I’m excited to share my Mini Lemon Bites, buttery cookie cups filled with bright lemon curd and topped with a sprinkle of lemon zest.

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I can never resist these Lemon Bar Cookie Cups, they begin with buttery cookie cups made with unsalted butter and then the real trick is a lemon curd made from fresh lemon juice that snaps your taste buds awake. Each tiny cup is a perfect sweet and tang combo that melts in your mouth, it’s like the grown up version of those Mini Lemon Bites I used to grab, and it always ends up on my list of favorite Cookie Cup Recipes.

Serve them and watch people argue over seconds, no one ever believes how easy they are till they try one.

Ingredients

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Unsalted butter: Adds rich, creamy fat and helps cookies hold shape; mostly fat, low protein
Granulated sugar: Gives sweetness and crunch; pure carbs, no fiber, spikes blood sugar fast
Brown sugar: Adds caramel notes and moisture, still sugar but makes cookies chewy
Eggs: Eggs bind and add protein, help structure, also give a little richness
All purpose flour: Provides bulk and carbs, forms dough network, small amount protein (gluten)
Lemon juice and zest: Make it bright and sour, vitamin C, give fresh flavor not just sweet
Salt: Tiny pinch lifts flavors and balances sweetness, sodium content is small
Powdered sugar: For dusting, adds light sweetness and a pretty finish, mostly carbs

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

nonstick cooking spray or extra butter for muffin tin

3/4 cup granulated sugar for the lemon curd

3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, about 2 to 3 lemons

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus extra for garnish

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

pinch of salt for the curd

powdered sugar for dusting, optional

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 24-cup mini muffin tin with nonstick spray or rub with extra butter so the cookie cups won’t stick.

2. Make the cookie dough: cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar until light and a little fluffy. Beat in 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until mixed.

3. Whisk together 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then add to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. If the dough seems too soft to shape, chill 10 to 20 minutes so it’s easier to work with.

4. Scoop dough by rounded teaspoons or a small cookie scoop (about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons per cup) and place into prepared mini muffin cups. Press each mound down and up the sides with your fingers or the back of a small spoon to form little wells, leaving a thicker rim so they hold up while baking.

5. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set and slightly golden but centers may still be soft. Let the cups cool in the pan 5 minutes, then gently press centers again if they puffed up, and remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. While the cups bake, make the lemon curd: whisk together 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice and 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest in a heatproof bowl or small saucepan.

7. Cook the curd over low to medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula or wooden spoon, until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 6 to 10 minutes. Do not let it boil hard or the eggs will scramble. Remove from heat and stir in 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into pieces and a pinch of salt until smooth. For extra silkiness, strain the curd through a mesh sieve into a bowl.

8. Let the curd cool a bit at room temperature, then spoon about 1 to 2 teaspoons into each cooled cookie cup. The cups should be filled but not overflowing. Refrigerate the filled cups for at least 30 minutes to let the curd set.

9. Garnish with a little extra lemon zest and dust with powdered sugar if you like. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature and watch them disappear.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. 24-cup mini muffin tin plus nonstick spray or extra butter for greasing
3. Stand mixer or hand mixer (or a sturdy wooden spoon if you want to mix by hand)
4. Measuring cups and spoons
5. Mixing bowls (one large for dough, one small or heatproof bowl for curd)
6. Small cookie scoop or rounded teaspoon and a small spoon or your fingers to press wells
7. Whisk for the curd and a spatula or wooden spoon for stirring while it cooks
8. Small saucepan (or use the heatproof bowl over a double boiler)
9. Fine mesh sieve and a wire cooling rack for cooling and finishing touches

FAQ

Lemon Bar Cookie Cups Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Unsalted butter (1 cup): swap for salted butter 1:1 and omit the 1/4 tsp salt in the dough, or use a plant based stick butter 1:1 for a dairy free version. Cookies may brown faster and be a bit softer.
Light brown sugar (1/2 cup): use dark brown sugar 1:1 for a deeper molasses flavor, or substitute coconut sugar 1:1 for a less sweet, caramel note. Texture can be slightly drier so press dough firmly into the tins.
All purpose flour (2 1/4 cups): replace with a 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour blend that contains xanthan gum, same measurement. If you use whole wheat pastry flour expect a denser result so add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or water.
Large egg in the dough (1): use a flax egg instead 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 minutes till gelled. It works well here but the cookie will be a touch chewier.

