Oh, fall! There’s just something so magical about the crisp air, the vibrant leaves, and the cozy feeling that comes with it, isn’t there? And what better way to embrace that warmth than with the irresistible aroma of pumpkin spice wafting through your kitchen? Today, I’m absolutely thrilled to share a recipe that’s destined to become a staple in your autumn baking arsenal: Dianne’s Pumpkin Cookie Cups. These aren’t just any cookies; they’re little pockets of pure joy, combining a tender, spiced cookie with a lusciously creamy pumpkin filling. It’s truly a taste of fall in every single bite, and trust me, they’re so easy to whip up, you’ll wonder where they’ve been all your life!
Imagine a sweet, buttery cookie base nestled into a mini muffin tin, baked to golden perfection, and then generously filled with a smooth, spiced pumpkin cream cheese filling. It’s like a tiny pumpkin pie and a soft cookie had a delicious baby, and everyone gets to enjoy it! This recipe is incredibly quick, surprisingly simple, and delivers maximum flavor with minimal fuss. Perfect for a weeknight treat, a weekend gathering, or even a thoughtful homemade gift. Let’s get baking!
Why You’ll Love Dianne’s Pumpkin Cookie Cups
- Fast: From start to finish, these delightful treats won’t keep you in the kitchen all day.
- Easy: Simple ingredients and straightforward steps mean even beginner bakers can shine.
- Giftable: They package beautifully, making them perfect for hostess gifts, bake sales, or sharing with neighbors.
- Crowd-pleasing: Who can resist the charm of a bite-sized pumpkin cookie cup? They disappear fast!
Ingredients
Gathering your ingredients is the first step to any great recipe, and for these pumpkin cookie cups, everything you need is probably already in your pantry!
For the Cookie Cups:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour: The foundation of our tender cookie base.
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder: Gives our cookies that perfect little lift.
- ½ teaspoon salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors.
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (Optional): A hint of warm spice that perfectly complements the pumpkin. If you don’t have it, no worries, but it really adds something special!
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened: Make sure it’s truly softened, not melted, for the best creamy texture when you beat it with the sugar.
- 1 cup white sugar: For just the right amount of sweetness in our cookie.
- 1 egg: Helps bind everything together and adds richness.
- 2 tablespoons milk: A little extra moisture to make our cookie dough just right.
For the Pumpkin Filling:
- 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened: The star of our creamy, tangy filling. Make sure it’s at room temperature for a lump-free mixture. If you’re feeling adventurous, you could even try making your own easy homemade cream cheese!
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar (for the cream cheese mixture): To sweeten our cream cheese base.
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree: Pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling! This is where that authentic pumpkin flavor comes from.
- 2 ¾ cups confectioners’ sugar (for the pumpkin mixture): This second batch of powdered sugar gives the filling its final luscious, pipeable consistency.
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon: The classic pumpkin spice flavor.
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (Optional): More warming spice, if you chose to add it to the cookies, it’s great here too!
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger: Adds a lovely zing that brightens the pumpkin flavor.
- 1 pinch ground cloves: Just a tiny bit, but it makes a big difference in depth of flavor.
How to Make Dianne’s Pumpkin Cookie Cups
Alright, friends, let’s get our hands (a little) dirty and bake some magic! Follow these steps, and you’ll have a batch of delightful cookie cups in no time.
- Prep Your Oven & Muffin Tin: First things first, get your oven preheated to a cozy 400°F (200°C). While it’s warming up, take out your miniature muffin tin and give 32 of those tiny cups a good greasing. I usually use a bit of baking spray, but a little butter or shortening works great too!
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together your all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and that optional ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg. Sifting helps prevent lumps and makes for a lighter cookie.
- Cream Wet Ingredients: Now, grab a separate, larger mixing bowl. With your electric mixer, cream together the softened unsalted butter and 1 cup of white sugar until the mixture is beautifully smooth and light. Then, beat in the egg and the milk. It should look well combined and fluffy.
- Mix Dough: Reduce your mixer speed to low. Gradually, and I mean gradually, beat in the dry flour mixture you prepared earlier. Mix just until the dough comes together. You don’t want to overmix here, as that can lead to tough cookies!
- Form the Cookie Balls: This is the fun part! Pinch off tablespoonfuls of the dough. Roll each portion into a neat little ball and gently place it into one of your greased mini muffin cups. They might look small, but they’ll puff up nicely!
- Bake the Cups: Pop your muffin tin into the preheated oven. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them; you’re looking for the edges to just begin turning a lovely golden brown.
