These Chocolate Cream Pie Cookie Cups begin with a graham cracker cookie base (think a chocolate chip-less cookie), have a no bake chocolate cream pie filling made with cream cheese, and are topped with silky whipped cream. One of my favorite make ahead desserts. A step-by-step recipe video too!
Have you ever played one of those ice breaker games where you have to tell an interesting fact about yourself?
(Or worse yet, you have to tell 3 interesting facts, which is problematic when you can’t even come with one remotely interesting response.)
You see, I don’t do as well under pressure as I’d like to, and when put on the spot, I totally get stage fright and freeze and can only come up with something weird like, “I have a double jointed hip (but don’t ask me to show you because I’m no longer 12 and it might not pop back in),” while everyone else is telling us how they’re related to Abraham Lincoln or backpacked through Europe or was a series regular on a TV show.
Over achievers. 😉
I prefer games like, “If you were on the Del Taco menu, what would you be?” Or “What fictional city would live in and why?” Not only can I articulate an answer like a normal human being, I feel like you actually get to know people a little better.
(In case you were wondering, my answers would definitely be the chicken tacos, because it’s a classic and has a ton of cheese—just like my jokes, and the fictional city would hands down be River Heights, despite the apparent high crime rate.)
My favorite game, of course, would be “What dessert would you take with you on a desert island,” because it would obviously be these Chocolate Cream Pie Cookie Cups.
Reasons Why You Need To Make These Chocolate Cookie Cups Stat:
- Simple: Yes, there are a few steps to this recipe, however, the steps are very simple. Make the cookie base. Make the filling. Top with whipped cream.
- Cookie Base: Graham cracker crumbs are mixed directly into the cookie dough, which makes this crust a cross between a graham cracker crust and a brown sugar cookie—aka, it’s amazing any way you spin it.
- Chocolate Filling: The chocolate cream pie filling is made with cream cheese and it is silky smooth! It’s a no bake filling that comes together with just a few ingredients!
- Mini: Who doesn’t love a mini dessert?! These are mini chocolate cream pie cookie cups baked in a mini muffin tin.
- Updated Classic: It’s a fun twist on the classic chocolate cream pie with graham cracker crust.
Now, cookie cup dessert recipes are nothing new. In fact, I have a few here on my site already (all of which I think you need to make asap):
While I am partial to all desserts, and while I might hail cheesecake as the dessert to end all desserts, there’s nothing like a fresh baked cookie or a decadent, rich, cream pie (this Chocolate Chip Cookie Peanut Butter Pie and this Double Chocolate Chip Strawberry Nutella Pie totally fit the bill too).
Luckily (or not-so-luckily, depending upon your willpower), these chocolate cookie cups are a combination of both. They’ve got the fresh baked graham cracker cookie cup and the rich chocolate cream filling that I kind of just want to eat with a spoon.
Ingredients:
Chocolate Cream Filling:
- cream cheese: full fat cream cheese makes for the richest filling, but you can use a lower fat cream cheese if you prefer
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
- cocoa powder
Cookie Cups (graham cracker cookies):
- unsalted butter: unsalted butter allows you to control the salt content in these cookies
- granulated sugar
- brown sugar
- egg
- vanilla extract
- baking soda and salt
- graham cracker crumbs: some of the flour is replaced with graham cracker crumbs, which gives these cookies a warm, nutty flavor—think a graham cracker crust in a chewy, buttery cookie form
- all purpose flour
Whipped Cream
- heavy whipping cream
- instant pudding mix: this is used to stabilize the whipped cream, which is a fancy way of saying it keeps the whipped cream from getting too weepy. It will be stiffer and will last longer.
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
How To Make Chocolate Cream Cookie Cups:
- Cookie Crust: Make the cookie cups by creaming butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add in the egg, and mix until combined. Next, add in vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt. Finally, add in graham cracker crumbs and flour. Mix until combined.
- Bake: Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough (about 1” Tbsp) into balls and place one in mini muffin tin. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Cool: Press centers down to form a cup shape (I used a tsp to do this). Allow to cool for about 5-10 minutes before removing from the mini muffin tin. Then, allow to cool completely.
- Whipped Cream: Whisk heavy whipping cream and instant pudding until soft peaks form. Add in powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and whisk until stiff peaks form. Divide in half.
- Creamy Chocolate Filling: Mix cream cheese, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together. Once combined, fold in half of the whipped cream until everything is incorporated.
- Assembly: Spoon a little chocolate filling into each cookie cup. Then pipe with whipped cream. Top with mini chocolate chips or chocolate shavings, if desired.
- Serve: Chill at least 30 minutes before serving.
Is This a Make Ahead Dessert?
- Yes! You can make these cookie cups 1-2 days in advance and keep them refrigerated until you are ready to serve.
Storage Tips:
- Because of the cream cheese chocolate filling and the whipped cream, leftovers do need to be stored in the fridge.
- Once chilled, they can sit at room temperature for a couple of hours (the stabilized whipped cream will hold it’s shape), but any leftovers should be stored in the fridge.
- Store them in an airtight container.
- I do not suggest freezing these.
Quick and Easy Cookie Cups Baking Tips:
- First of all, let’s talk about the no bake chocolate cream pie filling. Many no bake chocolate pie recipes call for pudding, including quite a few of my no bake pie recipes. However, this is a chocolate cream cheese pie, if you will.
- The cream cheese, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar is folded with homemade whipped cream to make a perfect chocolate cream pie filling (the texture is slightly reminiscent of a chocolate mousse).
- These mini cookie cups are baked in a muffin tin. I used a teaspoon to press the centers down into a “cup,” but you can use a spoon or any small, circular kitchen tool.
- Lastly, the homemade whipped cream calls for a bit of instant pudding powder as it helps make stabilized whipped cream. I opted for white chocolate instant pudding, but you can use vanilla as well.
Be still my heart. ❤
These Chocolate Cream Pie Cookie Cups begin with a graham cracker cookie base (think a chocolate chip-less cookie), have a no bake chocolate cream pie filling made with cream cheese, and are topped with silky whipped cream. Step by step video too!
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 Tbsp white chocolate instant pudding mix (this stabilizes the whipped cream)
- 1 Tbsp powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- chocolate shavings or mini chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin with baking spray. Set aside.
- Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until well combined (using a standing mixer, hand mixer, or by hand).
- Add in the egg, and mix until combined.
- Add in vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt, mixing until combined.
- Next, add in graham cracker crumbs and flour. Mix until well combined.
- Using a 1” cookie scoop (about 1 Tbsp) disperse dough evenly between the muffin cups.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and the centers have risen (once you take the cookie cups out of the oven, the centers might sink a bit, which is fine).
- Immediately, or within a couple of minutes, press centers down to form a cup shape (I used a tsp to do this). Allow to cool completely.
With a standing mixer or hand mixer, whip the heavy cream and white chocolate pudding mix until soft peaks form. Add in powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and whip until the consistency of whipped cream.
- Divide whipped cream in half.
- Mix cream cheese, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar together. Once well combined, fold in half of the whipped cream, gently mixing until everything is incorporated.
- Spoon the chocolate cream pie filling into each cookie cup, about 1 Tbsp or so.
- With a piping bag and star tip, pipe the remaining whipped cream onto each cookie cup.
- Sprinkle with chocolate shavings or mini chocolate chips.
Chill cookie cups for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Store leftovers in the fridge.
- Enjoy!
(Originally published in 2018; updated in 2021.)
Here are some other recipes to try next:
Dave M says
I made these cookies and everyone just loved them!! This recipe is amazing!!! I will continue to make these because they are so good!!!!!