Pro Tips

– Chill the dough a little before shaping if it feels too soft. It makes scooping and forming neat little wells way easier, and you wont end up with flat, greasy cups. If you do chill, let it warm a minute before pressing so it still shapes without cracking.

– Use a small cookie scoop for even sizes and press the wells with the back of a small spoon or measuring spoon so the rims stay thicker than the bottoms. Thicker rims help the cups hold the curd and not collapse when cooling.

– Cook the lemon curd slow and steady, or even over a double boiler, and stir constantly. Keep it under a gentle simmer, strain it for extra smoothness, and stir the butter in off the heat so the curd stays glossy and not grainy. A quick chill in an ice bath speeds up setting if you need to fill them sooner.

– Fresh lemon juice and zest make a huge difference, taste as you go and add a tiny pinch more sugar or salt if the curd is too sharp. If the curd seems thin after cooling, give it more fridge time rather than overcooking it which can wreck the texture.

Lemon Bar Cookie Cups Recipe

Recipe by Tessa Jones

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m excited to share my Mini Lemon Bites, buttery cookie cups filled with bright lemon curd and topped with a sprinkle of lemon zest.

Servings

servings

Calories

425

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. 24-cup mini muffin tin plus nonstick spray or extra butter for greasing
3. Stand mixer or hand mixer (or a sturdy wooden spoon if you want to mix by hand)
4. Measuring cups and spoons
5. Mixing bowls (one large for dough, one small or heatproof bowl for curd)
6. Small cookie scoop or rounded teaspoon and a small spoon or your fingers to press wells
7. Whisk for the curd and a spatula or wooden spoon for stirring while it cooks
8. Small saucepan (or use the heatproof bowl over a double boiler)
9. Fine mesh sieve and a wire cooling rack for cooling and finishing touches

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
nonstick cooking spray or extra butter for muffin tin
3/4 cup granulated sugar for the lemon curd
3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, about 2 to 3 lemons
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus extra for garnish
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
pinch of salt for the curd
powdered sugar for dusting, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 24-cup mini muffin tin with nonstick spray or rub with extra butter so the cookie cups won't stick.
Make the cookie dough: cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar until light and a little fluffy. Beat in 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until mixed.
Whisk together 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then add to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. If the dough seems too soft to shape, chill 10 to 20 minutes so it's easier to work with.
Scoop dough by rounded teaspoons or a small cookie scoop (about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons per cup) and place into prepared mini muffin cups. Press each mound down and up the sides with your fingers or the back of a small spoon to form little wells, leaving a thicker rim so they hold up while baking.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set and slightly golden but centers may still be soft. Let the cups cool in the pan 5 minutes, then gently press centers again if they puffed up, and remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cups bake, make the lemon curd: whisk together 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice and 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest in a heatproof bowl or small saucepan.
Cook the curd over low to medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula or wooden spoon, until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 6 to 10 minutes. Do not let it boil hard or the eggs will scramble. Remove from heat and stir in 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into pieces and a pinch of salt until smooth. For extra silkiness, strain the curd through a mesh sieve into a bowl.
Let the curd cool a bit at room temperature, then spoon about 1 to 2 teaspoons into each cooled cookie cup. The cups should be filled but not overflowing. Refrigerate the filled cups for at least 30 minutes to let the curd set.
Garnish with a little extra lemon zest and dust with powdered sugar if you like. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature and watch them disappear.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.