Easter is a time for celebrations, sweet treats, and festive desserts, and these Easter Basket Sugar Cookie Cups are the perfect addition to your holiday spread! These adorable, bite-sized cookie cups are made with premade sugar cookie dough, filled with fluffy vanilla buttercream, and topped with colorful chocolate eggs to resemble a mini Easter basket.
Not only are these treats delicious and visually stunning, but they’re also incredibly easy to make! Using store-bought sugar cookie dough saves time, making this a quick and simple recipe that’s great for busy families, Easter parties, or baking with kids. Whether you’re hosting an Easter brunch, making treats for a school party, or just looking for a fun holiday baking project, these Easter Basket Sugar Cookie Cups will be a huge hit!
With minimal ingredients, easy-to-follow steps, and room for creativity, these cookie cups can be customized with different candy toppings, frosting colors, and sprinkles. Let’s hop into the kitchen and create some Easter magic with these irresistibly cute and delicious treats!
Why You’ll Love These Easter Basket Sugar Cookie Cups
- Easy & Convenient – Made with premade sugar cookie dough, this recipe is hassle-free and perfect for quick Easter treats.
- Fun & Festive – Resembling mini Easter baskets, these cookie cups add a decorative touch to your holiday dessert table.
- Perfect for All Ages – Kids will love helping decorate with frosting, sprinkles, and candy eggs.
- Customizable – Switch up the frosting colors, candy toppings, or add sprinkles to match your Easter theme.
- Make-Ahead Friendly – These can be prepared in advance, making them ideal for busy holiday gatherings.
- Great for Gifting – Package them in festive boxes or Easter bags for a delightful homemade gift.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make these Easter Basket Sugar Cookie Cups, gather the following ingredients:
- 1 package (16 oz) Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough – The base of the cookie cups.
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter – For a rich and creamy buttercream frosting.
- 3 cups powdered sugar – Sweetens and stabilizes the frosting.
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream – Helps achieve the perfect frosting texture.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – Adds depth of flavor.
- 2 bags (9 oz each) Hershey’s Egg Candies – Decorative candy eggs to resemble an Easter basket.
- Pastel Easter sprinkles – Optional but adds a festive touch.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Sugar Cookie Dough: Use the flat Pillsbury sugar cookie dough squares for easy portioning. If using a round log, divide the dough into equal pieces before placing in the muffin tin.
- Candy Toppings: You can use Hershey’s Egg Candies, Cadbury Mini Eggs, Reese’s Mini Eggs, jelly beans, or any Easter-themed candy.
- Food Coloring: If you’d like colorful frosting, add a few drops of food coloring to match your Easter theme.
- Sprinkles: Easter-themed or pastel-colored sprinkles enhance the festive look.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Bake the Cookie Cups
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
- Separate the sugar cookie dough into 24 pieces and press each one into the muffin wells.
- Bake for 10-14 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Immediately after baking, use the bottom of a shot glass, spice jar, or tart shaper to press down the center of each cookie to create a “basket” shape.
- Allow the cookie cups to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 2: Prepare the Buttercream Frosting
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until fluffy.
- Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing on low after each addition.
- Pour in the vanilla extract and heavy whipping cream and mix until smooth.
- If using food coloring, mix in a few drops to achieve the desired pastel shade.
Step 3: Assemble the Easter Basket Sugar Cookie Cups
- Fill a piping bag with the frosting (use a large 1A or 2A star tip).
- Pipe frosting into the center of each cooled cookie cup.
- Place three egg candies on top of each frosted cookie cup.
- Add pastel sprinkles for a final festive touch.
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
- Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigeration: Keeps fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Store in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Fun Variations & Customizations
- Chocolate Lovers: Drizzle with melted chocolate or mix cocoa powder into the frosting.
- Nutty Flavor: Add a sprinkle of crushed nuts or drizzle with peanut butter.
- Different Frosting Flavors: Swap vanilla for lemon, almond, or coconut extract.
- Grass Effect: Use a grass piping tip to make the frosting look like grass before adding the candy eggs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use Homemade Sugar Cookie Dough?
Yes! If you have a favorite homemade sugar cookie dough recipe, you can use it instead of store-bought dough.
Can I Make These Without a Muffin Tin?
A muffin tin helps shape the cookie cups, but you can bake cookies flat and top them with frosting instead.
How Do I Keep the Cookie Cups from Sticking?
Use non-stick cooking spray or baking spray to ensure easy removal.
Can I Use Store-Bought Frosting?
Yes! If you’re short on time, you can use store-bought vanilla frosting.
Final Thoughts
These Easter Basket Sugar Cookie Cups are the ultimate springtime treat—cute, festive, and absolutely delicious! Whether you’re serving them at an Easter party, making treats for a bake sale, or simply baking for fun, they’re guaranteed to bring smiles to everyone’s faces.
With their adorable Easter basket design, sweet sugar cookie base, and rich buttercream frosting, these cookie cups are a must-try for the season. Plus, they’re easy to make and completely customizable to fit your holiday theme.
So, grab your ingredients and start baking—because these Easter Basket Sugar Cookie Cups are about to become your new favorite Easter tradition! Happy Baking!
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🐰🥚 Easter Basket Sugar Cookie Cups – A Fun & Festive Treat!
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookie cups
Description
These Easter Basket Sugar Cookie Cups are adorable, delicious, and easy to make! 🧁🥚 Buttery sugar cookie cups are baked in a muffin tin, filled with fluffy vanilla buttercream, and topped with chocolate egg candies for the perfect Easter treat. Great for spring parties, Easter brunch, or as a fun baking project with kids! 🌸🐣
Ingredients
✔️ 1 package (16 oz) Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough (flat package, not the round log)
✔️ 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
✔️ 3 cups powdered sugar
✔️ 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
✔️ 1 tsp vanilla extract
✔️ 2 bags (9 oz each) Hershey’s Egg Candies (or Cadbury Mini Eggs, Reese’s Mini Eggs, jelly beans)
✔️ Optional: Pastel sprinkles & food coloring
Instructions
1️⃣ Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
2️⃣ Separate the cookie dough and place one piece in each muffin cup.
3️⃣ Bake for 10-14 minutes until lightly golden. Do not overbake!
4️⃣ Immediately after baking, use a shot glass or spice jar to gently press down the center of each cookie to form a “basket.”
5️⃣ Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then carefully remove and transfer to a cooling rack.
6️⃣ In a mixing bowl, beat butter for 2 minutes until fluffy.
7️⃣ Add powdered sugar (1 cup at a time), mixing on low, then beat for 1 minute on medium.
8️⃣ Add vanilla extract & heavy cream, then beat to desired consistency. Adjust with more sugar (thicker) or more cream (thinner).
9️⃣ (Optional) Add food coloring for pastel-colored frosting! 🌸
🔟 Pipe or spoon buttercream into each cookie cup.
1️⃣1️⃣ Top with 3 egg candies per cookie.
1️⃣2️⃣ (Optional) Sprinkle with pastel Easter sprinkles for extra fun!
Notes
✨ Try different toppings! Use jelly beans, Cadbury Mini Eggs, or sprinkles.
✨ No piping bag? Use a Ziploc bag, snip off a corner, and pipe away!
✨ Make them colorful! Add food coloring to match your Easter theme.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
Nutrition
- Calories: 213 kcal per serving
- Sugar: 22g per serving
- Fat: 12g per serving
- Carbohydrates: 27g per serving
- Protein: 1g per serving