Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Cups (Printable Version)

Rich chocolate cookie cups with a creamy peppermint cheesecake filling, ideal for festive gatherings.

# Ingredients:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 240 g all-purpose flour (can substitute gluten-free flour)
02 - 30 g Dutch-processed cocoa powder
03 - 15 g black cocoa powder (or Dutch-processed cocoa as substitute)
04 - 5 g baking soda
05 - 3 g salt

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 115 g unsalted butter, softened
07 - 150 g granulated sugar
08 - 110 g light brown sugar
09 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
10 - 5 ml vanilla extract

→ Cheesecake Filling

11 - 240 ml heavy whipping cream, chilled
12 - 225 g full-fat cream cheese
13 - 50 g granulated sugar
14 - 2.5 ml peppermint extract
15 - Optional: red gel color for decoration
16 - 15 g chopped candy canes for garnish

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 175°C. Grease cupcake tins thoroughly to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
02 - Whisk together flour, Dutch-processed cocoa, black cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl to blend evenly.
03 - Beat softened butter with granulated and brown sugars until fluffy and pale, incorporating air for tender texture.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture, beating after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined to prevent overmixing and maintain tenderness.
06 - Spoon approximately 3 tablespoons of dough into each cupcake cavity. Bake for 10-13 minutes until edges set and centers remain slightly soft.
07 - While still warm, gently press centers of cookies using a rounded object (e.g., jar bottom) to create wells for filling.
08 - Allow cookie cups to cool in tins for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, preventing breakage.
09 - Whip chilled heavy cream to stiff peaks. In a separate bowl, blend cream cheese, sugar, and peppermint extract until smooth, then fold in whipped cream gently.
10 - Pipe cheesecake filling into each cookie well uniformly for neat appearance.
11 - Refrigerate filled cookie cups for 1 to 2 hours to set the filling firmly.
12 - Sprinkle chopped candy canes atop the filling just before serving for festive color and crunch.

# Notes:

01 - Use room temperature eggs for better batter consistency and even baking.
02 - Form the wells while cookies are warm to achieve smooth shaped centers without cracking.
03 - Whip cream in a chilled bowl to avoid overbeating and ensure perfect stiff peaks.
04 - Store filled cookie cups in an airtight container refrigerated up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month.
05 - Add candy cane toppings immediately before serving to maintain crunch and color.

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