These Birthday Cookie Cups are the best birthday treat! They’re made with buttery sugar cookies loaded with colorful sprinkles, baked into bite-sized cups, then filled with a sweet, tangy cream cheese icing.
Not all birthday treats need to be cake with candles. For your next birthday celebration, serve up a batch of these tasty Birthday Cookie Cups. Everyone will love them!
They’re made extra simple with a sugar cookie mix…or you can whip up a homemade batch of sugar cookie dough. Either way, they’re beautifully buttery and sweet.
Why You’ll Love These Cookie Cups
- Minimal ingredients. Just 5 ingredients needed!
- Cookie mix recipe. I like to keep this recipe super simple by using a packaged cookie mix.
- So tasty! There’s just so much to love in these little bites of sweetness.
Ingredients
The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.
- Sugar Cookie Mix – If you would prefer, feel free to use your favorite made-from-scratch sugar cookie recipe instead.
- Cream Cheese – Use a full-fat cream cheese block.
- Powdered Sugar – Aka icing sugar. It’s all the same!
- Vanilla Extract – Adds flavor depth to the frosting.
- Sprinkles – You’ll mix some sprinkles right into the cookie dough, then save some for garnish!
How to Make Birthday Cookie Cups
I love to whip these cookie cups up as a tasty birthday treat…or just anytime I’m craving them! They’re so quick and easy.
- Step One: Make the cookie dough according to package instructions, then stir 1 tablespoon of sprinkles into the dough.
- Step Two: Press the cookie dough into a greased muffin tin, then bake for 5 minutes. The cups will start to rise. After 5 minutes, remove the muffin tin and use a spoon to deflate the centers. Bake for another 5 minutes, then remove and repeat. Place back in the oven and cook until baked completely. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
- Step Three: While the cookies are finishing baking, whip together cream cheese, icing sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag.
- Step Four: Pipe a swirl of cream cheese icing into the “cup” of each cookie, top with sprinkles, then dig in.
Equipment Needed
You don’t need a whole lot of equipment to put together these tasty birthday treats! Here’s what you’ll need:
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Recipe Tips and Notes
- Don’t forget to deflate the cookies! This is super important! Without deflating, you won’t get that cup shape.
- Cool the cookie cups completely. The cookie cups need to be totally cooled off before you add the icing. If they’re still warm, the cream cheese will just melt.
- Want to make homemade cookie dough? Just use your favorite sugar cookie recipe!
Storage Instructions
Once the cookie cups are frosted, they must be stored in the fridge. They will last for up to 4 days!
The unfrosted cookie cups can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days, in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Why Are My Cookies Like Muffin Tops?
You probably didn’t deflate them! The key to creating that cup shape is to use a small spoon to deflate the center of the cookies every 5 minutes of baking.
As the dough bakes, it will naturally rise. Deflating the centers helps to offset that so you can achieve the perfect little cup shape!
Can You Over-Beat Sugar Cookie Dough?
Yes! Sugar cookie dough has flour…and over-mixing dough with flour can overwork the gluten, which can cause whatever you’re baking to become tough and dry.
For the best results, mix the dough only until just combined!
More Cookie Cups Recipes You’ll Love
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Cups
- Caramel Cookie Cups
- Peanut Butter Cookie Cups
- Gooey Cheesecake Cookie Cups
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookie Cups
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Birthday Cookie Cups
Ingredients
- 1 package sugar cookie mix 17.5oz/496g
- 1 package cream cheese 8oz/250g package, room temperature
- 4 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp coloured sprinkles divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven according to directions on cookie package.
- Make cookie dough according to the package directions. Add in 1 tbsp sprinkles and mix.
- Press cookie dough into a greased mini muffin tin to form a cup. Bake for about 5 minutes.
- Remove tray from oven when cups are rising. Take a small spoon and deflate the centers of the cups while leaving the sides of the cookie cup untouched. Put back in the oven and bake for another 5 minutes.
- Again, remove from oven and with a small spoon, deflate the centers of the cups while leaving the sides of the cookie cup untouched.
- Place back in the oven again and finish baking until the cookie cups are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- In a mixing bowl, whip cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla extract together until light and fluffy.
- Place cream cheese mixture into a piping back and pipe the mixture into the cooled cookie cups with a decorative tip.
- Cool in the refrigerator until ready to serve. When ready to serve, top with sprinkles.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Did you make this recipe?
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