Fruit Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Cups

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Chewy sugar cookies are baked to golden brown and filled with a classic cheesecake filling in these Fruit Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Cups. Top it all off with fresh fruit and you’ve got yourself a perfectly refreshing, spring-time treat.

Mini Cheesecake Cookie Cups

Spring is in the air and I have been loving light, fruity desserts. Of course, you all know I love cheesecake and who doesn’t appreciate a good sugar cookie? I am so excited to share this recipe with you because it combines both of these delightfully simple components, adds in some fresh fruit, and produces a dessert worthy of any spring-time gathering.

And cookie cups are such great little treats. They are small enough to not feel super guilty about eating them, they are perfect for traveling with and sharing, and with the filling (the same one from my Mini Strawberry Cheesecake Cookie Cups!) and fresh fruit on top, they feel more special than your average cookie, but aren’t really much extra work. Time to get baking!

An easy fruit cheesecake sugar cookie cup with a bite taken out of it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These fruit cheesecake sugar cookie cups are hard not to love. They are so tasty, absolutely adorable, and super fun to customize. Here are some reasons I think you’ll fall in love with them.

  • So many textures and flavors. A soft, chewy cookie. Smooth, creamy cheesecake filling. Juicy fresh fruit. Each component has its own unique flavor and texture. They all complement each other beautifully making for the perfect bite.
  • Light and bright. These little confections won’t weigh you down or overwhelm your palate. Their delicate flavors make them perfect for a spring-time luncheon or an Easter soiree.
  • Visually appealing. There is no arguing that these cookie cups are both adorable and quite beautiful at the same time. This makes them even more fun to eat and the perfect things to awe a crowd.
  • Customizable. I love the flexibility that these little confections provide. Sure I’m using a sugar cookie and a cheesecake filling, but you could go so many different directions here. Just pick a cookie, a filling, and a topping. See the section below titled “Topping and Filling Ideas” for inspiration.

What is a Cookie Cup?

A cookie cup takes a basic cookie, bakes it in a cup shape using a muffin/cupcake pan and dresses it up with a sweet topping. Because the cookie portion of the dessert is shaped like a cup, it can accommodate a significant amount of filling. Once the cookie is baked, the cup is filled with cheesecake filling, whipped cream, frosting, or whatever delicious confection the baker sees fit and is topped off with (in this case) fresh fruit. Yum!

Overhead of easy fruit cheesecake cookie cups.

Recipe Ingredients

You might have to run to the store for some cream cheese and fresh fruit, but my guess is that you have most of what it takes to make these fruit cheesecake sugar cookie cups in your kitchen already. Here’s a list of what you’ll need. Scroll to the recipe below for exact measurements.

Cookie Cups 

  • Unsalted butter – The butter should be at room temperature. It will mix more smoothly with the other ingredients than cold butter and will hold more air than warm butter, giving you a fluffier cookie.
  • Sugar – Good old-fashioned granulated sugar is great here.
  • Egg – Be sure to use a large egg, not another size.
  • Vanilla extract
  • All-purpose flour – Feel free to use your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour instead.
  • Baking soda – For the right texture and chewiness.
  • Cornstarch – To add a little softness to the cookies.
  • Salt – For flavor.

Cheesecake Filling and Topping

  • Cream cheese – Be sure to use a brick-style cream cheese, which is much ticker, not the tub-style cream cheese. The cream cheese should be at room temperature. It will incorporate more smoothly with the other ingredients and ensure a clump-free filling.
  • Powdered sugar – For a little sweetness and to thicken the filling a touch.
  • Vanilla extract – For flavor.
  • Assortment of chopped fresh fruit
Easy fruit cheesecake sugar cookie cups arranged on a cake platter.

How to Make Fruit Cheesecake Cookie Cups

Are you ready to make these easy mini cheesecakes? Here’s how to do it:

For the cookie cups

  • Prep. Grease a cupcake pan and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
  • Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to combine.
  • Make the cookie cups. Divide the cookie dough into the cupcake tins and press the dough into the bottom and part way up the sides of each tin.
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes.
  • Shape. Remove the cupcake pan from the oven. If the indent in the cookie does not seem deep enough to fill with cheesecake filling, press it down a bit with the back of a tablespoon.
  • Cool. Allow the cookie cups to cool for 5 minutes before carefully turning them out onto a cooling rack. If you you
Using a tablespoon to make a divot in sugar cookies baked in cupcake tins.

