If you love the taste of strawberry and lemon, you have to try these Strawberry Lemon Cookie Cups. You can enjoy a sweet bite of sugar cookie and fluffy filling in a tiny cookie cup with just a few simple ingredients. Yum!
Spring is here, and we're in a baking mood! Recently we made these Amazing Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies. But with the warmer weather on its way, we thought we'd share this incredible recipe for Strawberry Lemonade Cookie Cups.
They're perfect for picnics and parties. Mini muffin tin cookie cups have firm edges to hold the strawberry filling, but the center is soft and chewy. They make a great hand-held dessert!
It's so easy to drop the cookie dough into the mini muffin/cupcake tin to make the cookie cup, but it looks like it takes way more skill to make. #bakingwin
If you want something really easy to bake, try our Strawberry Lemonade Cake Mix Cookies.
Ingredients
This is the simplest homemade sugar cookie recipe, and the butter, sugar, and vanilla flavors blend wonderfully.
For the cookies
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Butter
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Lemon peel
- Vanilla
- Lemon extract
For the filling
- Frozen whipped topping (Cool Whip)
- Strawberry flavored gelatin
How to make - step by step instructions
- PREP - Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, and heat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with cooking spray.
- COMBINE DRY INGREDIENTS - Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside
- MIX WET INGREDIENTS - With an electric mixer, cream the butter and 1 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes at medium speed. Add egg, vanilla extract, grated lemon peel, and lemon extract or lemon essential oil. Beat until well combined, about 30 more seconds.
- MIX WET AND DRY INGREDIENTS - Add flour mixture to mixing bowl and beat at a low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds more.
- SHAPE DOUGH - Shape tablespoonfuls of dough into balls; place one ball in each muffin cup. Sprinkle each cookie ball with a tiny bit of remaining sugar.
- BAKE - Bake, reversing the positions of the cookie cups halfway through the baking time until the edges of the cookies are pale golden, 10 - 11 minutes.
- CREATE CUP - Remove cookies from the oven. Gently press a small spoon into the center of each baked cookie to make the shape of a cup. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.
- COOL - Remove cookie cups from muffin cups; place on a cooling rack. Cool completely.
Filling instructions
- MAKE FILLING - For the filling, add dry flavored gelatin to fully-thawed whipped topping; stir with a whisk until well combined. Fill food-storage plastic bag or pastry bag with strawberry topping.
- FILL COOKIE CUPS - If using a plastic bag, cut a hole in one bottom corner of the bag; pipe topping into the center of each cooled cookie cup. Serve immediately.
TIP: A spoon or your fingers work well to depress the center of the cookie dough.
Clean up for this one is a breeze, too!! One bowl, mini cupcake tins, mixer, and a spoon, and you're done!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Grease the mini cupcake pan generously, so the cookie cups come out with ease.
- Make sure the whipped topping is fully thawed before combining it with the gelatin. And let the topping sit for a few minutes to allow the gelatin to set before piping into the cookie cups.
- These cookies can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator, but bring them back to room temperature before filling and serving.
- In a pinch, store-bought pre-made cookie dough will work for these Strawberry Lemon Cookie Cups, but we think it's way better with homemade sugar cookie dough.
Freezing
If you want to freeze this cookie cup recipe, you should make your cookie cups ahead of time and cool them completely. Freeze them in a plastic bag or airtight container, and when ready to serve, thaw overnight and then make your filling and fill your cups.
Variations
This recipe has so many fun variations. You can try different gelatin or pudding flavors to vary the topping. How cute would it be to do raspberry, blueberry, and white chocolate for the 4th of July? These little cups make a fun bite-size dessert!
Lemon curd is also delicious to fill these sweet lemony cookie cups.
More Cookie Recipes
We have tons of cookie recipes. Here are some of our favorites.
Double Chocolate Cookie Cups
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups
Traditional Chocolate Chip Cookies
Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies
When to serve
Since these little cups are so light and pretty, they'd be perfect for serving at the following:
- Sunday brunch
- A baby shower
- A bridal shower
- Mother's day celebrations
- potluck brunch
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Strawberry Lemon Cookie Cups Recipe
Equipment
- mini muffin pans
- medium mixing bowl
- Electric Mixer
- Mixing spoon or spatula
- cooling rack
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ pound 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup white granulated sugar (plus ¼ cup for topping cookies)
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon extract or 15 drops lemon essential oil
- Topping Ingredients
- 1 container (8 oz frozen whipped topping, thawed)
- 1 box (4-serving size strawberry-flavored gelatin (jello))
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, and heat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with cooking spray.
- Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside
- With an electric mixer, cream the butter and 1 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes at medium speed.
- Add egg, vanilla extract, grated lemon peel, and lemon extract or lemon essential oil. Beat until well combined, about 30 more seconds. Add flour mixture and beat at a low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds more.
- Shape tablespoonfuls of dough into balls; place one ball in each muffin cup. Sprinkle each cookie ball with a tiny bit of remaining sugar.
- Bake, reversing the positions of the cookie cups halfway through the baking time until the edges of the cookies are pale golden, 10 - 11 minutes.
- Remove cookies from the oven. Gently press a small spoon into the center of each baked cookie to make the shape of a cup. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.
- Remove cookie cups from muffin cups; place on a cooling rack. Cool completely.
- For the filling, add dry flavored gelatin to fully-thawed whipped topping; stir with a whisk until well combined. Fill food-storage plastic bag or pastry bag with strawberry topping.
- If using a plastic bag, cut hole in 1 bottom corner of bag; pipe topping into center of each cooled cookie cup. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Grease the mini cupcake pan generously, so the cookie cups come out with ease.
- Make sure the whipped topping is fully thawed before combining it with the gelatin. And let the topping sit for a few minutes to allow the gelatin to set before piping into the cookie cups.
- These cookie cups can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator, but bring them back to room temperature before filling and serving.
- If you were in a pinch, store-bought sugar cookie dough would work for these Strawberry Lemon Cookie Cups, but we think it's way better with homemade.
Nutrition
If you're looking for other summertime treats that are easy to make, try these Cookies in a Jar or these No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies.
Betsy says
These are delicious! Love the cookie and LOVE the filling! This would be great to serve at a bridal or baby shower!!
Erin Henry says
That's the perfect way to serve these cookie cups at a bridal or baby shower!!
Jen Bryant says
The only problem I have with these adorable little cups is that I wish I doubled the recipe. My kids devoured them!
Erin Henry says
Yes, they are soooo good!
Kristyn says
Love strawberry & lemon together!! And, to have them together in a sugar cookie cup is even better!! Soft & yummy!
Erin Henry says
An excellent flavor combination - strawberry and lemon! We love how soft and chewy these cookies are...and bite-sized!
Kay says
How long will they keep, and should they be refrigerated.
Erin Henry says
Good questions, Kay. Because they have whipped topping, they will need to be refrigerated. They would likely store for a couple of days before they begin to get soggy.
Shirley Wood says
Lemon cookies are great, especially in the summer. I bet my grandchildren would eat these so fast!Heck, I would too! Thanks for partying with us at Merry Monday.
Erin says
These cookie cups are great at get-togethers, too since they are single serve. Kids just adore them! Yum! The perfect flavor combo for summer.
Nikki says
Erin, I am a huge fan of fruit pizza with a sugar cookie crust. I bet I could emulate the exact same thing with this recipe only in single serving portions. But first I'm going to try it exactly the way you've done it, I love lemon flavored desserts in the summer.And pairing this up with strawberry...I think these might be my new favorite dessert.
Erin says
Fruit pizza is one my of my favs too, Nikki! It's my go-to dessert to eat while watching the Oscars. These little cups do great at parties since they're single servings. Well, that's if you can east just one 🙂
Chellile says
These look so delicious and perfect for summer! Your photography is beautiful!
Erin says
Ahh, thanks, Chellie. These make the perfect summer treat. Either by themselves or at party with other yummy treats. Enjoy!
Lara says
This is what summer would taste like! Looks yummy!
Erin says
They are so yummy...and yes, they are the perfect summer treat! A delicious lemony cookie cup with strawberry filling, what could be better?
Debbie Kitterman says
Oh wow - yummy - lemon and strawberry two of my favorite flavors - these would be so cute for a baby shower too. Pinning and saving the recipe - found you at #WayWow
Erin says
You are so right! These would make a cute treat for a baby shower. Thanks for coming by, Debbie! I hope you enjoy snacking on these cookie cups!
Diane says
On your lemon strawberry cookie cups, what do you mean by reversing them half way through cooking time?
Erin Henry says
Good question, Diane. Simply rotate the pan in the oven so that the cookies cook evenly.