If you have a sweet tooth and love the idea of combining classic comfort with a twist, this Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups with Almond Buttercream Frosting Recipe is an absolute game-changer. These delightful little treats take the familiar joy of chocolate chip cookies and turn them into perfectly portioned cups that cradle a silky, nutty almond buttercream frosting. The contrast between the warm, chewy cookie base and the smooth, fragrant almond frosting creates a symphony of flavors and textures that will have everyone reaching for seconds. Whether you’re baking for a crowd or just treating yourself, this recipe brings a fun and elegant flair to a beloved dessert.
Ingredients You’ll Need
These ingredients are simple but crucial, each adding its own magic to help create the perfect cookie cup texture and luscious almond buttercream flavor. From the creamy butter that ensures richness, to the semi-sweet chocolate chips that provide pockets of melty goodness, these components come together beautifully.
- All-purpose flour (2-1/4 cups): Provides structure and the perfect chewy bite.
- Baking soda (1/2 tsp): Helps the cookies rise just right for that soft cup shape.
- Unsalted butter (1 cup or 2 sticks, room temperature): Adds richness and tenderness to your cookie base.
- Granulated sugar (1/2 cup): Sweetens and contributes to a subtle crispness.
- Light brown sugar (1 cup, packed): Brings moisture and a hint of molasses flavor for chewiness.
- Coarse salt (1 tsp): Enhances all the flavors and balances sweetness.
- Vanilla extract (2 tsp): Infuses warmth and depth of flavor.
- Eggs (2): Bind everything and add richness.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 cups): Melty pockets of chocolate bliss nestled in each cookie cup.
- Butter for frosting (1/2 cup or 1 stick, softened): The creamy base for your almond buttercream.
- Confectioners sugar (2-3 cups): Sweetens and thickens the frosting for that perfect spreadable texture.
- Almond extract (2 tsp): The star flavor that makes this frosting uniquely irresistible.
- Milk (2-3 tbsp): Adjusts the frosting to silky, pipeable perfection.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups with Almond Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Step 1: Cream Your Butter and Sugars
Start by combining your room temperature unsalted butter with both granulated and brown sugars. Use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat them together until the mixture lightens in color and becomes fluffy—this usually takes about 2 minutes. This creaming process is what gives the cookies that wonderfully tender texture.
Step 2: Add Eggs, Salt, and Vanilla
Reduce your mixer speed to low and add the coarse salt, vanilla extract, and eggs into the creamed butter and sugar. Blend everything just until it’s well combined—around 1 minute. This keeps your batter smooth and well incorporated, ensuring even baking.
Step 3: Mix in the Dry Ingredients
Next, gently add the all-purpose flour and baking soda to your wet mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined to avoid overworking the dough, which keeps your cookies tender rather than tough.
Step 4: Fold in the Chocolate Chips
Now, stir in those delicious semi-sweet chocolate chips. Be generous—they’re the little pockets of chocolatey happiness that make these cookie cups so irresistible.
Step 5: Prepare Your Mini Muffin Tins
Spray mini muffin tins thoroughly with a non-stick cooking spray. This step is essential to help the cookie cups release easily after baking without losing their shape.
Step 6: Fill and Bake
Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough into each muffin cup. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Be careful not to overbake—these cookies need to stay soft enough to mold into cups.
Step 7: Shape Your Cookie Cups
As soon as you pull the cookie cups from the oven, take a small spoon or your thumb and gently create a small indentation in the center of each cookie. Doing this while the cookies are warm ensures they hold their cup shape perfectly as they cool.
Step 8: Cool and Frost
Transfer the cookie cups to wire racks and let them cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare your almond buttercream frosting by creaming softened butter and confectioners sugar together. Add almond extract and 1 tablespoon of milk, gradually adding more milk until you reach a smooth, pipeable consistency. Once cooled, fill each cookie cup with the frosting using a pastry bag or a sandwich bag with the corner snipped off. The frosting adds an elegant, creamy finish that takes these cookie cups from delicious to unforgettable.
How to Serve Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups with Almond Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Garnishes
A sprinkle of sliced almonds or a few mini chocolate chips on top of the almond buttercream adds a beautiful, textural contrast. You could also dust the frosting lightly with cocoa powder or edible gold dust for a special occasion touch that dazzles and delights.