For the cheesecake filling and topping

  • Make the filling. Beat the cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth.
  • Fill. Pipe or scoop cheesecake filling into the cookie cups.
  • Top with fresh fruit.
Making cream cheese filling for easy fruit cheesecake sugar cookie cups.

Tips for Success

These cookie cup cheesecakes are pretty easy to make, but it never hurts to have a few tricks at the ready. Here are my top tips:

  • Start with room-temperature ingredients. For the cookies, start with room-temperature butter. It will hold air better, producing a fluffier cookie cup. For the cream cheese filling, make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature to ensure a smooth filling.
  • Grease thoroughly. These cookie cups have a tendency to be a little tricky to get out of the pan. So grease the cupcake pan liberally before pressing the cookie dough into the tins.
  • Let the cookie cool completely before filling. If it is still warm, the cheesecake filling will become runny and you will have a mess on your hands.
  • Wait to decorate. The fresh fruit on top will go bad over time. These look their best shortly after the fruit is cut and added to the top. So if you are making these in advance, go ahead and bake the cookies. You can even make the filling ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator (keep in mind that you’ll need to let it come back to room temperature in order to pipe it into the cookies). Just don’t put the two components together until you are ready to also add the fruit.

Topping and Filling Ideas

This is such a classic recipe. Classic sugar cookie. Classic cheesecake filling. Fresh fruit. I think it’s pretty perfect as is. That being said, I wouldn’t fault you if you wanted to put your own spin on these fruit cheesecake sugar cookie cups. Here are some ideas you might like.

Easy fruit cheesecake sugar cookie cups arranged on a cake platter.

How to Store Cookie Cups

Cookie cups must be stored in the refrigerator due to their perishable filling. Arrange them in a single layer in an airtight container, seal the container, and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I recommend waiting to add the fresh fruit until you are ready to enjoy.

Can I Freeze Them?

You can! These cookie cups actually freeze quite nicely. Before adding the fresh fruit, arrange the filled cookie cups in a single layer in an airtight container, seal the container, and place it in the freezer. You can also individually wrap the cookie cups for a single-serve option.

In either case, they will keep nicely for up to 2 months in the freezer. When you are ready to devour them, allow them to thaw in the refrigerator before topping with fresh fruit.

More Cookie Cups Recipes to Try

Did these fruit cheesecake sugar cookie cups get you excited about cookie cups? Good! They are so fun to make and share. Here are a few of my other favorites.

Print
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Easy fruit cheesecake sugar cookie cups arranged on a cake platter.
Recipe

Fruit Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Cups

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: About 22 Cookie Cups
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Chewy sugar cookies filled with a classic cheesecake filling and topped with fresh fruit. These little gems are perfect for your next spring gathering. 


Ingredients

Cookie cups 

  • 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cups (168g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup (207g) sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Cheesecake filling and topping

  • 12 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 3/4 cups (201g) powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Assortment of chopped fresh fruit

Instructions

  1. Spray cupcake pan with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cornstarch and salt. Set aside.
  3. Add the butter and sugar to a large mixer bowl and beat together for 2-3 minutes, until light in color and fluffy in texture.
  4. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined.
  5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined, but don’t over mix. Dough will be thick.
  6. Makes balls of about 2 tbsp of dough. Press cookie dough in bottom and about 1/2 way up the sides of each cupcake cup, forming a cup shape.
  7. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until cookie cups are lightly golden around the edges.
  8. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to finish cooling. If the centers aren’t cupped enough to add filling, use the end of a wooden spoon or the bottom of a tablespoon to press the center down a bit while they are still warm and fresh out of the oven.
  9. Once cookie have cooled, make the cheesecake filling. Add the cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar to a large mixer bowl and beat together until smooth and well combined.
  10. Pipe or scoop cheesecake filling into the cookie cups, then top with assorted fresh fruit.
  11. Store the cookie cups in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They are best eaten within 3-4 days, depending how well your fruit on top lasts.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Cookie Cup
  • Calories: 315
  • Sugar: 25.5 g
  • Sodium: 152.1 mg
  • Fat: 16.5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 39 g
  • Protein: 3.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 56 mg

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117 Comments
  1. Linda

    What are your thoughts on using a jam or marmalade instead of the cheesecake filling, then adding the fruit to match the jam or marmalade. Or would you recommend using one of your other cookie cup recipes with this idea. Appreciate your thoughts. Can’t wait to make with the grand kids who love to bake.

