The baking aisles at most supermarkets are under a monopoly: it's Dunkin Hines and Betty Crocker as far as the eye can see. But online retailers are a whole different story. Lucky for me, the Internet provides access to countless, crazy mixes from little-known producers, such as Miss Muffets, owned and operated by Carrie Brautigam. She makes all kinds of whimsical treats, ranging from Death by Chocolate Muffins and Nutrageous Blondie Brownies, to Champagne Bundt Cake and the subject of this week's Mixed Review: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes.

The mix arrived in the mail carefully and neatly packed in a small brown paper bag, not unlike a school lunch sack. But on the front, instead of there being a taped love note from my mom, there was a tantalizing photo of a chocolate-frosted cupcake oozing with cookie dough. I couldn't wait to get started.

Inside the bag were four packets containing cake mix, cookie mix, frosting mix, and chocolate chips. Additionally, I would need to add one stick of softened butter, a few teaspoons of milk, some vegetable oil, and water—all cheap ingredients I already had on hand.

The first step was to prepare the cookie mix. I beat 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of the butter in a bowl until fluffy, then added the contents of the cookie mix packet and 2 tablespoons of water. I tried beating the mixture with an electric mixer, but found the best way to get the dough to come together in a cohesive mass was to use a wooden spoon and my (clean) hands. Then I stirred in the chocolate chips, formed the dough into 12 balls, and, per the instructions, placed them in the freezer.

While there was no indication as to how long the dough balls should be frozen, I assumed that the length of time it took me to preheat the oven, prepare the cake mix, and divide it between 12 muffin cups would be sufficient. My hunch was right—about 15 minutes later, my balls of dough were frozen solid, if not rock hard.

I dropped one ball into the middle of each muffin cup and pressed them down gently into the batter. The tops stuck up like miniature chocolate-studded icebergs. Yum. I slid the pan into the oven to bake. 20 minutes later they emerged puffed and golden-yellow, with only a tiny spot of cookie dough visible in the center of each one.

I let my cupcakes cook on a rack and prepared the frosting, which involved beating the contents of the frosting packet together with the remaining 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of butter and about 5 teaspoons of milk. The resulting amount of frosting was modest—enough for a small slick on each cupcake as opposed to a giant mound—proving that with these cupcakes it was the middles, not the tops, that mattered.

I split a cupcake open to reveal a pocket of cookie dough, cooked like a yolk inside a hard-boiled egg. I took a bite: while the flavor of the surrounding cake was a bit cloying and artificial, the cookie dough itself was near perfection. It tasted like the very middle of a soft-baked cookie: chewy, warm, and gooey with melted chocolate. The thin layer of frosting provided a light, creamy accent to the cupcake without pushing it over the top.

All in all, Miss Muffet's proves that good things come in small purveyor's packages. These cupcakes would be a perfect addition to any children's birthday party or to any office's communal kitchen—which is where mine ended up, to the delight of my coworkers.