How to Make Cookie Cups

Introduction

Cookie cups offer a unique twist on traditional cookies, transforming the familiar sweet treat into a vessel for all kinds of possible fillings. Unlike thumbprint cookies, cookie cups are crafted using a muffin tin or a special cookie cup mold, allowing the cookie dough to take on a cup-like shape as it bakes. Once baked, the center of each cookie cup forms a well, ready to be filled with a range of delightful toppings and fillings.

No one can resist a cookie cup! They’re so cute, customizable, and easy-to-make. These tips are for Pillsbury™ Ready to Bake!™ Cookies, but you can use any of our refrigerated cookie dough. You will just have to portion to dough.

Step 1: Prepare the Cookie Dough

Heat oven to 350°F. Generously spray 24 nonstick miniature muffin cups with cooking spray. Place 1 cookie dough round in each muffin cup.

If using a cookie dough roll, cut cookie dough into 24 slices. Press 1 slice in the bottom and up the side of each muffin cup (sprinkle fingers with flour if necessary to prevent dough from sticking to fingers).

Nonstick miniature muffin cups work the best for cookie cups. If using metal miniature muffin cups, grease with shortening and lightly flour before placing cookie dough rounds in muffin cups. Once cookie cups have cooled in pan for 30 minutes, carefully remove cookie cups from pan by twisting gently to loosen.

Side angle shot of hand placing sugar cookie dough round into dark nonstick mini muffin cups.

Step 2: Bake and Shape Cookie Cups

Bake 9 to 18 minutes, or until centers appear fully cooked and edges begin to turn light golden brown.

Bake time for 24 cookie cups varies based on the type of dough.

Sugar Cookie: 15 to 18 minutes
Peanut Butter: 8 to 11 minutes
Chocolate Chip: 15 to 18 minutes

Remove from the oven. With back of round metal measuring teaspoon, make a 1 1/4-inch wide indentation in each cookie cup. You can also use the handle of a wooden spoon to make the indentions in the center of each baked cookie cup. Cool in the pan about 30 minutes.

In a hurry? Refrigerate cookie cups for about 30 minutes or until set instead of cooling at room temperature.

Side angle shot of hand pressing a round metal measure teaspoon into a cookie in a mini muffin cup to make a well in the cookie. Formed cookie cups are also in the pan.

Step 3: Remove and Cool Cookie Cups

Carefully run a knife or metal spatula around edges of cookie cups to loosen. Remove to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15-30 minutes.

Overhead shot of hands removing one cookie cup from the dark nonstick mini muffin cup with a flat metal offset spatula. Light blue linen is to the left of the muffin pan. To the right of the muffin pan are cookie cups on a wire cooling rack.

Step 4: Fill Cookie Cups

Dollop or pipe with your choice of filling. You can fill your cookie cups with anything you like! Ready-to-eat cheesecake filling, ganache, nut butters, dulce de leche, frosting, or whipped cream are delicious options. Garnish with sprinkles, lemon zest, toasted chopped nuts, flakey sea salt, cocoa powder, or whatever sounds good to you. The flavor combos are endless.

Extreme close-up of sugar cookie cups on wire cooling rack being filled with dark chocolate hazelnut ganache. Four unfilled cookie cups also in frame.

Halloween Eyeball Cookie Cups Video

Not only can you fill cookie cups with your favorite flavor combinations, but you can also unleash your creativity by decorating them to match a theme or holiday. Watch how we transform Pillsbury™ Ready to Bake!™ Sugar Cookie Dough into these adorable Halloween Eyeball Cookie Cups.

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