  2. Beth

    These look perfect for a bridal shower I’m hosting! Can I freeze the cookie crust before filling them and then defrost and fill the day before serving?

    1. Lindsay

      Sure, that would be fine. Just store them in an airtight container, and then thaw them in the fridge before adding the filling.

    1. Lindsay

      They should be done when they are beginning to brown around the edges. They may be a little soft in the middle, but will firm up as they cool.

  3. Lorraine

    I made these and they were delicious but I’d Like to  try making them in the mini muffin pan this time. How long should I bake them in the mini muffin pan?

    1. Lindsay

      I haven’t tried minis, but I know people have had success with them. The amount of dough for each cupcake would be less, but I’m not sure on the baking time.

  4. Natasha Cox

    This recipe looks so good! Can’t wait to try it. I was wondering if the cookie crust is soft and chewy or hard/crispy? I personally prefer soft.

  5. Christopher

    I really love this recipe but I need a little help because I’m making it for a friend who is vegan and I don’t know what to substitute the ingredients with

  6. Bea Kay

    Thank you so much for this recipe. I found your adorable and yummy recipe when I was searching for bridal shower desserts. I made them for a shower today and they were definitely a hit! My daughter ate the one that wouldn’t fit in the container for breakfast this morning 🙂 so needless to say, we are making more for our family tonight. So happy to have found your site. It looks delicious and inspiring!

  7. Empress

    Came back to add that since my last comment, I’ve made these for over 10 events and it’s been a hit at every one! Thanks again this awesome recipe. Oh and I’m making 65 of these next wknd for another shower!

  8. sharon

    I’m making the cupcake now but my question is can the butter be replaced with margarine? will the dough still rise and look the same? have u ever tried it that way before?

    1. Lindsay

      I wouldn’t suggest margarine. Butter and margarine have a quite different water content, so it wouldn’t bake the same.

  9. Empress

    I made these for a baby shower including a watermelon fruit stroller. They were gone in 5 mins! Will be making them again this wknd for another party but will cut down on the sugar.Thanks for the recipe. I love it!

  10. Laura Peil

    These look great and I want to make them for the 4th of July. But there seems to be a difference between your chessecake filling here and on the little strawberry ones. Could you please clarify whether it is 1 1/4 or 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar? Thanks!

    1. Lindsay

      They are both correct as written for each recipe. One has a little thicker filling than the other from the powdered sugar. Feel free to use more or less powdered sugar.

  11. Linda Soper

    I found your recipe it looks so good. I am making desserts for a work party could you please tell me if I use a mini cupcake pan or reg. size…

    Thank You

  12. elena

    do the dough for the cookie cup should be put in the freezer before baking?…I’ve made them two times and they didnt come up whell as yours :(((( could you please tell me this recipe in grams instead of cups.thank you very much

    1. lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com

      I don’t freeze them. How are they different than you want them to be, so I can help? When mine come out of the oven, I use the underside of a measuring tablespoon to press the indent in the center of the cookie. There are various websites that convert recipes and ingredients online, if you’d like to convert it.

      1. elena

        i tried to convert them ,but the measure is diferent in diferent sites.ok it doesent matter.thank you for youre answer

  13. Andrea

    This was amazing! One of my favorite dessert recipes I’ve made yet. Also, it has a beautiful presentation. I chose to pipe my filling and also use a little extra cream cheese.

  14. Marissa W.

    Hi Lindsay,
    Will the sugar cookie stay soft and moist when they ready to be served or will it become hard and crisp after they bake?

    Thank you.

    1. lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com

      They will stay soft. If you refrigerate them, just make sure to let them come closer to room temperature before serving. If they’re cold, they’ll be firmer.

  15. Sue Manner

    Making these for Memorial Day. Would love to make the night before. Has anyone done that? Could I just make the cookie part? Afraid they will get soggy if I fill them ahead. Would love to do them completely the day before.

