Description
Soft sugar cookie cups filled with silky lemon curd and dusted with powdered sugar—these Lemon Bar Cookie Cups combine buttery sweetness and bright citrus zing in a fun, bite‑sized format.
Ingredients
- For the cookie cups:
1 ½ cups all‑purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract - For the lemon curd filling:
½ cup fresh lemon juice (≈ 2–3 lemons)
Zest of 1 lemon
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces - Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Grease a mini muffin pan (or line with mini liners).
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In another bowl, cream the softened butter with granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla.
- Gradually add the dry flour mixture into the butter mixture, mixing until just combined into a soft dough.
- Roll the dough into ~1‑inch balls and place one ball into each mini muffin cup. Gently press down to flatten slightly.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, just until the edges begin to turn golden. Remove from oven.
- While warm, use the back of a spoon (or your thumb) to press the center of each cookie to form a small well (indentation) for filling.
- Allow cookie cups to cool completely in the pan.
- Prepare the lemon curd: In a saucepan over medium‑low heat, whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and eggs. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens (5–7 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the butter until smooth.
- Let the curd cool to room temperature.
- Spoon about 1 teaspoon (or as much as will fit) of lemon curd into each cookie cup, filling close to the top.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the curd to set.
- Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
- If you prefer, you can use a quick, no‑cook lemon filling for convenience, but the cooked curd gives a richer texture. (Some recipes use this approach.) :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
- Run a thin knife or offset spatula around the edges of each cookie cup immediately after baking to help release them from the pan. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
- The powdered sugar melts into the curd if added too early, so dust right before serving for best presentation. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
- These keep best refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4–5 days. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
- You can freeze the baked cookie cups (without the curd) and fill them after thawing. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10–12 minutes + curd cooking time (≈ 7 minutes)
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking + stovetop curd
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie cup
- Calories: approx 120–140
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 30–40mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