- Create the “Cup”: Once they’re out of the oven, let them stand in the pan for just 1 minute. This is crucial! Then, using the back of a rounded teaspoon measure (like a ½ teaspoon or even a clean shot glass), gently press a small depression into the top of each warm cookie. This creates the perfect little well for our pumpkin filling.
- Cool Completely: Let the cookies cool for another 5 minutes in the pan. Then, gently twist each cookie as you lift it out and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Patience is key here; you want them fully cooled before adding the filling.
- Whip the Cream Cheese: While your cookies are cooling, let’s make that glorious filling! In a clean bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar using your electric mixer until it’s smooth and lump-free.
- Add Pumpkin Puree: Slowly beat in the pumpkin puree until it’s thoroughly combined. It should be a lovely, consistent orange color.
- Sweeten and Thicken: Now, gradually beat in the remaining 2 ¾ cups of confectioners’ sugar, a little at a time. Keep mixing until it’s fully incorporated and the filling is thick and creamy.
- Spice it Up: Finally, stir in the ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (if using), ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, and that tiny pinch of ground cloves. Give it a good stir to ensure all those warm spices are distributed evenly.
- Fill the Cups: Once your cookie cups are completely cool, spoon or pipe the pumpkin mixture into each one. I love using a piping bag with a star tip for a pretty presentation, but a spoon works perfectly fine too!
And there you have it! Little bites of autumnal bliss, ready to be devoured.
Substitutions & Additions
One of the best things about baking is making a recipe your own! Here are a few ideas to customize your Dianne’s Pumpkin Cookie Cups:
- Spice It Up (or Down!): Feel free to adjust the spices in both the cookie and the filling. If you adore ginger, add a touch more! Not a fan of cloves? Leave them out. A pinch of allspice or cardamom could also be lovely.
- Chocolate Dreams: If you’re a chocolate fan, stir in some mini chocolate chips to the cookie dough for an extra treat, almost like a classic pumpkin chocolate chip cookie! You could also melt some chocolate and drizzle it over the finished cups.
- Nutty Nibblers: A sprinkle of finely chopped pecans or walnuts on top of the pumpkin filling adds a wonderful texture and autumnal flavor.
- Extract Excitement: A tiny splash of vanilla extract in either the cookie dough or the filling (or both!) can enhance the flavors. Almond extract could also offer an interesting twist!
- Cream Cheese Swap: While I highly recommend full-fat cream cheese for the creamiest filling, you can use reduced-fat if you prefer, just note it might be a little less rich.
Tips for Success
Even though this recipe is super friendly for all skill levels, a few tried-and-true tips can help you achieve cookie cup perfection every time!
- Room Temperature Ingredients are Key: For both the butter in the cookies and the cream cheese for the filling, make sure they are properly softened at room temperature. This ensures a smooth, evenly mixed dough and a creamy, lump-free filling.
- Don’t Overmix the Dough: Once you add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, leading to tough cookies. We want tender and soft!
- Measure Flour Correctly: For accurate results, spoon your flour into the measuring cup and then level it off with a straight edge. Don’t scoop directly from the bag, as this can compact the flour and lead to too much flour in your dough.
- Grease Generously: Those mini muffin tins need a good greasing to ensure your cookie cups pop out easily after baking. A non-stick spray or buttering and flouring works wonders.
- Press the Indentations While Warm: The minute after they come out of the oven is the perfect window to press those depressions. The cookies are still pliable enough to form a cup without cracking.
- Cool Completely Before Filling: This is a big one! If you fill warm cookie cups, the cream cheese frosting will melt and become a runny mess. Let them cool fully on a wire rack. These tips will help you not just with these cookie cups, but with all your baking adventures, from these delightful cups to even mastering the art of perfect bar cookies.
- Prep Ahead: You can make the cookie dough ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just let it come to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before rolling and baking. The pumpkin filling can also be made a day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge; just give it a quick whip with your mixer before filling to restore its creaminess.
How to Store Dianne’s Pumpkin Cookie Cups
You’ve made these delicious cookie cups, now how do you keep them fresh?
- Airtight Container in the Fridge: Because the filling contains cream cheese, these cookie cups absolutely need to be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Shelf Life: They’ll stay fresh and delicious for 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Serving Tip: For the best flavor and texture, I like to take them out of the fridge about 15-20 minutes before serving. This allows the cookie to soften slightly and the filling to lose a bit of its chill.
- Freezing (Unfilled): You can bake the cookie cups and freeze them unfilled in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw them at room temperature, then make the fresh filling and proceed with filling. I don’t recommend freezing them with the cream cheese filling, as the texture can change upon thawing.
FAQs
Q: Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?