    1. lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com

      They won’t get soggy overnight. You can definitely do them the night before. If anything you could wait to add the fruit – cut fruit can start to look old after too long.

  16. Kayla

    These look like a great alternative to sugar cookie fruit-topped pizza! I thought at first they were in mini muffin cups, but then I wondered if it’s really regular muffin cups?

    Maybe I could make mini with less dough and placing one raspberry in each? I wish I knew how to make it a lemon/raspberry flavor too. Will need to experiment. Thanks again for this!

    1. lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com

      Thanks Kayla! Definitely an alternative to the pizza. They are made in regular muffin tins, but you could make them mini and use raspberries. I made some lemon raspberry cookie sandwiches the other day – you could use some elements from those to make these lemon raspberry.

  17. Bugz

    These cheesecake cups are DYNAMITE! Thank you so much for sharing!
    But I gotta ask, any chance you have the nutritional info?

    1. lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com

      I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I don’t have the nutritional information, but I know there are sites that will calculate it for you.

  18. Jennifer

    So many gorgeous things happening in one post… I’ve pinned them all! Your cheesecake cookie cups will be making an appearance for Easter this weekend…thanks for sharing 🙂

    1. lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com

      Thank you for all the pins Jennifer! You’ll LOVE these cookie cups for Easter! I’m thinking of making them again even though it’s only been about a week since I had them last – so good! 🙂

  19. Marvelous Mondays 94 with Easter Desserts - This Gal Cooks

    […] Fruit Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Cups by Life Love and Sugar […]

  20. Monica

    I doubled this recipe last weekend for a wedding shower and every single one of them went. These are so delicious, I love the sugar cookie bottom. I have a party tonight and my Husband asked me to make these again because he didn’t have enough last weekend. The are amazing, thank you for sharing such an awesome recipe!!

  21. CJ Huang

    These cookie cups look beautiful! And they’re fairly simple and have fruit too. 🙂 I’d love if you stopped by and shared with us on Five Friday Finds! 🙂

  22. Lauren

    Hi – These look amazing and I can’t wait to make them@!! Just wondering – did you use a mini muffin pan or a regular size cupcake pan to make these?

  23. Mandy@Mandy's Recipe Box

    These look insanely delicious! I can’t wait to make these with all the fresh fruit this season!

  24. Shanice

    This looks soo yummy! I would love it if you joined and contribute your awesome posts at my link party at City of Creative Dreams on Fridays 😀 Hope to see you there at City of Creative Dreams Link Party

  25. Adam @ The Domestic Beast

    This looks like such an amazing idea, all I have been thinking about is how good sugar cookies and cheesecake would be together!!

  26. Cathy Milne

    Oh my!!! These look so easy and so very tasty. I will be making these a lot, especially during the summer!!

  27. Judit & Corina |Wine DIne Daily

    These darling fruit cups look so fresh and beautiful, Lindsay! Just perfect for a spring or summer garden party 🙂

  28. Cookie Carrie

    these are so cute!! and totally like something i have dreamt of but never actually created. LOVE them. may have to do something like this for Easter this year!

  29. Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust

    These are gorgeous!! I love this idea (so much that I have a similar one, but different enough, coming up, ha!) #greatminds Your photos are stunning!

  30. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice

    These looks absolutely delicious! I’ve made mini cheesecakes before, but never with a sugar cookie crust, so I’m eager to try this!

  31. Lisa @ Garnish with Lemon

    These are gorgeous! The fruit in them makes them totally acceptable for breakfast, right?

    1. lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com

      I made a ball of dough and pressed it into the bottom and up the sides of the cupcake tin. I made sure the sides were fairly even before baking. Then when they came out, I used the underside of a tablespoon (like the official measuring spoon, not a spoon I eat food with) to make the hole a little more pronounced.

  32. Janet

    Is this sugar a cup for cup ratio if I were to use regular white sugar? Thanks for the recipe. These look really delicious!

      1. Lindsay

        I don’t really work with self rising flour. If you try it, you’d probably want to leave out the baking soda, since self rising flour has a leaving agent in it already. I’m not sure how it’d turn out though.

Lindsay
About Lindsay

I'm a wife and a mom to twin boys and a baby girl! And I've got a serious sweets addiction! Bring on the treats!

Scripture I’m Loving

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29