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Brown Butter Dirty Chai Cupcakes

Brown butter dirty chai cupcakes with a tender crumb and deep espresso-chai flavor, baked until just set and finished with swirled brown butter chai frosting. The frosting is fluffy and dusted with espresso powder and chai spice for a bakery-style top.
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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 butters and prep the oven
  1. Brown the 3/4 cup portion of butter for the dirty chai cupcakes and cool it to room temperature.
  2. Brown the remaining butter for the frosting, then cool it completely.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350F and line cupcake tins with liners.
Make the cupcake batter
  1. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, chai spice blend, espresso powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.
  2. Beat the cooled browned butter and packed brown sugar until smooth, then beat in the eggs one at a time.
  3. Add the cooled strongly brewed espresso, buttermilk, and vanilla, and mix until combined.
  4. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until no dry streaks remain.
  5. Fill liners about 2/3 full with batter and bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  6. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.
Make and decorate the frosting
  1. Beat the browned butter until creamy, then beat in powdered sugar gradually until thick and smooth.
  2. Beat in the milk until the frosting is fluffy and pipeable.
  3. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and dust the tops with espresso powder and chai spice.

Notes

For best flavor, cool both browned butters fully before mixing so the batter and frosting don’t separate. Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving. Freezing is yes for unfrosted cupcakes (up to 2 months). For a dairy-light option, use lactose-free milk and lactose-free buttermilk substitute in the same measurements.