Easter Basket Sugar Cookie Cups
Easter Basket Sugar Cookie Cups are muffin pan sugar cookie baskets filled with vanilla buttercream and topped with chocolate egg candies for an easy, festive Easter dessert.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 package 16 oz Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough
- 1 cup 2 sticks salted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 bags 9 oz each Hershey's egg candies or similar chocolate egg candies
- Cooking spray for muffin tins
- Optional: gel food coloring for tinting frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Liberally spray two 12 cup muffin tins or one 12 cup muffin tin used in two batches with cooking spray.
- Divide the sugar cookie dough into 24 equal pieces. Place one piece into each muffin cup and press it gently into the bottom and slightly up the sides to form a shallow cup.
- Bake the cookie cups for 10 to 14 minutes until the edges are very lightly golden and the centers look set.
- Remove the pans from the oven and let the cookie cups cool in the tins for 10 minutes.
- Run a butter knife around the edges of each cookie cup to loosen, then carefully lift them out and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cookie cups cool, beat the softened salted butter in a mixing bowl on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition until incorporated.
- Add the heavy whipping cream and vanilla bean paste, then increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about 1 minute until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- If using food coloring, add a few drops to the frosting and mix until the color is evenly blended.
- Once the cookie cups are completely cool, pipe or spoon the vanilla buttercream into the center of each cookie cup.
- Top each frosted cookie cup with 2 or 3 chocolate egg candies, pressing them gently into the frosting so they adhere.
- Chill the assembled cookie cups for 15 to 20 minutes if your kitchen is warm, then serve or store covered until ready to serve.
Notes
- You can bake the cookie cups a day ahead and store them in an airtight container, then fill and decorate just before serving.
- If any cookie cups puff up too much in the center, gently press the centers down with the back of a spoon while they are still warm to deepen the cup.
- Store leftover Easter Basket Sugar Cookie Cups covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and let them sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
- For a grass-like look, use a grass piping tip with green tinted buttercream when frosting the cookie cups.
- If any cookie cups puff up too much in the center, gently press the centers down with the back of a spoon while they are still warm to deepen the cup.
- Store leftover Easter Basket Sugar Cookie Cups covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and let them sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
- For a grass-like look, use a grass piping tip with green tinted buttercream when frosting the cookie cups.