Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookie Cups

Chocolate cookie “cups” are filled with smooth, creamy chocolate ganache and topped with fresh strawberries in this sweet treat inspired by a Valentine’s Day classic.

Chocolate covered strawberries are a classic… but they’re also a little boring. (Don’t come for me.) These Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookie Cups are a fun twist on the beloved Valentine’s Day treat.

The Short & Sweet

• The concept: Chocolate cookie cups filled with silky chocolate ganache and topped with fresh strawberries
• Why it’s worth making: All the flavor of classic chocolate covered strawberries, but honestly better
• Best for: Valentine’s Day, dinner parties, showers, easy entertaining, or anytime you want a chocolate dessert that feels a little elevated without being fussy.
• Prep Ahead? Yes — bake the cookie cups and ganache ahead, add strawberries before serving

For Best Results

• Avoid overbaking the cookie cups so they stay tender.
• Let the ganache cool slightly before filling for a thicker, cleaner finish.
• Use ripe but firm strawberries so they hold their shape and don’t release excess juice.

Helpful Tools

You probably already have most of the things you’ll need to make these, but here are a few that are a bit more specific and helpful for this recipe:

• A mini muffin pan. You can use a regular one and spray with baking spray, but a silicone pan is extra insurance that your treats will release easily.
• A spring loaded scoop. Honestly, I use this for everything, but it’s helpful in portioning dough out evenly and can even help with pouring things like ganache less of a mess.
• A tart tamper. This one is a little niche, but it’s super handy when tamping down dough, especially into those little muffin tin wells. It can also be used to flatten the baked cookie cups if they puff up too much during baking. I use one for these Football Pie Cookie Cups, too.

Storage

Unfilled cookie cups store well at room temperature for up to two days. Once filled with ganache, they can be refrigerated for up to two days. After adding strawberries, these are best enjoyed the same day.

Serve It In Style

Arrange the cookie cups on a simple white platter or tiered stand and garnish with extra strawberries or a light dusting of powdered sugar. For parties, place them in mini cupcake liners so guests can easily grab one without fuss.

FAQ’s

What exactly is ganache?

It’s a fancy word for chocolate and warm cream that’s stirred together until smooth and glossy. Once it cools, it thickens into a rich, silky filling that’s perfect for desserts like these cookie cups, tarts, cake filling, truffles, etc.

Can I mix up the flavors?

I’m so glad you asked because YES. In so many ways.

Flavor Variations

If chocolate and strawberries aren’t your thing, you can alter the flavors by using extracts or liqueurs in the ganache and topping the cookie cups with other fruits, nuts or embellishments.

Start by stirring in 1/4 teaspoon of extract (or 1 tablespoon of liqueur) to the ganache until the desired intensity is achieved. Here are a few flavor alternatives you might want to try for different holidays and occasions:

• Almond extract + sliced almond
• Mint extract + crushed peppermint
• Orange extract + candied orange zest
• Amaretto liqueur + fresh or maraschino cherry
• Irish Cream liqueur + whipped cream topping
• Raspberry liqueur + fresh raspberry on top
• Hazelnut liqueur + chopped hazelnuts
• Sprinkles!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookie Cups

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookie Cups! Need any easy Valentine’s Day treat?  These chocolate cookie “cups” are filled with smooth, creamy chocolate ganache and topped with fresh strawberries for a crowd-pleasing dessert that comes together in no time.

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Course Dessert

Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 47 minutes mins

Servings 24 cookie cups

Author Dianna Muscari

Equipment

• 1 muffin tin
• 1 spring loaded scoop
• 1 tart tamper

Ingredients  

For cookie cups:

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups all-purpose
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder

For Ganache:

• ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips {or milk chocolate if you prefer sweeter}
• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream

For topping:

• 24 strawberry slices
• Mint leaves for embellishment if desired

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 12 well mini muffin tins or spray with non-stick spray. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 8 tablespoons unsalted butter and ¾ cup granulated sugar until well-combined, about 1-2 minutes.
• Add 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and beat until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
• Stop the mixer and add the 1½ cups all-purpose, ½ cup cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon sea salt and ½ teaspoon baking powderr. Mix until everything is fully combined and the dough is uniform in color.
• Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out the dough into each muffin tin well, pressing it up the sides and creating an indentation in the center.
• Bake for about 10-11 minutes or until the dough is just set.

Make the Ganache

• Heat the ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream in a microwave-proof bowl for about 45 seconds. Add the ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips {or milk chocolate if you prefer sweeter} to the hot cream and let sit for about a minute. {If you're adding extracts or liqueur, you may do so at this point.}
• Whisk until smooth and fully melted. Spoon the ganache mixture into a zip top bag — you'll use this to pipe the filling into each cookie cup. You can also just spoon it in.
• Remove the cookie cups from oven. If the centers have puffed up, use the back of a tablespoon to press down the center again while it’s still warm. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes.
• When you're ready to pipe in the filling, snip one corner of the zip top bag and squeeze the ganache into each cup, dividing evenly among all 24.
• Top each cup with a strawberry slices or desired topping and garnish with mint leaf if desired.

Dianna’s Tips

Cookie cup dough barely adapted from Oh Sweet Basil.