These red velvet cookie cups are filled with a cream cheese frosting. This recipe is 100% homemade and so easy to make! 

Deep dish red velvet cookie cups with cream cheese frosting on a white plate.

So I promised one more cute Valentine’s Day dessert and here it is! When I think of Valentine’s Day my mind automatically goes to red velvet desserts.

Not only are they a gorgeous shade of red, but they also have a slightly chocolatey flavor. I decided to mix up some red velvet cookies and make these cute little cookie cups. And, of course, fill them with some cream cheese frosting. Because red velvet + cream cheese = amazing!

Ingredients in This Recipe 

To make these mini deep dish cookies, you’ll need the following ingredients:

  • All-purpose flour: Spoon and level the flour when measuring it to avoid making dense cookies. 
  • Cocoa powder: May need to be sifted if there are lots of little lumps. 
  • Baking soda: Helps the cookie cups rise in the oven. 
  • Salt: Enhances the chocolate flavor. 
  • Butter: Use unsalted butter because the amount of salt in salted butters varies between brands.
  • Sugar: I used both brown and granulated sugar in this recipe to add sweetness and moisture. 
  • Egg: Needs to be room temperature before being mixed into the cookie dough. 
  • Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla will give the strongest flavor. 
  • Red food coloring: Gives this dessert its signature red color. 
  • Cream cheese: Needs to be softened to room temperature before making the frosting. 
  • Confectioners sugar: Also known as powdered sugar. Sweetens the frosting without making it grainy. 

Deep dish red velvet cookie cups with cream cheese frosting on a white plate. A cake stand of cookie cups is in the background.

How to Make Cookie Cups 

First, make the red velvet cookie dough just like you would any other cookie. Once you mix up the dough, you’ll distribute it between all of the little mini muffin cavities and bake it for about 11 to 13 minutes.  

Just a word of advice, make sure not to under bake the cookie cups otherwise they’ll be too soft to pull out of the pan.  If you press down on the center (I used the back of a measuring teaspoon to do this part), they should look done in the middle and maybe just a little soft. That’s when you know they’re done.

I also let them cool for about 5 to 10 minutes in the pan too, which lets them firm up a little more and cool off so they’re easier to remove.

While the cookie cups are cooling, you can mix up the cream cheese frosting. Once they have cooled completely, you can pipe the frosting into each of the cookie cups. 

Storage Instructions 

Since these are made with cream cheese, you’ll need to store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll last up to five days, noting that they can dry out over time.  

Four red velvet deep dish cookies with cream cheese frosting on a white plate.

Can I Make This Recipe as Regular Cookies? 

I haven’t tried baking this recipe as as regular cookies, but I imagine that you could. You may need another tablespoon or two of flour or to chill the cookie dough to prevent the cookies from spreading. 

Baking Tips 

  • Since you’ll be baking these red velvet deep dish cookies in a mini muffin pan, you won’t have to worry about spreading so there’s no need to chill the cookie dough.
  • The dough will be a little bit sticky, so you can feel free to refrigerate it for about 30 minutes to make it easier to work with. I was able to work with the dough just fine without chilling it.
  • If you don’t have a piping bag and tip, a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off or even a spoon will work just fine to distribute the cream cheese frosting. 

More Red Velvet Desserts to Try!

Red Velvet Cookie Cups

4.67 from 3 ratings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 33 minutes
These red velvet cookie cups are filled with a cream cheese frosting. This recipe is 100% homemade and so easy to make! 
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Ingredients

Servings: 24 cookie cups

Red Velvet Cookie Cups:

  • 1 and 1/2 cups (190 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
  • 3 tablespoons (16 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter , softened
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg , room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) liqiuid red food coloring

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 1/4 cup (60 grams) unsalted butter , softened
  • 4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese , softened
  • 1 cup (120 grams) confectioners sugar (aka powdered sugar)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
 

To make the cookie cups:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 24-count mini muffin pan well with non stick cooking spray and set aside.
  • Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl and mix until fully combined.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl using a hand-held mixer), beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Mix in the egg, vanilla, and red food coloring, making sure to mix well after each ingredient.
  • Slowly mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.
  • Scoop the dough out and evenly distribute it between all of the 24 mini muffin cavities.
  • Bake at 350°F for 11-13 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently press the center of each cookie in with the back of a measuring teaspoon.
  • Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

To make the cream cheese frosting:

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl using a hand-held mixer), beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until well combined.
  • Once the cookie cups have cooled completely, fill each one with frosting as desired.

Notes

Storage instructions: Since these are made with cream cheese, you'll need to store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Danielle Rye
Did you make this recipe?Mention @livewellbakeoften on Instagram or tag #livewellbakeoften.