Description
Delightful Easter Basket Cookie Cups blend sweet nostalgia with playful spring charm, creating miniature edible baskets perfect for holiday celebrations. Pastel-colored frosting and chocolate eggs crown these charming treats, delivering both visual appeal and irresistible flavor you’ll savor with each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup shortening
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter
Leavening and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting and Topping Ingredients:
- 34 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Food coloring (your choice)
- Peanut Butter M&Ms (for topping)
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 350°F and generously coat a muffin tin with nonstick spray to prevent sticking.
- Cream together granulated and brown sugars with shortening, peanut butter, salt, and vanilla until the mixture becomes smooth and homogeneous.
- Incorporate eggs and milk into the sugar mixture, stirring until the texture becomes uniform and silky.
- Gently fold flour and baking soda into the liquid ingredients, ensuring no dry pockets remain in the dough.
- Scoop generous portions of dough into each muffin cavity, filling approximately two-thirds full.
- Press a gentle indentation into the center of each dough ball using a tart press or rounded tool to create a cup-like shape.
- Slide the muffin tin into the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, watching for a golden-brown exterior.
- Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool completely, noting they will naturally settle and create a deeper cup shape.
- Whip butter with milk and vanilla, gradually introducing powdered sugar until the frosting reaches a light, creamy consistency.
- Add food coloring to achieve the desired pastel shade, blending thoroughly.
- Transfer frosting to a piping bag and fill each cooled cookie cup with a swirl of the colored mixture.
- Artfully garnish the frosted cups with Peanut Butter M&Ms, arranging them to resemble a festive Easter basket.
- Allow frosting to set for several minutes before serving to ensure a perfect presentation.
Notes
- Customize the dough by swapping peanut butter with almond or sunflower seed butter for nut-free diets.
- Ensure even baking by rotating the muffin tin halfway through cooking to prevent uneven browning.
- Prevent cookie cups from sticking by using non-stick cooking spray or silicone muffin liners.
- Control sweetness by reducing powdered sugar in frosting or using a sugar substitute for low
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg