Bite-sized sugar cookie cups filled with a vanilla custard and topped with fresh berries.
Not sure about you, but I am ready for spring. Like, SO ready. We had so much snow this winter it’s not even funny. For a place that rarely gets snow at all, it’s been a littler ridiculous. Sadly, we still have some time to go before those spring flowers make their debut, so I’m bringing a bit of spring and sunshine to you today with these Vanilla Custard Cookie Cups!
Yes, more cookie cups. I love them, and based on my top posts from last year, it seems like you love them too! And what’s not to love? They are much easier to throw together than a layer cake, and just as pretty and delicious.
These Vanilla Custard Cookie Cups are a little different from my other cookie cups, which typically use a cheesecake and whipped cream filling. These ones use a delicious vanilla pastry cream as the filling.
Pastry cream (aka vanilla custard) is often used as a filling for various baked goodies — like eclairs or Boston cream donuts. It involves a few simple ingredients: milk, egg yolks, vanilla, sugar, and cornstarch as a thickener. Heat up the milk, whisk it into the egg yolks and cornstarch, cook till it boils, strain, and cool.
Truthfully, I don’t love pastry cream. Something about the flavour is off-putting to me (probably the cornstarch), but I am clearly in the minority here, as it is a beloved filling of many. As such, I thought it would be perfect for these Vanilla Custard Cookie Cups.
Like the filling, the cookie cup base here is also a little different than my other cookie cups (but only slightly). I wanted it to be lighter and more like a sugar cookie, so I used only granulated sugar and no light brown sugar. I think they came out pretty perfect!
Topped off with some fresh berries and a simple dusting of powdered sugar, these Vanilla Custard Cookie Cups are the perfect treat to tide you over until spring and summer.
Notes & tips for these Vanilla Custard Cookie Cups:
- If you don’t have vanilla bean paste, you can use 1 tsp of vanilla instead.
- You can use vanilla pudding in place of pastry cream if you prefer.
- Best served cold, out of the fridge.
- Serve within two days. These do not freeze well.
Vanilla Custard Cookie Cups
Ingredients
Cookie Cups:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Vanilla Custard:
- 4 cups milk
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
Instructions
Cookie Cups:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 regular sized muffin tins with cooking spray.
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt, set aside.
- Beat butter and sugar on med-high until pale and fluffy (approx. 2-3mins). Reduce speed and add eggs (one at a time), and vanilla. Beat until combined.
- Add flour mixture and mix until just combined.
- Using a large cookie scoop (3 Tbsp), scoop dough into muffin tins, press down to flatten slightly.
- Bake for 10-12 mins or until lightly browned and mostly set.
- Remove from oven and immediately use a small jar or container to press firmly down in the center to create a well. Cool in pans for 10 mins, then place on wire rack to cool completely.
Vanilla Custard:
- Place 3 cups milk and vanilla bean paste into a medium saucepan. Cook over high heat, stirring often until it just starts to simmer. Remove from heat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk remaining 1 cup milk, egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch.
- While whisking vigorously, slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture.
- Return mixture to saucepan and cook over high heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and comes to a boil.
- Pass through a strainer and into a small bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on top of custard to prevent a skin from forming. Place in refrigerator to cool completely.
- Whisk custard to a smooth texture and pipe into cooled cookie cups. Top with fruit if desired.
- Store in fridge and serve within two days.
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Roberta Cantley says
for the gingerbread cookie cups can I use gingerbread cookie mix?
thanks
Olivia says
Hi Roberta! Yes, that should work fine provided it makes chewy gingerbread cookies rather than crisp.
Harriet says
I have not made these so I cannot comment for sure but as I was reading the other ladies comments about the dough ending up being oily and not cooking correctly I had a thought. I have to wonder if some of the bakers were beating the dough too long. I have at least 2 recipes for cookies that I must beat them just until combined, as your recipe states. If I beat them past the “just combined” stage the dough ends up oily, then they end up having to be baked longer and come out crunchy instead of delicate and of pleasing texture.
