CHERRY PIE COOKIE CUPS are a delightful twist on a classic, offering the comforting flavors of cherry pie in a perfectly portioned, easy-to-handle cookie cup format. These wonderfully simple treats are ideal for parties, picnics, or simply satisfying a sweet craving without the fuss of a full pie.
Key Ingredients for CHERRY PIE COOKIE CUPS:
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups (325g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 (21 ounce or 595g) can cherry pie filling
- Optional garnishes: Whipped cream, mini chocolate chips, extra cinnamon, a sprinkle of powdered sugar
How to Make CHERRY PIE COOKIE CUPS:
Get ready for a dessert that’s incredibly easy to make yet delivers an explosion of delicious, satisfying flavors. These CHERRY PIE COOKIE CUPS are designed for simplicity, showcasing a rich, buttery cookie base cradling a sweet and tart cherry filling. The entire process takes approximately 35 minutes of active preparation and about 15-18 minutes of baking time per batch, making them a fantastic weeknight treat or a speedy addition to any celebration.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a mini muffin tin or line it with mini muffin liners. This step ensures your cookie cups release easily and maintain their adorable shape.
- Cream the Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy. This can be done with an electric mixer on medium speed or vigorously by hand with a whisk. Don’t rush this step; it’s crucial for creating a tender cookie.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the two large eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated after each addition. Then, stir in the vanilla extract. The mixture should be smooth and well-blended.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until evenly distributed. This ensures the leavening agents and spices are spread throughout the dough, leading to consistent results.
- Gradually Add Dry to Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed or by hand until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough, as this can result in tough cookies. Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour.
- Form the Cookie Cups: Drop rounded tablespoons of cookie dough into each cup of the prepared mini muffin tin. You can gently press the dough down slightly with your fingers or the back of a spoon, creating a small well in the center of each cookie dough ball. This well will cradle the cherry filling.
- Bake the Cookie Bases: Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden brown. The centers should still look slightly soft. This is important, as we don’t want to overbake the cookie part before adding the filling.
- Add the Cherry Filling: Carefully remove the muffin tin from the oven. Spoon about 1-2 teaspoons of cherry pie filling into the well of each partially baked cookie cup. Be generous but don’t overfill, as the filling will spread slightly as it bakes.
- Finish Baking: Return the muffin tin to the oven and bake for an additional 7-10 minutes, or until the cookie edges are golden brown and the cherry filling is bubbly.
- Cool and Enjoy: Let the CHERRY PIE COOKIE CUPS cool in the muffin tin for about 5-10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This allows them to set properly. Once cooled, they are ready to be topped and devoured!
Why You’ll Love This CHERRY PIE COOKIE CUPS:
You’ll adore these CHERRY PIE COOKIE CUPS because they perfectly capture the essence of a beloved cherry pie in a fun, individual dessert. The buttery, slightly crisp cookie base wonderfully complements the sweet, slightly tart burst of cherry filling, creating a delightful textural and flavor contrast that’s simply irresistible, much like a perfectly baked thumbprint cookie but with a more robust pie experience.
Beyond their incredible taste, these cookie cups are a fantastic cost-saver. Making them at home is significantly more economical than purchasing individual desserts or a whole pie, allowing you to enjoy a homemade treat without breaking the bank. Plus, they’re incredibly versatile, making them perfect for potlucks or holidays where you want to impress without the stress. Don’t wait – whip up a batch of these delightful CHERRY PIE COOKIE CUPS today and experience the joy of homemade goodness!
Storing and Reheating Tips:
To keep your delicious CHERRY PIE COOKIE CUPS tasting their best, store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate them for up to 5 days. If you plan to freeze them, it’s best to do so before adding the cherry filling to maintain the crispiest cookie texture. Wrap the baked cookie cups individually in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. When you want to enjoy a frozen cookie cup, you can either defrost it at room temperature and then fill it with warmed cherry pie filling, or bake the frozen cookie cup with a spoonful of filling at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes until heated through. Reheating refrigerated cookie cups is simple: warm them gently in a low oven (around 300°F/150°C) for a few minutes until warmed through and the cookie is slightly re-crisped.
Final Thoughts:
These CHERRY PIE COOKIE CUPS are a truly delightful way to enjoy the classic flavors of cherry pie in a portable and fun format. Give them a try; you’ll find them incredibly rewarding to make and even more enjoyable to eat!
CHERRY PIE COOKIE CUPS
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a mini muffin tin or line it with mini muffin liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy.1 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- Beat in the two large eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated after each addition. Then, stir in the vanilla extract.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until evenly distributed.2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed or by hand until *just* combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of cookie dough into each cup of the prepared mini muffin tin. Gently press the dough down slightly, creating a small well in the center of each cookie dough ball.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden brown. The centers should still look slightly soft.
- Carefully remove the muffin tin from the oven. Spoon about 1-2 teaspoons of cherry pie filling into the well of each partially baked cookie cup.1 can cherry pie filling
- Return the muffin tin to the oven and bake for an additional 7-10 minutes, or until the cookie edges are golden brown and the cherry filling is bubbly.
- Let the CHERRY PIE COOKIE CUPS cool in the muffin tin for about 5-10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.