Side Dishes
Serve these cookie cups alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream or fresh berries. The cool, creamy ice cream complements the rich almond buttercream perfectly, while berries add a fresh, tart note that balances the sweetness.
Creative Ways to Present
Arrange the cookie cups on a decorative platter lined with parchment and scatter edible flower petals or chopped nuts around for a stunning dessert display. For parties, placing each cookie cup in colorful mini cupcake liners turns these into adorable edible gifts. You can also stack them in clear jars layered with frosting for a fun “build-your-own” dessert bar experience.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Keep leftover cookie cups in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. This allows them to stay fresh and soft, though they are so tempting, they rarely last that long!
Freezing
These cookie cups freeze wonderfully. Store unfrosted cookie bases in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Frost after thawing for best results. Frosted cups can also be frozen but should thaw in the refrigerator to prevent the frosting from melting.
Reheating
To warm up your cookie cups, place them in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes, which revives that just-baked softness. Avoid microwaving if they are frosted, as it might cause the almond buttercream to melt unevenly.
FAQs
Can I substitute almond extract in the frosting?
Yes, you can use vanilla extract or even a little maple extract as an alternative, but almond extract gives that distinct, nutty flavor that defines this recipe’s signature frosting.
How can I make these gluten-free?
Swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free baking blend that measures cup for cup. Just make sure it includes xanthan gum for proper texture and rise.
Can I make the cookie dough ahead of time?
Absolutely! The dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking, which actually helps deepen the flavor and improve texture.
Is it necessary to hollow out the cookie centers?
Yes, making a small indentation while the cookies are warm helps form the cup shape, creating a perfect little well to hold the almond buttercream frosting.
What type of chocolate chips work best?
Semi-sweet chocolate chips are ideal as they provide rich chocolate flavor without overpowering the sweetness, but feel free to experiment with dark or milk chocolate to adjust to your preference.
Final Thoughts
There’s something truly special about the way this Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups with Almond Buttercream Frosting Recipe brings together two favorite dessert elements into one irresistible bite. Whether you’re looking to wow guests or indulge in your own sweet cravings, these cookie cups offer a fun, creative treat that’s surprisingly easy to master. I can’t wait for you to try making them and enjoy every delicious moment with friends and family!
Print
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups with Almond Buttercream Frosting Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 minutes
- Total Time: 29 minutes
- Yield: 24 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups with Almond Buttercream Frosting are a delightful twist on classic cookies. Baked in mini muffin tins, these bite-sized treats have a soft, lightly golden cookie base filled with a luscious almond-flavored buttercream frosting. Perfect for parties or a sweet snack, they combine rich semi-sweet chocolate chips with creamy almond frosting for an irresistible dessert.
Ingredients
Cookie Cups
- 2–1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Almond Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 2–3 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 2–3 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the cookie cups.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a mixing bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to cream together 1 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1 cup packed light brown sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add Flavor and Eggs: Reduce the mixer speed to low and add 1 tsp coarse salt, 2 tsp vanilla extract, and 2 eggs. Mix until well combined, about 1 minute.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Add 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 tsp baking soda to the wet ingredients. Mix until just incorporated.
- Fold in Chocolate Chips: Stir in 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly throughout the dough.
- Prepare Muffin Tins: Thoroughly spray mini muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Spoon about 2 tablespoons of dough into each muffin cup, spreading evenly but not overfilling.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 7-9 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Avoid overbaking to keep cookies soft.
- Create Indentations: Immediately after removing from the oven, slightly hollow out the center of each cookie by making small indentations—this creates space for the frosting.
- Cool Cookies: Transfer the cookie cups to wire racks and let them cool completely.
- Make Frosting: For the almond buttercream, cream together 1/2 cup softened butter and 2-3 cups confectioners sugar until smooth. Add 2 tsp almond extract and 1 tablespoon milk. Continue adding milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired frosting consistency.
- Fill Cookies: Using a pastry bag or a sandwich bag with the corner cut off, pipe the almond buttercream frosting into the hollow centers of the cooled cookie cups.
Notes
- Do not overbake the cookie cups; they should be lightly golden and still soft inside.
- Make the indentation immediately after baking to shape the cups while cookies are warm and pliable.
- Adjust the amount of milk in the frosting to get a smooth yet pipeable consistency.
- Use mini muffin tins for perfectly sized cookie cups.
- Store assembled cookie cups in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- For variations, try different extracts in the frosting such as vanilla or hazelnut.