I don’t know if that is what is happening to some of these disappointed bakers, but it might be worth considering.
Olivia says
Thanks for the tip Harriet! It is important not to overmix once the flour is added for sure.
Jen says
Your vanilla custard recipe is delicious! However, your sugar cookie recipe is off. I tried it twice and both times the dough was wet and oily, not cooked all the way through and fell apart. I ended up finding a sugar cookie recipe from Better Homes and Gardens that used 1 1/4 cups sugar, 3 cups flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder. The rest of the ingredients matched yours. Now, the toughest part is waiting for them to cool so I can devour these beauties! Thank you for sharing your recipe. 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Jen! So glad you love the custard, but strange about your cookies! They should not be wet or oily at all 🙁 Is it possible they needed more time in the oven? Thanks for the tips on the cookie recipe you ended up using!
Jen says
I tried baking them longer initially. It still didn’t work. The bottoms stayed oily while the sides became darker, almost burned. I ended up having tomake a second batch of the custard because it disappeared by the spoonful between my husband and myself. LOL 🙂
Olivia says
LOL, glad you liked the custard 🙂 So weird about the cookies though!!
Karen Boe says
I’m going to make your vanilla custard cookie cups. Directions say to use 2 muffin tins. Mine are 12 cup each. The recipe says it serves 18. Does it make 18 or 24?
Olivia says
Hi Karen! The recipe makes 18. I used one and a half muffin tins for it.
Bianca says
Do you need to sift the flour before whisking in the baking soda and salt?
Olivia says
Hi Bianca! I only sift if I use cake flour, so not in this recipe.
Gina says
Hiya
I’ve used this recipe before and absolutely loved it.
As for making the cups in advance, could I store them for 1 week in an airtight container? The custard I’ll do on the day.
Olivia says
Hi Gina! The cups will last for sure. I’d actually suggest freezing them in an airtight container.
Margaret Christophersen says
Hi Olivia. I tried your recipe yesterday and must say the custard was DELICIOUS! I had a little problem with the cookie cup though. I baked them according to the recipe and the centers turned out a little under-baked so I put them back in for a few minutes longer. I’m just wondering if I over-filled the cupcake pan. Nonetheless, these tasted so yummy and were the hit of my Easter dinner.
Olivia says
Hi Margaret! I’m so happy to hear that you liked these! 🙂 It’s possible that your cupcake pan is a bit smaller than mine (they’re not all created equal and even between my three pans I have one that works best). You can try using a little less cookie dough next time or baking them for a tad longer. Every oven is different too!
Huda says
Hi olivia i make it today and the cookies dough look like batter i don’t know why realy i mesured every ingrediant thanks to reply
Olivia says
Hi Huda! I’m sorry to head this didn’t work for you. Something must have been off in your measurements as the dough should be stiff.
Juli says
I’m having the same problem. The dough is very sticky. I followed the directions exactly paying careful attention to the measurements. I am putting the dough in the fridge before trying to put in the muffin tins. Hopefully the dough will harden enough to be workable. Perhaps you mentioned refrigerating the dough and I missed it. Do you know if I should add more flour or just fridge the dough for a while?
Olivia says
Hi Juli! I did not refrigerate the dough, no. Hmm, it definitely should not be sticky — not more than any normal cookie dough at least. It sounds like something was off in the measurements — did you use cups or grams, out of curiosity?
Heather M. Whipple says
hmm. I guess a mini cupcake pan is out of the question when I make cookie cups, huh.
and I was hoping to use my mini cupcake pan to make cookie cups.
Olivia says
Hi Heather! A mini cupcake pan should work fine, though I’ve never tried it myself.
Joyna says
Hi Olivia. I tried these and they turned out to be so perfect that now I can’t stop thinking about different filling m gonna try them with. The cookie part is absolutely crunchy and tastes well too. Thanks a lot for the recepie 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Joyna! I am so happy to hear that you liked these! 🙂
Kelley Cooke says
Does it matter what type of milk used? Skim or whole milk? Anything inbetween?
