Instead of traditional sugar cookies, you need to make these Sugar Cookie Cups for Christmas this year! I love making all sorts of fun holiday treats, and these adorable little cookie cups are even better than the classic version. The cheesecake-like filling is rich and luscious, while the sprinkles add festive flair.
Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Dessert
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 15 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 36
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Soft, buttery sugar cookies with sweet, creamy frosting.
- 🍚 Best Served With: Holiday dessert trays, hot cocoa, or as a bite-size party treat.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes, bake cups ahead and fill day of; store baked cups 3-4 days airtight.
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Every year, I love to make delicious Christmas cookies. They have my house smelling amazing, and my partner loves to be on standby as a tester. When I made these for the first time, I had to make a second batch because the first one didn't last long enough for our guests. They are seriously addictive!
If you enjoy cookie cup desserts, you should try my chocolate chip cookie cups and these Nutella cookie cups.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's budget-friendly: This is an affordable treat you'll want to make every Christmas! The ingredients are all low-cost, so you don't have to worry about breaking the bank.
- It's easy to make: It's a simple recipe, too. I use sugar cookie mix as a shortcut and minimal items for the filling. It doesn't take a lot of steps or effort to make.
- It's customizable: You can totally get creative and make these your own. Decorate them in any fashion you wish for a unique version, or make simple ingredient swaps/additions.
Ingredients
The most important components of these holiday sugar cookie cups are listed below. This includes the cookie mix and cream cheese to make the cups and the filling!
- Sugar cookie mix: I use Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix for this recipe, but you can choose any brand you like as long as it's a 17.5-oz pouch.
- Butter: You'll need unsalted, softened butter for both the cookie dough and the cream cheese mixture. If you like, you may use salted butter for the filling, but I recommend unsalted butter for the cookies to keep the flavors balanced.
- Cream cheese: I like the cream cheese to be soft, but still cold for this recipe. Leave it out for 10-15 minutes, but don't let it get warm.
- Sprinkles: Keep it simple and festive with your favorite red and green sprinkles. You may even use light blue or gold if you like!
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Chocolate cheesecake: Stir in about ¼ cup of cocoa powder into the cream cheese mixture to make chocolate cheesecake cookie cups.
- Peanut butter cup: Fold in some peanut butter with the cream cheese and insert a peanut butter cup into each sugar cookie for a rich version.
- Pumpkin spice: Add some pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice to the mixture to create a seasonal pumpkin spice flavor.
If you love sugar cookies like this, try my strawberry sugar cookies. One bite and you'll be a lover for life.
How to Make Sugar Cookie Cups
Here are the instructions you'll need for this sugar cookie cup recipe. First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease a mini muffin tin.
Step 1: Prepare the cookie dough. Combine the butter and egg with the sugar cookie mix in a large mixing bowl and stir until it's all well-combined and a soft dough forms.
Step 2: Scoop and bake it. Next, scoop about a tablespoon of cookie dough into each cavity of the muffin tray, and then pop the pan in the oven and bake it for about 10-12 minutes.
Step 3: Add the cavities. When you remove the cookies from the oven, use a tart tamper or a tablespoon to make a cavity about halfway down each cookie.
Step 4: Allow them to cool. Let the cookies cool slightly, and then move them to a cooling rack for another 15 minutes.
Step 5: Prepare the filling. While the cookies are cooling, you can prepare the cream cheese mixture by combining all the ingredients in a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer) and mixing at medium-low speed until it's combined and smooth.
Step 6: Fill and decorate. Scoop it into a piping bag and fill the cookie cups. Finish them with red and green sprinkles, and serve!
Recipe Tips
- Use liners: You may use mini muffin liners for the pan if you wish. This will make them extra easy to remove and clean up a breeze.
- Cool the cookies long enough: The cookies don't need to be fully cooled, but they shouldn't be hot, or they will melt the cream cheese filling.
- Chill the filling while you wait: If you make the filling a little early, stick it in the refrigerator until the cookie cups are ready, to keep it from getting warm.
Another festive Christmas cookie cup recipe you can prepare is stuffed chocolate cookie cups.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Keep these Christmas cookie cups in the refrigerator to preserve the cream cheese filling. They will stay fresh in an airtight container for 3-4 days. You may freeze them with or without the filling for 1-2 months.
- Make Ahead: If you like, you can prepare the filling up to a day in advance and keep it covered in the fridge until you're ready to fill the cookie cups.
Serving Suggestions
- You can top these cookie cups with delicious jam for more flavor and flair! Choose a store-bought strawberry, or you can make some yourself. I love cranberry jalapeno jam and homemade rhubarb jam.
- Cookies and ice cream are a lovely combination. Add a small scoop of banana split ice cream to make the ultimate treat.
- You can add some lovely toppings, too. Try something sweet and salty like butter toffee pretzels and pretzel turtles.
Recipe FAQs
This happens when any of the ingredients become too warm. If the butter is too warm (or almost melted), it will make the mixture runny. The same can be said for warm or room-temperature cream cheese.
If you overbake the cookies, they will be hard and crumbly. Bake them until the edges begin to brown, but the centers are still soft. This will ensure your sugar cookies are perfectly chewy.
I find that refrigerated sugar cookie dough spreads too much. I prefer using a dry mix for this recipe.
More Delicious Sugar Cookie Recipes
Do you like sugar cookies? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Sugar Cookie Cups
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Cups
- 17.5 oz Sugar Cookie Mix I used Betty Crocker
- ½ cup butter unsalted and softened
- 1 egg large
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ 8- ounce brick cream cheese full fat
- 1 stick butter unsalted or salted
- 230 grams icing sugar about 2 cups
- ½ tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and generously grease a mini-muffin tray.
- In a mixing bowl add sugar cookie mix, butter and egg. Mix well with a spatula until all combined (note: this can take some elbow grease, so you can use a hand mixer for the start on low to prevent overmixing).
- Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, drop dough balls into to fill the muffin tray (you will have enough for 36 cookie).
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until you see the tops starting to get a little golden.
- Remove from the oven and using a tart tamper or a tablespoon lightly press into each cookie to make a small cavity (only go about half the way down, or less).
- Allow them to cool for at least 15 minutes to ensure the frosting does not melt.
- Once fully cooled remove cookie cups carefully, you may want to use a small spoon to loosen the edges (I like to use my tart tamper and turn it to loosen the cookie then tip the tray over to slide it out).
- Then start your cream cheese frosting by adding all ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on medium-low speed until smooth; stopping to scrape the edges down to ensure everyone is smooth and consistent.
- Transfer to a piping bag and add as desired.
- If using, add any sprinkles.
Video
Notes
- Prepare the cream cheese filling in advance and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to fill the cookie cups.
- This sugar cookie cups recipe should give you a chewy cookie. If it's hard, then they are likely overbaked. It's normal for the centers to be soft!
- I prefer the sugar cookie mix over the refrigerated dough because I find that the refrigerated dough spreads too much as it bakes.
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