Description
These Easter Basket Sugar Cookie Cups are delightful bite-sized treats perfect for spring celebrations. Soft sugar cookie cups are baked to golden perfection, filled with vibrant green buttercream frosting resembling Easter grass, and decorated with colorful mini chocolate eggs or jelly beans to mimic festive baskets. Optional licorice or pretzel handles add a charming touch, making these cookies a fun and creative dessert for Easter gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Cups
- 1 package (16.5 oz) sugar cookie dough (or homemade sugar cookie dough)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (if using store-bought dough, to make it easier to handle)
Frosting
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk (adjust as needed for consistency)
- Green food coloring
Decorations
- Shredded coconut (optional, dyed green for a grass effect)
- Mini chocolate eggs or jelly beans (for decoration)
- Licorice strips or pretzel sticks (for basket handles, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat & Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray or butter to prevent sticking.
- Form the Cookie Cups: If using store-bought sugar cookie dough, mix it with 1/4 cup all-purpose flour to make it easier to handle. Then roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place each ball into the prepared mini muffin tin.
- Shape the Cups: Press your thumb or a small measuring spoon into the center of each dough ball to create a cup shape, ensuring the edges remain raised to hold the filling.
- Bake the Cookies: Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies turn lightly golden.
- Reinforce Cup Shape: Immediately after removing from the oven, use a spoon to gently press down the center of each cookie to reinforce the cup shape before they fully cool.
- Cool Completely: Allow the cookie cups to cool in the pan completely, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool further, ensuring they are completely set before frosting.
- Prepare the Frosting: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk, beating continuously until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Color the Frosting: Add green food coloring to the frosting and mix until you achieve a vibrant, grass-like hue.
- Fill the Cookie Cups: Spoon the green frosting into a piping bag fitted with a grass piping tip or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off, then pipe the frosting into each cookie cup to resemble Easter grass.
- Decorate the Baskets: Sprinkle green-dyed shredded coconut over the piped frosting for extra texture, and place mini chocolate eggs or jelly beans in the center of each cookie cup to complete the basket look.
- Add Handles (Optional): For a whimsical touch, gently press licorice strips or pretzel sticks into the sides of the cookie cups to create basket handles.
- Serve & Enjoy: Let the frosting set for a few minutes before serving, then enjoy your charming and festive Easter Basket Sugar Cookie Cups!
Notes
- If you prefer, you can make homemade sugar cookie dough for a fresher taste instead of using store-bought dough.
- Adjust the amount of milk in the frosting to achieve your desired piping consistency.
- Use a grass piping tip for best frosting effect; if unavailable, a small star tip can also work.
- The shredded coconut can be dyed green by mixing it with a few drops of green food coloring in a bowl before sprinkling.
- Store leftover cookie cups in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend and use gluten-free cookie dough.
