These Mini Valentine Cookie Cups are fun and delicious! They’re perfect for sharing and can be prepped in advance for an easy treat for school parties, office celebrations, and all your Valentine’s Day and galentines get togethers!
Looking for a bite-sized treat to share with friends and family for Valentine’s Day?
Look no further! These mini chocolate chip cookie cups make the ultimate shareable sweet treat!
Not only are they utterly delicious, they’re also totally customizable!
Use pink frosting and valentine sprinkles like I did or opt for a combination of red, white, and pink frosting. You can use any size and shape of sprinkles you have on hand. These cute little cookie cups are oh so fun to decorate and could even be a cute activities to let kids help with.
However you decorate yours, they’re sure to vanish fast!
Q: Can I make cookie cups in advance?
Yes! Yes! 1000x YES! The advance prep option for these is actually my favorite way to make them. This recipe is perfect for party prep and both the frosting and the cookie dough for the cake can easily be made up to 3 days ahead of time.
Make Ahead Instructions for Cookie Cups and Frosting
Securely wrap the prepared cookie dough in plastic or cover and store in the bowl you mixed it in. Refrigerate for 1-3 days. Once ready to bake, set the chilled dough out on the counter for 1 hour or so until soft enough to scoop into balls.
To prep the frosting, seal in a lidded container and refrigerate until needed. When ready to decorate, simply bring to room temperature before adding to a piping bag. Sometimes I’ll take the frosting straight from the fridge (I store my frosting in glass containers) and microwave in 6-8 second intervals, checking for creaminess by stirring in between. The goal is not to melt the frosting but simply bring it back to its original state so it’s easy to pipe designs with.
Buttercream frosting is one of those things you can always prep for later. I always make double the amount I need (before adding color) and then freeze the rest for the next time I am baking up treats. It will keep in an airtight container in the freezer for a month and can be defrosted in the fridge overnight.
Q: Can I decorate cookie cups in advance too?
Absolutely! If you need to frost and decorate your mini cookie cups the day before, you totally can. Simply store in an airtight lidded container on the counter and they’ll be ready to serve the following day! If made any further in advance, the cookie cups will start to dry out so I typically make them either the morning I need them or the night before.
Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Cup Ingredients
- 190 grams unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cornstarch (for the ultimate chewy center!)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 113 grams unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 50 grams granulated sugar
- 124 grams light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Homemade Pink Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 113 grams unsalted butter (1 stick) softened to room temp
- 180 grams powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream
- teeny pinch of fine salt
- pink gel food coloring
This recipe makes enough for a little piped “dollop” of frosting per cookie cup. If you want to pipe them higher or play around with multiple colors, double the frosting recipe and any leftover frosting can easily be frozen for later.
Need to use store bought frosting? You totally can!
Prefer not to use frosting? Press a small peanut butter cup into each cookie cup!
How to make cookie cups
First prepare the cookie dough and, for best results, refrigerate 24-48 hours. Allowing the dough to rest in the fridge for a day or two yields more flavorful cookie cups with improved texture. Need a speedier option? You can 100% opt for a one hour chill instead, but at least an hour will be needed to help set up the dough.
Once ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Use a cookie scoop to portion out 1 tablespoon portions of cookie dough. 1 TBSP of dough per cup is idea as any smaller and it will be hard to make a cup and any larger and they will spill over the edges. Roll each into balls and place in a greased mini muffin tin. My muffin tin has 24 cavities in it so I used two muffin tins. You can also work in batches, allowing the muffin tin to fully cool between uses.
Bake for 10-11 minutes until edges have just started to brown but centers still appear underbaked. Remove the muffin tray from the oven and use the bottom of a teaspoon measuring spoon to indent each little cookie “muffin” into a cup. Allow to cool completely before removing and decorating.
For easy removal, ensure that cookie cups have fully cooled then give each a little clockwise spin all the way round to make sure none of the sides are sticking. Then secure a cutting board or wire cooling rack over the top and flip them onto the board/rack. A plastic spoon is another way you can remove each cup from the muffin pan if preferred.
Then simply decorate and serve!
Mini Valentine Cookie Cups
This recipe makes 34 bite-sized cookie cups, perfect for valentine parties, galentine parties, class parties, and gatherings galore! If needed, the recipe can easily be doubled to make 64 cookie cups.
Mini Valentine Cookie Cups
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (190 grams)
- 2 tsp corn starch
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter (113 grams)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
- ½ cup plus 2 TBSP packed light brown sugar (124 grams)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
PINK VANILLA FROSTING
- 1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (180 grams)
- 1-2 TBSP heavy cream
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
- pink gel food coloring
- assorted sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
PREP INGREDIENTS
- Set out butter and eggs to reach room temp.
- For accurate baking, measure flour and sugar in grams using a kitchen scale. No scale? Fluff the flour first then gently add spoonfuls of flour to your measuring cup. Then use a knife to level the flour with the top of the cup.
- Measure out remaining ingredients.
- In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
MAKE THE DOUGH
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together softened butter with brown and granulated sugar for 2 minutes.
- Add vanilla and room temperature egg and beat for an additional 30-40 seconds.
- Gradually beat in flour mixture on low until just combined.
- Fold in chocolate chips.
- For best flavor and chewiness from the cookies, store in an airtight container and refrigerate for 24 hours. In a hurry? Cover mixing bowl and place in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour.
- Frosting can be made in advance and stored in the fridge just like the cookie dough. Bring back to room temp before frosting your cookie cake. See blog post for additional make-ahead tips and tricks.
READY TO BAKE?
- Preheat oven to 350°F and allow chilled dough to sit out until soft enough to scoop.
- Lightly grease the mini muffin tin cups with butter to prevent sticking.
- Use a 1 TBSP cookie scoop to place the perfect amount of dough in each cup. Stick to 1 Tablespoon of dough per cup for accurate bake time and prevention of spillover.
- Use two muffin tins to make 34 cookie cups or work in batches, allowing the muffin tin to fully cool between uses.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes until edges have just started to brown but centers still appear underbaked. Remove the muffin tray from the oven and use the bottom of a teaspoon measuring spoon to indent each little cookie "muffin" into a cup. Allow to cool completely before removing and decorating.
- For easy removal, ensure that cookie cups have fully cooled then give each a little clockwise spin all the way round to make sure none of the sides are sticking. Then secure a cutting board or wire cooling rack over the top and flip them onto the board/rack. A plastic spoon is another way you can remove each cup from the muffin pan if preferred.
HOMEMADE FROSTING
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. (approx. 1-2 minutes)
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed at first to incorporate then increase to medium speed and continue mixing for 1-2 minutes or until fully combined. Add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, salt and a little bit of pink gel food coloring and continue mixing on medium speed until everything is well-combined, smooth, and easy to pipe.
- Transfer to a piping bag with a closed star tip. Pipe a little swirl into each cooled cookie cup and (optional) decorate with valentine themed sprinkles. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Looking for More Valentine’s Day Treats?
- Small Batch Valentine Cupcakes
- Valentine Cookie Cake
- Red Velvet Cake Cookies
- Chocolate Brownie Crinkle Cookies
- Vanilla Pudding Cookies with Rainbow Sprinkles
If you get a chance to try these Mini Valentine Cookie Cups, let me know! You can leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) or tag @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creations. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
These were wonderful!
I’m making them this weekend to bring to a class party Monday. Thanks for the recipe!