Sugar Cookie Cups
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Sugar Cookie Cups make an adorable dessert, made with a sugar cookie base and a cream cheese buttercream frosting swirled inside! These are made in a muffin pan so they are the perfect size and can be made for any and all occasions and holidays!
Another cookie cup recipe to try are these Gingerbread Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Cups!
PIN these Sugar Cookie Cups recipe to try later!
sugar cookie cups
Sweet Sugar Cookie Cups are made with a chewy sugar cookie dough base (similar to my popular cut-out sugar cookie recipe), baked in a muffin pan, then filled with a creamy buttercream frosting. These sugar cookie treats are perfect for parties and any holiday or occasion by swapping the frosting color and sprinkles.
The combination of the sugar cookie and cream cheese buttercream is just perfect together (sugar cookie lovers will be in heaven). They are the cutest size and make a delicious treat for Valentine’s Day! Since the center of each cookie cup has a swirl of frosting, it makes a fun twist from classic cookies!
If you love all things sugar cookies like I do, try my other sugar cookie recipes: Sugar Cookie Fudge, Sugar Cookie Truffles, Chewy Sugar Cookies, Cut Out Sugar Cookies, and Soft Sugar Cookie Bars.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
key ingredients
- All-purpose flour: Spoon and level the flour when measuring it. Be sure not to scoop it out of the bag using the measuring cup. This way, you won’t accidentally measure out too much.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Used as a leavening agent.
- Butter: I used salted butter so you don’t have to add salt but you can also use unsalted butter, just add 1/4 teaspoon of salt in the recipe. It’s best if the butter is at room temperature and slightly softened.
- Sugar: The star ingredient! Granulated sugar add the perfect amount of sweetness and chewy texture.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the flavors, you could also use vanilla bean extract.
- Almond extract: Gives the sugar cookies the ultimate “sugar cookie” flavor.
- Egg: You’ll need one large egg at room temperature.
- Cream cheese buttercream frosting: Cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk.
- Sprinkles: For fun! Use rainbow sprinkles or any type of holiday or themed sprinkles that you wish.
how to make sugar cookie cups
Prepare muffin pan: Preheat oven to 350 degree F and grease 2 regular muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray.
Beat butter and sugar together: In a large bowl with an electric mixer or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy for a few minutes. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Add remaining wet ingredients: Add in egg and extracts and beat again until smooth.
Whisk dry ingredients together: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
Add flour mixture to butter mixture: Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix until dough has formed. Be sure not to over-mix.
Form cookie cups: Press 2 tablespoons of cookie dough into the bottom of the cupcake pan and press half way up the sides with your fingers or the back of a teaspoon.
Bake cookie cups: Bake cookie cups for 12 minutes or until the tops are a light golden brown and then let cool for at least 15 minutes. Press the back of a tablespoon or the top of a round spice jar down the center to form the sugar cookie crusts. Let cool completely on a cooling rack.
Make frosting: In the meantime, in a medium bowl beat together the cream cheese and butter with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth. Add in powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk. Continue to mix together until desired frosting consistency is achieved. Add more milk if its too thick and more powdered sugar if its too thin. The frosting should be able to form stiff peaks.
Pipe frosting in cookie cups & top with sprinkles: Add frosting to a piping bag with a star tip and swirl into each cookie cup. You could also add the frosting in with a spoon. Top with sprinkles (optional). Enjoy!
pro tips
- Room temperature ingredients: It’s always important that all of your ingredients such as butter and egg are at room temperature. This will help the cookie mixture combine together more smoothly.
- For best results, let the cookie cups cool completely before adding the frosting, otherwise it can melt.
- Make ahead: Bake cookie cups a day or two ahead if you want to save some time. All you have to do is fill with cookie cups with frosting the day you want to serve them.
- Add cupcake wrappers: Make these extra colorful by placing a your favorite cupcake wrapper to bake the cookie cups in. Kids will love this idea!
- Time crunch: If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to make the cookie dough from scratch, use a cookie mix pouch or store-bought sugar cookie dough (you can also use peanut butter, chocolate chip cookie dough, or any of your favorite cookie dough flavors).
recipe variation
- Frosting: Instead of using a cream cheese buttercream frosting, swap it for a vanilla frosting, chocolate frosting, coffee frosting, strawberry frosting, or peanut butter frosting.
- Gluten-Free cookie cups: Use gluten-free flour to make these cookies gluten-free.
- Toppings: I love using sprinkles but other options are crushed cookies, crusted graham crackers, chopped nuts, a caramel drizzle, chocolate chips, powdered sugar, or white sugar for a sparkle.
- Filling: Swap the frosting and add a homemade lemon curd, cherry pie filling, fresh fruit, ice cream, cool whip, or melted chocolate.
- Lemon Sugar Cookie Cups: Add 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice and a teaspoon of lemon zest to the cookie dough for a lemony twist.
- Mini Cookie Cups: Bake the cookie cups in a mini muffin pan, be sure to add less dough to each cup and bake for a few minutes longer.
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups: Add 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips to the cookie dough and to to the topping.
leftovers & storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter in a cool area or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freezing Cookie Dough: This cookie dough freezes well so this is a great recipe to make ahead. To freeze unbaked dough, wrap dough ball in plastic wrap and then place the large ball of dough in a freezer bag. Or you can place the dough in an air-tight container to freeze. Thaw completely before scooping into cookie dough balls.
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Sugar Cookie Cups
Ingredients
Cookie Cups
- 3/4 cup salted butter softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- sprinkles
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
- 2 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pink or red food coloring gel optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degree F and grease 2 regular muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy for a few minutes. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Add in egg and extracts and beat again until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix until dough has formed. Be sure not to over-mix.
- Press 2 tablespoons of cookie dough into the bottom of the cupcake pan and press half way up the sides with your fingers.
- Bake cookie cups for 12 minutes and then let cool for at least 15 minutes. Press the back of a tablespoon or the top of a round spice jar down the center to form the cup shape. Let cool completely.
- In the meantime, in a medium bowl beat together the cream cheese and butter with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth. Add in powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk. Continue to mix together, then add food coloring gel (optional) until desired frosting consistency is achieved. Add more milk if its too thick and more powdered sugar if its too thin. The frosting should be able to form stiff peaks.
- Add frosting to a piping bag with a star tip and swirl into each cookie cup. You could also add the frosting in with a spoon. Top with sprinkles (optional). Enjoy!
