Gingerbread Cookie Cups — an easy, festive treat: cookie “shots” you can fill with eggnog, cocktails, ice cream or whatever you like. Perfect for the holidays and simple to make.
Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! These Gingerbread Cookie Cups are one of my favorite holiday recipes — fun to serve and even more fun to eat. They make charming vessels for eggnog, festive cocktails, ice cream, pudding or even milk. Kids and adults alike will love them (just skip the alcohol for the little ones).
The concept is simple: press a thin layer of gingerbread dough into each cup of a mini popover or similar pan, bake until golden, then shape into little cups while still warm. Once cooled, brush the insides with a melted cinnamon coating to help prevent sogginess, and fill with your desired drink or filling. I like eggnog topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon — classic and cozy.
Equipment tip: a 12-cup mini popover pan works great for these because the cups pop out easily when cooled and flipped. You can try a mini muffin pan or a silicone shot pan if that’s what you have, but you may need to adjust baking time and be prepared to coax the cookie cups out gently.
After baking, the centers sometimes rise a bit — no problem. While the cookies are still warm, press the handle of a wooden spoon into the center to reform the cup shape. Let the cookie cups cool completely, then melt cinnamon chips with a little heavy cream and brush the inside of each cup (bottom and sides) so the cookie holds up when filled. Skipping this step can lead to softer cups once filled, which may be fine depending on your filling.
Once everything has cooled and the coating has set, fill the cookie cups with eggnog and top with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon — or use any favorite filling you prefer. They make a festive dessert or party bite, and they’re adorable on a cookie tray.
Below is the recipe with ingredient amounts and clear instructions so you can recreate these at home.
Gingerbread Cookie Cups Recipe
Ingredients
Cookie:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup molasses
Cinnamon Coating:
- 1 cup cinnamon chips
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Filling:
- Eggnog (or your preferred drink)
- Sweetened whipped cream, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves until evenly combined.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and molasses. Mix in the dry ingredients until a dough forms.
- Press a thin layer of dough into the bottom and up the sides of each cup in a 12-cup mini popover pan to form cups, making sure there are no holes.
- Bake about 20–25 minutes or until browned. While still warm, press the handle of a wooden spoon into each cookie to reform the cup shape if the centers rose. Cool completely.
- Melt the cinnamon chips with the heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl on half power in 30-second intervals, stirring between intervals, until smooth. Using a pastry brush, brush the melted mixture along the inside bottom and sides of each cookie cup. Allow to cool and set.
- Fill each cup with eggnog and top with whipped cream, or use any filling you prefer. Serve immediately.
Notes
Tag @SnappyGourmet or use #SnappyGourmet on social media to share your creation!
Nutrition:
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Carbohydrates: 50 g
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Protein: 4 g
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Fat: 18 g
(Nutrition data is provided for informational purposes only and is an estimate. For accurate results calculate based on the specific ingredients and brands you use.)