Valentine’s Day Cookie Cups
Valentine’s Day Cookie Cups are delightful, semi-homemade treats that hide a sweet chocolate surprise inside each bite. This quick recipe mixes a sugar cookie mix with just 4 simple ingredients to create soft, chewy cookie dough that wraps around the chocolate, baking up into perfect little cups packed with love.
Shortcut Valentine’s Day Cookie Cups With A Sweet Surprise
Forget the usual box of chocolates! Baking these homemade Valentine’s Day Cookie Cups is such a simple, heartfelt way to wow your special someone. Plus, I’ve got a handy shortcut that makes it easy to whip these up even when you’re short on time or words.
I rely on a bag of sugar cookie mix to keep things straightforward. It only takes a few pantry basics pulled together in minutes, and the dough turns into the softest, chewiest, buttery pink base you can imagine. Then, each dough ball wraps around a Hershey’s Hug for that perfect chocolate center.
Here’s the genius part: baking these cookie cups in a muffin tin means they stay thick and don’t spread like your usual cookie. That way, every bite is loaded with that melty Hershey’s goodness.
Honestly, homemade goodies like this are the most meaningful and delicious expressions of love. These Valentine’s Day Cookie Cups also look so festive with their sprinkle decorations and rosy hues, making a fun and tasty way to share the love with your family and friends.
Why We Love This Valentine’s Day Cookie Cups Recipe
- Quick and simple prep using a sugar cookie mix and just 4 other ingredients.
- Mini treats that bake in just about 10 minutes.
- A thoughtful homemade alternative to a typical box of chocolates.
- Soft, chewy, pink cookies that sneak a chocolate hug inside.
- A fantastic baking project to enjoy with the kids.
- Great for Valentine’s Day desserts, school parties, or heartfelt homemade gifts.
Ingredients
- Packaged sugar cookie mix: Homemade sugar cookie dough works well too, just be sure to add the food coloring when mixing in the wet ingredients. Snickerdoodle cookie mix is also an option—just skip the cinnamon sugar packet.
- Salted butter: Swap with unsalted butter if needed, then add a pinch of salt to balance flavors.
- All-purpose flour
- Egg
- Pink or red food coloring: For a natural twist, try blending fresh strawberries or raspberries and use their juice for coloring.
- Hershey’s Hugs (unwrapped): Any Hershey’s Kiss-style chocolate works great here.
- Decorative sprinkles (optional, for topping)
Substitutions and Additions
- Swap the Candy: Try Reese’s peanut butter cups, Rolos, caramel M&Ms, or any small, individually wrapped candy for a fun surprise inside your cookie cups.
- Personalize for the Occasion: This recipe is easy to tweak for any celebration. Use red and white Hershey’s Hugs and crushed candy cane for Christmas, green sprinkles for St. Patrick’s Day, pastel colors for baby showers or Easter, or Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and orange sprinkles for Halloween fun.
- Fun Toppings Galore: Decorate your cookie cups with mini chocolate chips, tiny M&Ms, colorful sprinkles, or nonpareils right after baking. You can also drizzle chocolate, add frosting, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Mini cupcake pan
- Cooking spray
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls (both large and small)
-
Spoons or spatulas for mixing
How to Make Valentine’s Day Cookie Cups
This Valentine’s Day Cookie Cups recipe is a perfect blend of simplicity and sweet fun. With the sugar cookie mixture thick enough to cradle a hidden chocolate surprise in each bite, these pink treats are not only charming but truly homemade with heart.
- Start by spraying your mini cupcake pan with cooking spray, then preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, beat together your sugar cookie mix, melted butter, flour, egg, and just enough food coloring to get a lovely pink shade. Feel free to tweak the coloring to match your mood or occasion! Pro Tip: Lightly add food coloring until you get your perfect pink.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and flatten it with your hands or a rolling pin until it’s roughly the size of your palm. Pro Tip: Don’t stress over perfect shapes; homemade charm is all about love and imperfection.
