Shortbread Cookie Cups with Filling Recipe
These delicate Shortbread Cookie Cups are buttery, tender, and perfectly shaped to hold your favorite fillings. Made from a simple dough of butter, sugar, and flour, they bake into crisp little cups ideal for filling with chocolate ganache, fruit preserves, or creamy fillings. Perfect for elegant desserts or bite-sized treats.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 24 mini cookie cups
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Shortbread Cookie Cups
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a mini muffin tin or spray it with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which will ensure a tender cookie.
- Add vanilla extract: Mix in the vanilla extract thoroughly to add a warm, sweet aroma and flavor to the dough.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: Gradually add the all-purpose flour and salt, stirring until the dough comes together. The final dough should be soft but not sticky, perfect for shaping.
- Form the cookie cups: Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough into each mini muffin cup. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides carefully, forming a cup shape that will hold your fillings.
- Bake: Bake the dough cups for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges turn a light golden brown, indicating they are done.
- Shape while warm: Right after removing from the oven, use the back of a spoon or a small tart tamper to gently press the center of each cookie cup to reinforce the well for fillings.
- Cool: Allow the cookie cups to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, ensuring they set properly and maintain their shape.
- Fill and serve: Once cooled, fill the cookie cups with your choice of fillings such as chocolate ganache, lemon curd, jam, Nutella, cheesecake filling, whipped cream, or fresh fruit to serve.
Notes
- For best results, use unsalted butter softened to room temperature for easy creaming.
- Make sure not to overmix the dough once the flour is added to keep the cookie cups tender.
- If you don’t have a tart tamper, the back of a rounded spoon works well to shape the cups while warm.
- Allow cookie cups to cool completely before filling to avoid fillings melting or becoming runny.
- Store baked cookie cups in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- These cookie cups freeze well, store in an airtight container and thaw at room temperature before filling.
