Easter Sugar Cookies
These Easter Sugar Cookies are soft, buttery sugar cookies baked into mini cups and filled with fluffy buttercream frosting. Made with a simple sugar cookie mix, they're tender, sweet and perfectly shaped for piping pastel frosting and festive toppings.
These cookie cups are ideal for Easter gatherings, spring parties or an after-egg hunt treat. They're easy to prep ahead, fun to decorate and always a hit on dessert tables alongside other Easter sweets (or any time of year).
If you're building an Easter dessert spread, some creamy options to try is our white chocolate Easter Bark or our bite-sized Mini Eggs No Bake Cheesecake.
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Ingredients
This recipe leans on a shortcut and a few simple ingredients to keep things easy and speedy.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
- Sugar Cookie Mix: The base that creates a soft cookie with minimal prep.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps the cookies to stay tender. Also used in the frosting to create a smooth, creamy base.
- Large Egg: Binds the dough and gives structure.
- Icing Sugar/ Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting for easy piping.
- Milk: Loosens the frosting to a pipeable consistency.
To make these Easter cookies you will want a mini muffin pan, a mixing bowl, wire rack, a stand mixer with paddle attachment and piping bag.
Variations
- Colorful Frosting: Tint the buttercream with food coloring for any shade that fits in with your theme or holiday.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Swap half the butter for cream cheese for a tangy twist.
- Filled Centers: Spoon lemon curd, chocolate ganache or jam into the cups before or instead of frosting.
- Easter Eggs Topping: Press a mini egg or candy-coated chocolate into the frosting for a classic Easter look with a chocolatey surprise!
How to Make Easter Sugar Cookies
This recipe leans on a shortcut to keep things simple and speedy.
Preheat oven to 350F and generously grease a mini-muffin tray.
In a medium bowl add sugar cookie mix, butter and egg. Mix well with a spatula until all combined (note: this can take some elbow grease, so you can use a hand mixer for the start on low to prevent overmixing).
Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, drop dough balls into to fill the muffin tray (you will have enough for 36 cookie).
Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until you see the edges starting to get a little golden brown.
Remove from the oven and using a tart tamper or a tablespoon lightly press into each cookie to make a small cavity (only go about half the way down, or less).
Allow them to cool for at least 15 minutes to ensure the frosting does not melt.
Once fully cooled remove cookie cups carefully, you may want to use a small spoon to loosen the edges (I like to use my tart tamper and turn it to loosen the cookie then tip the tray over to slide it out).
Then start your buttercream frosting by adding softened butter, powdered sugar and milk into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on medium speed until smooth; stopping to scrape the edges down to ensure everything is smooth and consistent.
Transfer to a piping bag with any piping tips desired and decorate cookie cups.
If using, add any sprinkles.
Hint: Mini muffin trays need a good amount of greasing for easy removal.
Recipe Tips
- Press Gently: Once baked, only press halfway down to avoid cracking the cookie cups.
- Cool before Frosting: Even warm cookies will melt the buttercream, so make sure you let them cool fully.
- Even Scoops: Using a tablespoon scoop ensures uniform baking.
- Loosen Carefully: A gentle twist helps release the cups, then carefully tip the tray to catch a couple at a time. Alternatively, you can place a wire rack on top of the tray, and flip it upside down to release all at once.
If you are looking another simple recipe, our Easter Blondies are a perfectly chewy dessert bar.
More Desserts
Storage Instructions
- Room Temperature: Store cups in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Frosted cups keep for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Place in an airtight container for up to 2 months. I freeze mine frosted with sprinkles, but the sprinkles can loose their color.
Serving Suggestions
- Spring Treats: Strawberry Crisp, Lemon Brownies, Strawberry Rhubarb Galette, Raspberry Mousse Cups, Strawberry Scones, Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp, Lemon Blueberry Dump Cake.
Easter Sugar Cookie Recipe FAQs
Yes, as long as it's a soft sugar cookie dough that holds shape when baked.
A classic buttercream works best because it holds shape and sets nicely with a light crispness.
The cookies are easier to shape from the oven because once cooled, they get hard and can crack.
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Easter Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Mini Muffin Tray
- 1-Tablespoon Cookie Scoop
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment
- Tart Tamper optional
Ingredients
SUGAR COOKIE CUPS:
- 17.5 oz Sugar Cookie Mix I used Betty Crocker
- ½ cup butter unsalted and softened
- 1 large egg
BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
- 1 stick butter unsalted or salted
- 230 grams icing sugar about 2 cups
- ½ tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and generously grease a mini-muffin tray.
- In a medium bowl add sugar cookie mix, butter and egg. Mix well with a spatula until all combined (note: this can take some elbow grease, so you can use a hand mixer for the start on low to prevent overmixing).
- Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, drop dough balls into to fill the muffin tray (you will have enough for 36 cookie).
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until you see the edges starting to get a little golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and using a tart tamper or a tablespoon lightly press into each cookie to make a small cavity (only go about half the way down, or less).
- Allow them to cool for at least 15 minutes to ensure the frosting does not melt.
- Once fully cooled remove cookie cups carefully, you may want to use a small spoon to loosen the edges (I like to use my tart tamper and turn it to loosen the cookie then tip the tray over to slide them out).
- Then start your buttercream frosting by adding softened butter, powdered sugar and milk into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on medium speed until smooth; stopping to scrape the edges down to ensure everything is smooth and consistent.
- Transfer to a piping bag with any piping tips desired and decorate cookie cups.
- If using, add any sprinkles.
Notes
- Grease Well: Mini muffin trays need a good amount of greasing for easy removal.
- Press Gently: Once baked, only press halfway down to avoid cracking the cookie cups.
- Cool before Frosting: Even warm cookies will melt the buttercream, so make sure you let them cool fully.
- Even Scoops: Using a tablespoon scoop ensures uniform baking.
- Loosen Carefully: A gentle twist helps release the cups, then carefully tip the tray to catch a couple at a time. Alternatively, you can place a wire rack on top of the tray and flip it upside down to release all at once.
Nutrition
Tried this recipe? Leave a star rating and comment below, I'd love to hear how it turned out for you!
The package mix shortcut is such a great way to save time for a quick, reliable and tasty dessert! The frosting is the perfect sweetness.