These adorable, bite-sized cherry cheesecake cookie cups feature a tender, buttery cookie crust filled with a creamy filling and topped with vibrant cherries. They are the perfect mashup of cheesecake and cookies! Make them for parties, potlucks, or simply enjoying a sweet treat at home!
I love cheesecake and cookies, so combining two beloved desserts into one seems like a fabulous idea. The result is a dessert that looks stunning and tastes like a little slice of heaven in every bite.
If you’re worried that making cherry cheesecake cookie cups might be too complicated, it is actually super easy. The cookie cup is made with store-bought sugar cookie dough baked in a muffin tin to create the cup shape.
The filling is a quick, no-bake cheesecake mixture topped with cherry pie filling. This dessert looks more complicated than it really is!
When you bite into the cookie, the cookie crust gives it a little crunch, followed by the smooth, velvety texture of the cheesecake filling. The cherries on top add a refreshing burst of flavor.
In this post, I’ll guide you through the process of creating your own batch of cherry cheesecake cookie cups. I’ll also share tips for customizing the recipe to your liking and even suggest some alternative flavor combinations to keep things interesting.
Looking for more fun dessert ideas? Try a Christmas buttercream board, puff pastry apple dumplings, or slow cooker lava cake!
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🥘Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Sugar cookie dough: I use pre-made dough to make this a super simple recipe.
- Cream cheese
- Sour cream
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Whipped topping
- Cherry pie filling: You can swap this with a different favorite pie filling.
🥣How to Make Cherry Cheesecake Cookie Cups
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease up two muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray.
- Open up those packages of sugar cookie dough. Take two pieces of cookie dough and squeeze them together to form one larger disk.
- Place each cookie dough disk into a muffin cup and repeat until all the cups are filled. Pop those pans into the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges of the cookies start turning golden brown.
- Leave the cookies in the muffin tins. As they cool, they naturally deflate and form a cup shape. If some of them are stubborn, just give them a little help by pressing the back of a tablespoon into the center of each cookie. Once they are cool, remove them to a wire rack.
- In a large bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, sour cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Then, gently fold in the thawed whipped topping.
- Spoon the cheesecake mixture into a large piping bag (or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off) and pipe a generous amount into each cookie cup. You want to fill the cookie cups almost to the top, leaving just a little room for the topping.
- Place the filled cookie cups in the fridge for at least an hour to allow the cheesecake filling to set.
- When you’re ready to serve, top each cookie cup with a spoonful of cherry pie filling and prepare to watch them disappear! These little beauties perfectly combine crispy cookies, smooth cheesecake, and fruity topping.
🍴Serving Ideas
These irresistible Cherry Cheesecake Cookie Cups are perfect for any occasion, from a fancy dinner party to a casual family gathering. They perfectly combine crispy cookie, smooth cheesecake, and fruity topping.
One of my favorite ways to present these cookie cups is on a pretty platter or cake stand. Arrange them in a circular pattern, alternating between cups with and without cherry topping for a nice visual contrast.
Another fun idea is to set up a little dessert bar and let your guests customize their own cookie cups. Put out bowls of different toppings like chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or even a few different fruit fillings, and let everyone go to town! It’s a great way to get creative and cater to different tastes.
💭How to Store
Transfer any leftover cookie cups to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you want to make these cookie cups ahead of time, I recommend baking the cookie bases and storing them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Then, when you’re ready to serve, make the cheesecake filling, pipe it into the cups, and add the cherry topping. This will ensure the cookie cups stay nice and crispy and the filling smooth and creamy.
You can also freeze the unfilled cookie cups for up to 2 months. Make sure they’re completely cooled before transferring them to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. When ready to use them, let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours before filling and serving.
If you have leftover cheesecake filling, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It’s great for dipping fresh fruit or spreading on graham crackers for a quick and easy snack.
⭐Tips
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- When you’re beating the cream cheese filling together, mix until everything is smooth and well combined. Overmixing can lead to a runny or grainy filling, which is not what you want.
- Keep a close eye on your cookie cups in the oven, and take them out as soon as the edges start to turn golden brown. The centers may look a bit underbaked, but that’s okay – they’ll continue to cook and firm up as they cool.
- Chill the filled cups in the fridge for at least an hour. This allows the flavors to meld and the filling to set.
- While cherry pie filling is a classic choice, try different toppings on your cookie cups. Strawberry or blueberry pie filling would be equally delicious, or you could even try a drizzle of caramel or chocolate sauce for a decadent twist.
- You can easily fill your cookie cups using a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off or just a spoon. The key is to work gently and avoid overfilling the cups.
- Sugar cookie dough is my go-to for this recipe, you could definitely experiment with other flavors like chocolate chip or peanut butter. Just keep in mind that the baking time may vary slightly depending on the type of dough you use.
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Cherry Cheesecake Cookie Cups Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 packages sugar cookie dough 24-count each
- 6 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces frozen whipped topping thawed
- 1 can cherry pie filling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease two muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray.
- Take the cream cheese out of the fridge now so it can soften.
- Open the cookie package and combine two cookie dough pieces to form one larger disk.2 packages sugar cookie dough
- Place the disk in one cup of the muffin pan. Continue until all the cups are filled.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are just beginning to brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely in the pan. After a few minutes of cooling, the cookies should deflate and form a cup shape. If they don’t, press the back of a tablespoon into each cookie to create a cup.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack when they are mostly cool.
- Prepare the cheesecake filling by beating together the cream cheese, sour cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.6 ounces cream cheese, ¼ cup sour cream, 2/3 cup powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Fold in the thawed whipped topping.4 ounces frozen whipped topping
- Transfer the cheesecake mixture to a large piping bag and pipe it into each cookie cup.
- Store the cookie cups in the refrigerator for at least an hour to set, then top with cherry pie filling before serving.1 can cherry pie filling
Notes
- Don’t overmix the filling, beat until it is just combined.
- Keep a close eye on your cookie cups in the oven, and take them out as soon as the edges start to turn golden brown. The centers may look a bit underbaked, but that’s okay – they’ll continue to cook and firm up as they cool.
- Chill the filled cups in the fridge for at least an hour. This allows the flavors to meld and the filling to set.
- While cherry pie filling is a classic choice, try different toppings on your cookie cups. Strawberry or blueberry pie filling would be equally delicious, or you could even try a drizzle of caramel or chocolate sauce for a decadent twist.
- You can easily fill your cookie cups using a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off or just a spoon.
- You could definitely experiment with other cookie dough flavors like chocolate chip or peanut butter. Just keep in mind that the baking time may vary slightly depending on the type of dough you use.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
I have not tried these yet, but they are on my to do list. Question though. Can you use other fruit? Blackberries, Strawberries etc.
Yes, any fruit works well. I’ve done blueberry and raspberry before.