If you're looking for a stunning yet incredibly easy make-ahead dessert for Easter, you need to try these Easter Cookie Cups. I make them with a packaged mix to keep them simple but still delicious. Filled with this adorable homemade pink buttercream, you'll have everyone lining up for the recipe.
Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Dessert
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 15 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 36
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Buttery, sweet sugar cookie with a soft, chewy center.
- 🍚 Best Served With: Milk, coffee, or filled with festive Easter candies.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes, make the cookie cups 1-2 days ahead and fill before serving.
Summarize and Save This Content On
I love that these are already portioned into mini cups, making them perfect as a satisfying sweet treat without being too much. Plus, if you have kids, this is a super fun dessert that they can help you make. This turns it into a fun family activity!
If you enjoy Easter treats for kids, I suggest making these Easter candy apples and these carrot cake cookies. You should check out these Rice Krispies Easter eggs too!
Why This Recipe Works
- They're sturdy: These perfectly shaped cookie cups hold their shape well because of their sturdy structure. You don't have to worry about frosting or fillings leaking out of them.
- Decorating is less messy: This is especially helpful if your kids are joining in. The cup design keeps all the decorations contained, so there's no huge mess to clean when they're done.
- It's customizable: I made these specifically for Easter, but you can turn them into sugar cookie cups for any holiday! Choose green for St. Patrick's Day or orange for Halloween, as examples.
Ingredients
The most important ingredients for the Easter cookie cups and the frosting are listed below. They aid the most in structure and consistency!
- Sugar cookie mix: Using a prepackaged mix keeps these Easter cups consistent every time. It cuts back time on measuring ingredients, but still results in a sturdy dough that works perfectly in this recipe. I use it for these Christmas sugar cookie cups, too.
- Butter: I use softened, unsalted butter for both the cookie cups and the frosting. Butter helps the cookies to set while adding flavor, and softened butter ensures a silky smooth buttercream.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Strawberry: Add 2-3 tablespoons of strawberry powder to the buttercream filling to add real fruit flavor and a natural light pink color.
- Chocolate drizzle: Add a white chocolate or pastel candy melt drizzle for an extra pop of color.
- Jazz up the toppings: Instead of Easter-themed sprinkles, consider using jelly beans or mini Cadbury eggs to top your Easter cookie cups, like these Cadbury egg cookies.
- Add sprinkles to the dough: Mix sprinkles into the sugar cookie dough for even more color.
If you enjoy festive recipes like this, try these M&M Easter cookies and this Easter dirt cake. They're both to the moon good.
How to Make Easter Cookie Cups
Below are the steps needed to make these sugar cookie cups for Easter. Preheat your oven to 350F, then generously spray each cavity of the mini muffin tin with cooking spray.
Step 1: Combine the cookie ingredients. Add the cookie mix, butter, and egg to a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Mix well. Gently mix the ingredients until a soft dough forms.
Step 3: Scoop and bake. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of cookie dough into each cavity. Pop the pan in the oven and bake the sugar cookies for about 10-12 minutes.
Step 4: Press them into cups and cool. After you take the muffin tin out of the oven, use the back of a spoon or a tart damper to create a cavity in each cookie. Allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes in the pan before moving them to a cooling rack.
Step 5: Prepare the frosting. Combine the ingredients for the frosting, then mix with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Then, add pink food coloring if desired.
Step 6: Pipe into cookies and serve. Once the cookies have cooled completely, transfer the frosting to a piping bag and fill each Easter cookie cup. Enjoy with a scoop of strawberry crunch ice cream!
Expert Tips
- Gently press while warm: Don't wait until the cookies are cooled to press the bottoms of them down. They will puff as they bake, which is normal, but you won't be able to fix the shape once they are cold.
- Don't overbake them: Watch the baking of these Easter cups because if they overbake, they become dry and hard.
- Storing your Easter cookie cups: Place them into an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More of my favorite spring cookie desserts that work for Easter and spring are these sugar cookie blossoms and these Cadbury mini egg cookies.
These Cadbury egg cookie bars are great if you enjoy recipes like this.
Serving Suggestions
- Some other easy Easter desserts that you can serve with these Easter cookie cups include mini Easter cheesecakes, Easter chocolate-covered strawberries, and bunny cake pops.
- Add some homemade rhubarb jam under the frosting for a special fruity surprise!
- Pair these cookie cups with a cup of hot chocolate made with one of these Easter hot chocolate bombs.
Recipe FAQs
There are several reasons why this happens, but there are some easy ways to prevent it! I recommend adding only a tablespoon or less of dough to each cookie cup, as they are more fragile when too thick. Also, let them cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, so they're cool enough to handle but not so cold that they crack when you pull them out.
Grease your mini muffin tin generously, even if it's a nonstick one. Don't forget the cookies as they cool; if they cool completely in the pan, they are much harder to remove.
Yes! You can freeze the cookie cups without frosting once they have cooled completely. Place layers of parchment in between them in an airtight container. Allow them to fully thaw at room temperature before you decorate them.
Overmixing can cause the frosting to separate, and cold butter can cause it to be lumpy and grainy. Let your butter soften first and just mix until smooth, which is easy if the butter is soft!
If you enjoy making Easter recipes like this, take a look at this Cadbury Creme Egg fudge and these Easter dirt cups. They both taste absolutely delicious.
More Delicious Cookie Cup Recipes
Do you like cookie cup recipes? 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!
Easter Cookie Cups
Equipment
Ingredients
Sugarr Cookie Cups
- 17.5 ounces Sugar Cookie Mix I used Betty Crocker
- ½ cup butter unsalted and softened or 1 stick
- 1 large egg
Buttercream Frosting
- ½ cup butter unsalted or salted or 1 stick
- 2 cups icing sugar 230 grams
- ½ tablespoon milk
Options
- drops pink food coloring or your favorite color
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 buttercream frosting by adding all ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on medium-low speed until smooth, including food coloring, if desired; 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.
Notes
- Ensure that you generously grease your mini muffin pan and remove the Easter cookie cups before they cool completely so they don't get stuck.
- Avoid overbaking the Easter cups so they don't become hard and dry.
- Allow the sugar cookie cups to cool for a minimum of 10 minutes before you try to take them out of the pan, so you can prevent breaks and cracks.
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