A: No, I really recommend sticking to pure pumpkin puree. Pumpkin pie filling has added sugar and spices that will throw off the balance of the recipe, especially the sweetness and consistency of the cream cheese filling.
Q: My cookie cups are sticking to the muffin tin. What went wrong?
A: Most likely, the muffin cups weren’t greased thoroughly enough, or you tried to remove them too soon. Make sure to grease generously and let them cool for at least 5 minutes in the tin before gently twisting them out.
Q: Can I make these into full-sized muffin cups?
A: You can, but you’ll need to adjust the baking time and potentially the amount of dough per cup. They will be larger and might require a longer bake. Keep a close eye on them for golden edges and adjust the indentation size accordingly. This recipe is designed for mini cups, which are perfect for a bite-sized treat!
Q: How can I make the filling look extra pretty?
A: A piping bag fitted with a star tip (like an open star or closed star) will give you a beautiful, professional-looking swirl of filling. If you don’t have one, a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off works in a pinch for a slightly simpler look.
Thanks for joining me in the kitchen today! I hope these Dianne’s Pumpkin Cookie Cups bring as much joy to your home as they do to mine. Happy baking!
For more delicious recipes and baking inspiration, be sure to follow us on Pinterest!
Dianne's Pumpkin Cookie Cups
These delightful Pumpkin Cookie Cups combine a tender, spiced cookie base with a lusciously creamy, spiced pumpkin cream cheese filling. They're like a tiny pumpkin pie and a soft cookie in one, perfect for fall gatherings, gifts, or a cozy weeknight treat.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Step 1: Prep Your Oven & Muffin Tin: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease 32 cups of a miniature muffin tin generously with baking spray, butter, or shortening.
- Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and the optional ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
- Step 3: Cream Wet Ingredients: In a separate, larger mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the softened unsalted butter and 1 cup of white sugar until smooth and light. Beat in the egg and milk until well combined and fluffy.
- Step 4: Mix Dough: Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually beat in the dry flour mixture until the dough just comes together. Avoid overmixing.
- Step 5: Form the Cookie Balls: Pinch off tablespoonfuls of dough, roll each portion into a ball, and gently place into the greased mini muffin cups.
- Step 6: Bake the Cups: Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn golden brown.
- Step 7: Create the "Cup": Remove from the oven and let stand in the pan for 1 minute. Using the back of a rounded teaspoon measure, gently press a small depression into the top of each warm cookie to create a well for the filling.
- Step 8: Cool Completely: Let the cookies cool for another 5 minutes in the pan, then gently twist and lift each cookie out. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.
- Step 9: Whip the Cream Cheese: While cookies cool, in a clean bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with 1 cup of confectioners' sugar using your electric mixer until smooth and lump-free.
- Step 10: Add Pumpkin Puree: Slowly beat in the pumpkin puree until thoroughly combined and consistently orange in color.
- Step 11: Sweeten and Thicken: Gradually beat in the remaining 2 ¾ cups of confectioners' sugar until fully incorporated and the filling is thick and creamy.
- Step 12: Spice it Up: Stir in the ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (if using), ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, and the pinch of ground cloves until all spices are evenly distributed.
- Step 13: Fill the Cups: Once cookie cups are completely cool, spoon or pipe the pumpkin mixture into each one. Garnish as desired and serve immediately.
Notes
Substitutions & Additions: Feel free to adjust the spices (allspice or cardamom are good options). Stir mini chocolate chips into the cookie dough or drizzle melted chocolate over the finished cups. A sprinkle of finely chopped pecans or walnuts on top of the filling adds texture. A tiny splash of vanilla or almond extract can enhance flavors. While full-fat cream cheese is recommended, reduced-fat can be used for a slightly less rich filling.
Tips for Success: Ensure butter and cream cheese are at room temperature for smooth mixing. Don't overmix the cookie dough to keep cookies tender. Measure flour correctly by spooning into the cup and leveling. Grease muffin tins generously. Press indentations while cookies are still warm and pliable (after 1 minute out of the oven). Cool cookie cups completely before adding the filling to prevent melting.
How to Store: Store Dianne's Pumpkin Cookie Cups in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days due to the cream cheese filling. For best flavor and texture, take them out 15-20 minutes before serving to allow the cookie to soften and the filling to lose its chill. You can bake and freeze unfilled cookie cups for up to 1 month; thaw at room temperature, then make and add fresh filling. Freezing with the cream cheese filling is not recommended as the texture may change upon thawing.
FAQs: Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, to maintain balance. If cookie cups stick, ensure generous greasing and adequate cooling time in the tin before removal. This recipe is designed for mini cups; adjusting for full-sized muffin cups would require changes in baking time and dough amount.