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Brown Butter Dirty Chai Cupcakes

Brown butter dirty chai cupcakes with espresso and chai spice in a tender crumb, finished with a brown-butter chai frosting. Browned butter adds a nutty golden flavor that shows through in every bite.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 18 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For dirty chai cupcakes
  • 1.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp chai spice blend
  • 1 tsp espresso powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter browned and cooled
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.33 cup strongly brewed espresso cooled
  • 0.5 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
For brown butter chai frosting
  • 0.75 cup butter browned
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp espresso powder
  • 1 tsp chai spice

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Brown the butter and prep the oven
  1. Brown 3/4 cup unsalted butter and cool it, then brown the remaining butter for the frosting and cool as well.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350F and line cupcake tins.
Make the dirty chai cupcake batter
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, chai spice blend, espresso powder, and salt together until evenly combined.
  2. Beat cooled unsalted butter and packed brown sugar until smooth, then beat in eggs one at a time.
  3. Beat in cooled strongly brewed espresso, buttermilk, and vanilla until the batter looks cohesive.
  4. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients just until no dry streaks remain, then fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full.
  5. Bake at 350F for 18-20 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly when pressed and a toothpick comes out clean.
  6. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.
Frost and finish
  1. Beat browned butter and powdered sugar with milk until fluffy and spreadable.
  2. Mix in espresso powder and chai spice, then pipe the frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
  3. Dust the tops with espresso powder and chai spice for a speckled finish.

Notes

Pro tip: brown the butter until you see deep amber specks, then cool fully so the batter doesn’t seize. Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days; bring to room temperature before serving. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months (wrap well) and thaw overnight in the fridge; thaw and frost fresh. For a lighter option, use low-fat milk in the frosting while keeping the texture by whipping until fluffy.