These Lemon Cream Pie Cookie Cups will knock your socks off. Full of lemon flavor, these cookie cups have an easy lemon mousse filling and are topped with fresh whipped cream.
Lemon Cream Pie Filled Cookie Cups
I am at it again with another cream pie recipe. Can you blame me though? Homemade mousse is pretty much an addiction for me. Once I am done filling the cookie cups, the piping bag is aimed straight for my spoon, or right into my mouth. I have no shame.
These Lemon Cream Pie Cookie Cups are a wonderful and refreshing summer treat. The lemon cookie is covered with a graham cracker crust. The mousse filling is made with a lemon pudding mix and whipped cream and it is topped with more whipped cream and lemon zest.
Cream pie cookie cups have become a staple on my blog. I’ve got other versions such as chocolate, coconut, pumpkin, funfetti, and more. Lemon was a no-brainer to add to the mix.
If you love lemon cream pie, I used this same filling to make with my lemon cupcakes.
I think people are surprised to bite into these little cookies and find a delightful mousse filling. Everyone at the party was giving me rave reviews on these. I think lemon is that unexpected dessert that not everyone loves, but some desserts just work. I know I like to mix it up once in awhile.
I have been adding all kinds of lemon desserts to my blog recently. I don’t love EVERYTHING lemon, but I have been pleasantly surprised as I experimented with the lemon flavors in a variety of desserts.
Tips for Making Cookie Cups
There are a couple steps involved for these cookie cups, but they are really quite easy to put together.
Spray the pan: I always recommend greasing the mini muffin pan with a baking spray or Crisco first. This helps ensure they release easily from the pan.
Prepare the crust first. I like to prepare my graham cracker crust before the dough. The most important thing for the crust is that the graham crackers are moist and coated in butter. If the crust is dry, it will break apart when you bite into it.
Use a cookie scoop. I use a small cookie scoop to spoon the dough into the pan, but if you don’t have one, it’s ok. You should use just under a tablespoon of dough and roll it to a ball. Gently press into the pan. The graham cracker crust will bake around the bottom of the dough.
Underbake the cookies. When you remove these from the oven, they will be slightly underbaked. This keeps them soft even after they’ve been refrigerated.
Use a tart shaper.I like to use my tart shaper to create the divot in the cookie, but if you don’t have a tart shaper, you can use a spoon or a melon ball tool. Try to create a deep crevice for your filling. The edges of the cookie might crack but that’s okay.
Cool completely. Allow them to cool completely before attempting to remove them from the pan.
Easy Lemon Mousse Filling
When preparing the mousse, you will use only a little bit of milk, which makes a very thick pudding. I like to stir up the pudding before I add the whipped cream. To make the whipped cream, it is really quite easy. Trust me! I suggest freezing the bowl or the heavy whipping cream for 10 minutes before you whip the cream. It just seems to whip up better if it is really cold. Feel free to eat any leftover whipped cream, I know I do!
More Lemon Desserts
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Lemon Cream Pie Cookie Cups
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 22-24 Cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Lemon Cream Pie Cookie Cups will knock you socks off. Full of lemon flavor, these cookie cups have an easy lemon mousse filling and topped with Fresh Whipped Cream.
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1¾ cups Graham cracker crumbs
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 C Sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup Lemon Cake Mix (dry mix)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Mousse
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 package (3.4oz) instant lemon pudding
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Fresh Lemon for zesting
Instructions
For the Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a mini muffin pan with cookie spray or Crisco.
- Use a food processor to grind graham crackers into a fine crumb.
- Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl until melted. Combine melted butter with graham cracker crumbs and stir until there are no dry crumbs lefts.
- Spoon 1 tablespoon of graham crackers into the bottom of the mini muffin pan. Press down with a spoon or tart shaper.
- Allow butter to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Combine butter and sugar in your stand mixer and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add egg and vanilla extract. Beat into butter and sugar until thoroughly mixed.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, dry lemon cake mix, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Slowly add dry ingredients into the batter and beat on a low speed until the dough starts to form. If the dough is a little dry, add 1 tablespoon of milk. Set dough aside.
- Drop one tablespoon of dough into the greased mini muffin pan on top of the graham crackers. Bake at 350°F for 12-14 minutes.
- Remove cookies from the oven and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Use a tart shaper or the back of a spoon to gently push down the middle of the cookies. Allow to cool completely in the pan. Gently twist to release cookies from pan.
For the Mousse
- Combine instant lemon pudding mix with milk and whisk until powder dissolves. Refrigerate until pudding is firm.
- Put mixing bowl and whisk in the freezer for 15 minutes until completely cold. Whip heavy cream on medium-high speed for several minutes until bubbly.
- Add powdered sugar and beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form.
- Take 1 cup of the whipped cream and fold into pudding until mixed. Do not mix vigorously as it will deflate the whipped cream. Refrigerate until you are ready to assemble cookies.
To Assemble
- Put the lemon mouse in a Ziploc bag or large piping bag. Cut the tip off the end of the bag and gently fill the middle of the cookie cup with lemon mousse. Divide between cookie cups.
- Top mousse with a dollop of the leftover whipped cream and zest of lemon on top.
- Cookies must be refrigerated in an air-tight container after the mousse has been added.
Notes
I use a larger than standard size mini muffin pan (link in profile). For a standard size mini muffin pan, use a little less graham cracker and a little less cookie dough.
Do you have suggestions for the remaining lemon cake mixture, other than making more of these?
Also, i could only find vanilla pudding mix, do you think I could just add some lemon extract or just lemon zest to the vanilla pudding and get the same results?
thanks!
Also…
I accidentally bought cook&serve pudding instead of instant pudding…will the recipe still work the same after I cook up the pudding, let it cool and then mix in the whipped cream? Thanks!
Hi Debra- yes. as long as it cooked, cooled and set.
Hi Debra- you can try a mug cake recipe! Yes, if you use vanilla pudding then either extract or lest would be just fine!
I had to make with the Modifications listed above due not being able to find lemon pudding. These were amazing!!! Everyone loved them! Thanks!
Wonderful Debra! Thank you for sharing!
These are so cute!! I am loving the cream pie themed treats and I am a sucker for all things miniature! You’ve bitten me with the cookie cup bug and now I must make them ASAP! Pinned!
If I could, I would devour these in negative 2.3 seconds!
I am loving all these cute cream pie cookie cups!!! And I’m the same way with the piping bags 🙂 I mean why waste it, right?
I think you should keep the cream pie recipes coming! 🙂
The lemon madness has gotten to you too! I’m going to ignore the part where you said you don’t love everything lemon and assume that was a typo. These little cookie cups are pretty much the cutest things ever! Love your creative twists on cream pies. Pinned! (Thanks for linking up to my cupcakes! xo)
These look divine!! That centre has me swooning!
Baby, these are lemon heaven right here!!
I love these cream pie cookie cups! More flavors gives me an excuse to make more!
I DO love everything lemon. It is one of my favorite dessert flavors. Pinning these cookie cups! They are the perfect mini dessert!
These lemon creme pie cookie cups look SO good! I adore lemon creme pie and I know I’d flip for this easy recipe 🙂
Lemon desserts are always a favorite. They’re sneakily addictive, I think!
That mousse really looks incredible. And the crust. I love a cookie cup with crust!