, so I’m not sure where my mom originally got the recipe. But huge kudos must go to whomever came up with this recipe – these Toll House Chocolate Chip Cupcakes are delicious!
They are also the perfect dessert to take on-the-go – so they are great to pack in a lunchbox, bring to bake sales, or bring to a family party! (Just be sure to make a double batch because they are sure to be the first to get eaten!)
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Toll House Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Batter
- 1 stick butter (1/2 cup), softened
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Topping
- ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 ounce package (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chip morsels
- ½ cup walnuts chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter until light and fluffy.
- Add both sugars and cream until smooth.
- Add vanilla and egg and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda and salt and slowly add to batter with mixer running. Mix until combined.
- Line a 12-cup muffin pan with 2½ inch paper liners and lightly spray paper cups and top of pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Divide batter between the 12 cups. I found an ice-cream scoop worked well.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- While batter is baking, mix brown sugar, egg, salt and vanilla until creamy and thick, about one minute.
- Remove from mixer and stir in the chocolate morsels and chopped nuts by hand.
- After 10 minutes, remove muffin pan from oven and divide topping between each cup letting it sink into the center and spreading it to the edges.
- Bake for 15 minutes more then remove from oven.
- Remove cupcakes to a rack to cool and enjoy warm or cooled.
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I’ve made this recipe twice—yesterday & today. Both times the topping does not get “thick.” Today I beat it for 5 minutes. It never thickened up. I used one large egg. Cupcakes taste ok—they do not look party-worthy! Note: I made these many times decades ago, & have no clue what happened to the recipe. I do not remember where the recipe originated. I was so excited to find the recipe on line, but very unhappy with my results.
Any ideas are appreciated. I’d like to make these to share with my adult sons—now in their 50’s. They do remember these yummy cupcakes with no icing from their childhood.
Thanks so much!
★★★
Hi Meredith – I’m not sure why you are seeing different results – it’s hard to help troubleshoot without being in the kitchen with you. This is a recipe we found in my mom’s old recipe box so it’s probably the same recipe you made for your sons (I’m in my 50’s too). One large egg should be fine – that’s what we use. Are you packing the brown sugar into the measuring cup as you measure that out? If it’s loosely packed, I suppose that could make a difference in the consistency. Sorry you were disappointed with the recipe.
The brown sugar is “packed” in the topping for the chocolate chip cupcakes. It would be helpful if the video of the recipe contained not only the first part of the recipe, but also showed the second part so that the mixing & consistency can be viewed. Please show both parts of the recipe in the video.
It does – please see my response to your other comment.
Ok you are just evil to share this 🙂 I read the recipe and just had to make it tonight. We put ice cream on them right out of the oven. Very good! The only improvement to the recipe would be to other how much of each mix goes into the cups (I didn’t have a scoop so I had to eyeball it). Next time I might try with pecans as I find them to have a milder flavor than walnuts. I’m planning to bring these to my Mom’s house in the morning but I think I’m going to have to hide them from my husband.
★★★★
Thanks the suggestions Lisa! Glad you enjoyed the cupcakes! 🙂
Thank you for this recipe! This was a family stand-by for us from the early 1970’s. I remember baking them for my brother’s cub scout meetings, for countless holiday celebrations, and school bake sales. Now a grandmother myself, I decided to make some for Christmas for “old times sake” this year, but couldn’t find my recipe, nor my Mom’s. This is it, exactly!
You’re very welcome Diana – so glad our recipe will help you continue to make some delicious family memories!
Do these freeze well?
Yes – they freeze well! I’d suggest wrapping each cupcake individually so you get a tight seal.
Hmm. I wonder how to make the base a peanut butter cookie?
Great idea Rhonda! (Beyond swapping in peanut butter for some of the butter – we’d have to do a little recipe testing to steer you in the right direction…)
My Mom used to make these when we were growing up too! Now at 67 I still get a craving for them and will whip up a batch in no time. Can’t tell you how many, many times I have made these. My youngest son who is now 39 requests these for his birthday every year. There just isn’t anything like them. Sweet, chocolate, gooey, absolutely the BEST!!!
I agree Susan – these are the best! 🙂
I have looked for this recipe on line for years. I have never seen it anywhere before. I have this recipe my grandma would make them. They are always a big hit anywhere you take them. My mother said a aunt was the first one to make them. I just remember my grandma making them. Just a hint if you can fine the parchment paper cupcake papers they work great. You don’t have to spray them. They have been passed down four generations of our family now.
Thanks for the suggestion Phyllis! So glad you are enjoying the recipe!
My mother used to make these for me as a special treat growing up. Now I’m 54 and went to look at her handwritten recipe and the ink had faded. Wasn’t sure I’d find this online, since it was such an old recipe. But…. thanks for posting and for those who have yet to try this, don’t hesitate. A little more work, but oh, so worth the effort!
So glad we were able to help you with your Mom’s old recipe Nancy (they are true treasures!). Thanks for writing to us today!
Could you make these in the mini-cupcakes so you would get 24 instead of 12?
Hi Karen – Yes – that should work. The baking time might be a little less so just check for doneness earlier in the baking time.
My husband hates any kind of chocolate chip cookie or cupcake, that is until he took a bite of these cupcakes over the weekend. He loved the taste, especially the crispy topping.
They disappeared so quickly, I’ve been asked to whip up another batch. They’re really quick and easy to make. Winner!
Thanks Elise! (I love hearing stories like this!) So glad you are all enjoying the recipe as much as we do… Thanks for taking the time to write to us today!