Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups
These Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups are not overly sweet but sweet enough to enjoy a couple of them, they fit in your hand, and I think everyone loves a chocolate chip cookie so why not try making these for your next Holiday party? They’re small enough to be kid-friendly and I really adore the slightly rustic appearance of them which will hold up nicely at a very grown-up dessert table.
The actual cookie recipe for these are pretty typical of any other chocolate chip cookie recipe however it's the darker chocolate and a good vanilla that makes these cookie cups so incredibly good! One of my favorite vanilla extracts is made by Rodelle (which I've linked below). For the finely chopped chocolate in this recipe, I recommend a 6o% to 70% darker chocolate. A 4-ounce bar from Lindt works really well and can be easily found at most grocery stores. I've added mini chocolate chips to the tops of mine but chocolate shavings are nice for a fancier look too. You can't go wrong with Nestle Tollhouse for chocolate chips either!
Helpful tips for these cookie cups:
If you’re short on parchment paper, try using extra cupcake/muffin liners. Simply place them right on
top of the cookie cups and place your pie weights on top.
If you don’t have pie weights, try using a few dried beans instead.
If cream cheese isn’t your preference, try making these with a buttercream filling by replacing the cream cheese with softened butter (2 sticks) instead.
No stand mixer? No problem! Use an electric handheld mixer. Creaming the butter and beating the mixture may take a few extra minutes but a handheld should work just as well.
If you’re using a standard muffin pan, these should make 16 cookie cups. If using a mini muffin pan, you’ll get approximately 32 cookie cups. Mini muffin pans tend to hold different amounts. I used two different mini muffin pans to make these; one from Wilton that holds 24 cups and one from Husmait which I believe holds 12.
TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE CUPS
INGREDIENTS
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 ½ tablespoons ice water
½ cup dark chocolate (60 to 70%), finely chopped
Cream Cheese Filling
¼ cup mini chocolate chips or 2 ounces shaved chocolate for garnishing.
DIRECTIONS
Prepare muffin pan(s) by generously spraying an even coat of cooking spray in the muffin cups. In the bowl of a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars for about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks and vanilla extract, beating for 1 minute until smooth. Add flour and salt, mixing on low speed until just combined. Add ice water, mixing until just combined and dough becomes moldable. Mix in chopped chocolate on low speed.
Roll each dough in even portions, pressing each dough ball into the bottom of the muffin cup. Lightly spread dough evenly from the center to the sides, creating the chocolate chip cup. Move muffin pan(s) to the refrigerator and chill for 25 to 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°. Cut parchment paper into small squares. If using a mini muffin pan, cut 2x2 squares and if using standard-sized muffin pans, cut into 5-inch squares. Place each square of parchment paper over each cookie cup using a couple pie weights to hold the parchment paper down. If you don’t have pie weights, try using a couple dry beans.
Bake for 10 minutes, just until the edges of the cookie cups are slightly dry. Using tongs or oven-safe gloves, remove pie weights and parchment paper. Bake cooks for another 8 to 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing them and placing them on a rack to cool completely.
Fill each cookie cup with cream cheese filling by using a piping back or a small spoon. Top each cookie cup with a few mini chocolate chips or chocolate shavings. Allot to set in refrigerator for 30 minutes or until they are ready to be served.
For the cream cheese filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla, beating again, on medium speed until sugar has blended fully into cream cheese. Using a spatula, scrape down sides of bowl. Slowly add whipping cream, mixing until fully combined. Slowly increasing speed, beat filling mixture until a stiff peak forms, just about 1 minute.