Chocolate Cookie Cups with Pistachio Frosting
Mini chocolate cookie cups filled with a luscious pistachio cream cheese frosting. These bite-sized treats are rich, nutty, and perfect for any occasion.
Servings: 32 cookies
Equipment
- Mini muffin tin
- Stand mixer or electric beaters
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookie Cups
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup natural cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter soft room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ~ ¼ cup granulated sugar for rolling (optional)
Pistachio Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese soft room temperature
- 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter soft room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar sifted
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup pistachio butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Toppings (optional)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped chocolate
- flakey sea salt
Instructions
Make the cookies
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- In a large bowl, sift together 2 cups flour, ½ cup cocoa, ¾ tsp salt and ¾ tsp baking soda.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using electric beaters), cream 8 ounces butter, 1 ¼ cup brown sugar, and 1 tbsp molasses until soft and well combined, 1-2 minutes.
- Add 1 egg and 2 tsp vanilla; mix well.
- Add dry ingredients and fold in gently on low speed just until combined.
- Pour about ¼ cup sugar into a small bowl. Scoop cookie dough into balls using a small spring-loaded scoop, about 1 ½ tablespoons. Roll each ball in sugar, tossing to coat, then place in mini muffin tin. Press down lightly on each cookie dough ball to flatten. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until tops spring back when lightly pressed.
- As soon as they come out of the oven, use a shot glass to indent each cookie. Gently press the shot glass into each cookie until you feel a little resistance – you should end up with about a 1/2" indent.
- Allow to cool completely and then remove cookies from the muffin tin.
Make the pistachio frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 4 oz cream cheese until smooth and no lumps remain. Add 4 oz soft butter; cream again until well-mixed and completely smooth, 2-3 minutes.
- Add ½ cup sifted powdered sugar and a pinch of salt. Blend well.
- Add ¼ cup pistachio butter and ½ tsp vanilla. Beat until smooth and well blended, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust as desired (you may want a little more sweetness, pistachio flavor, or vanilla).
Assemble the cookie cups
- Pipe pistachio frosting into indents made in cookies. Decorate with chopped pistachios, chocolate, and sea salt flakes if desired.