Olivia says
Hi Kelley! Any kind should work. I used 1%.
kimberly says
hi!
can i make the the cookie cups in advance? And if so – do they need to be refrigerated? I am going to guess you can’t really make the custard in advance or i might be wrong? Wanting to bake these for a baptism on saturday, but I’m not sure if ill have that much time!
Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Kimberley! These do not keep very well, but the components can be made in advance. I would recommend making the cookie cup part in advance and storing in an airtight container. The custard should keep for a day or two in the fridge covered in plastic wrap. Ideally, assemble on the day of serving. I hope that helps!
Kimberly Rodrigues-Morris says
yes – i was thinking of making the cookies part in advance, and making the custard/strawberry cream cheese part on the day – would that be ok you think?
Olivia says
Yep! That will work fine 🙂 The strawberry cream cheese ones keep really well by the way, and freeze well. It’s just the custard ones that should be served within a day or two. Let me know how you like them!
Erin says
Instead of the vanilla bean paste can you use vanilla extract?
Olivia says
Hi Erin! Yes, that will work fine.
Stsphanie says
I was wondering if I could freeze them? Do you know?
Olivia says
Hi Stephanie! Hmm, I haven’t tried, I’m not sure how well custard freezes/thaws.
Gie says
Hi! Wouldn’t it be easier to just bake the cookie base with foil and beans to weigh them down so they don’t puff up? Looks delicious though!
Olivia says
Hi Gie! You could try it this way, but I think it would be more work and the cookies might not bake up as evenly.
Ranveig says
These looks so yummy! But is it supposed to be this “doughy” when you take them out of the oven?
Olivia says
Hi Ranveig, I’m not sure what you mean — the cookies aren’t fully set when they come out of the oven so that you can press into them to make the cups.
Dee H says
This look really yummy! I saw this on Pinterest, and I can’t tell you how thrilled I was to see that you actually included a recipe for the cookie cups. I was afraid it would be store bought sugar cookie dough, which I really don’t care much for. Looking forward to trying this. Thanks for sharing.
Olivia says
Hi Dee! Thank you! Please let me know how you like these 🙂
Annick Pattheeuw says
If you put the dough into a muffin (or mini muffin) pan and then press a second pan on top would you have the same effect? I’d take out the second pan to have the cookie cups brown up a few minutes before the end.
Thnx
Olivia says
Hi Annick! I’ve never tried that method so can’t say for sure, but in theory it should work if there is enough of a gap along the sides for the cookies to rise. You could always try it just with one to see how it does. Let me know if you do!
Jacquelyn says
Hi Olivia these look really great!!! But wanted to check on the measurements of custard in the directions it only calls for two cups total but on the ingredients list it says 4 cups of milk. I’ve made a lot of custard in my life for different pies and have had them call for either 2 or 4 cups mattering on the size of what I’m baking so I’m thinking it’s only the 2 cups but just want to clarify. I’m one of those people that love vanilla custard it’s lucky if it makes it out of the bowl. lol Can’t wait to make.
Olivia says
Ack! Good catch. I ended up doubling the recipe but forgot to double it in the instructions 😳 It should be 4 cups total of milk. I’ll update it!
Jacquie says
Hi Olivia!! These look amazing!! I can’t wait to make them. I love the vanilla custard idea for something different. Thanks for posting this one. Great pics too by the way 😉
Olivia says
Thanks so much Jacquie! Let me know how you like them!! 🙂
Pam says
Do you think these could be ‘bruleed’? Like creme brûlée? She much easier than the original if so. Also, which of your cookie cup recipes included brown sugar? I love the flavor.
Olivia says
Hi Pam! I’ve never tried, but I don’t see why not :). All of my other cookie cups (except the strawberry one), use brown sugar in the cookie part. I love the flavour too! But it gives the cookies a darker color.