- Place one unwrapped Hershey’s Hug smack in the middle of your flattened dough, then gently wrap the dough up and around the chocolate to form a round ball. Pro Tip: Dough tends to crack while wrapping—just smooth it with your fingers and press firmly to seal.
- Place each chocolate-filled dough ball upright into your greased muffin pan. Keep going until you’ve used all your dough.
- Bake the cookie cups for 10-12 minutes, or until their edges look set and slightly golden.
- Right out of the oven, sprinkle your favorite decorative sprinkles on top to dress them up. Pro Tip: Press sprinkles gently into the warm dough so they stick better and look adorable.
- Let the cookie cups cool for at least 15 minutes before carefully removing them from the muffin pan. Pro Tip: They need that little resting time to firm up so they don’t fall apart on you.
Storage Tips
- Keep Fresh: Store your Valentine’s Day Cookie Cups in an airtight container on the counter at room temperature. They’ll stay soft and tasty for up to two weeks—perfect for making ahead for parties or gift-giving.
- Freeze for Later: If you want to save them longer, wrap each cookie cup individually in plastic wrap or foil. Then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They freeze beautifully for 5-6 months. Just thaw at room temp when you’re ready to enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to chill my cookie dough?
No need to chill this dough! It’s a soft sugar cookie dough that’s baked directly in mini muffin tins instead of rolled and cut, making chilling totally unnecessary and saving you time.
Can I prepare these in advance?
Absolutely! You can make the dough ahead and keep it tightly wrapped in the fridge for a day or two. When ready, just form balls around the Hershey’s Hugs and bake as usual.
Can my kids help prepare these cookie cups?
Yes! This recipe is perfect for little hands. My kids love unwrapping the hugs and hiding them in the dough. It’s a fun family activity that makes baking happier and creates special memories.
Other Easy Valentines Day Dessert Recipes
- Valentine’s Day Snack Mix (Sugar Cookie Popcorn)
Delightful Valentine’s Day Cookie Cups made from sugar cookie mix and simple ingredients, hiding a sweet chocolate Hershey’s Hug inside each bite. These soft, chewy, buttery pink cookie cups are baked in mini muffin tins for thick texture and festive appearance.
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 25 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 17.5 ounce package sugar cookie mix (or homemade sugar cookie dough)
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- Pink or red food coloring (or natural juice from strawberries or raspberries)
- 24–26 unwrapped Hershey’s Hugs (or any Kiss-style chocolate)
- Decorative sprinkles (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Coat a mini cupcake pan with cooking spray and preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large mixing bowl, blend together sugar cookie mix, melted butter, flour, egg, and enough food coloring to achieve desired pink shade.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and flatten to roughly the size of your palm with your hand or rolling pin.
- Place one unwrapped Hershey’s Hug in the center of the flattened dough, then gently wrap dough around chocolate to form a ball. Smooth out any cracks to seal.
- Place each chocolate-filled dough ball upright into the prepared muffin tin cups. Repeat until all dough and chocolates are used.
- Bake cookie cups for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are set and slightly golden.
- Immediately after baking, sprinkle decorative sprinkles on top and press gently to stick them into warm dough.
- Let cookie cups cool in the muffin pan for at least 15 minutes before carefully removing to prevent them from falling apart.
Notes
Store cookie cups in an airtight container at room temperature; they remain soft and tasty up to two weeks., For longer storage, individually wrap cookie cups and freeze in a freezer-safe container or bag up to 5-6 months; thaw at room temperature before serving., Allow 15 minutes cooling time before removing from pan to help cookie cups firm up and prevent crumbling., When wrapping dough around chocolate, don’t stress over cracks, just smooth and press dough well to seal., Sprinkles adhere best when applied immediately after baking while dough is warm.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie cup
- Calories: 138 kcal
- Fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Protein: 1 g
