These Orange Cookie Cups with Cranberry Curd are everything a holiday dessert should be: buttery, bright, jewel-toned, and just the right mix of sweet and tart. The orange-scented cookie base pairs perfectly with the silky cranberry curd, creating a festive bite that looks elegant but comes together with ease. If you already have cranberry curd prepped in the fridge, these are even faster, and the extra curd is delicious on yogurt, toast, pancakes, or swirled into baked goods.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These mini cookie cups are a perfect blend of cozy and vibrant. The dough bakes into soft, chewy centers with lightly crisp edges, and the fresh orange zest brings out the natural brightness of the cranberry curd. They require no rolling and no chilling, making them a fantastic last-minute holiday dessert. They also travel well, store beautifully, and look like you spent far more time on them than you actually did.
How to Make Orange Cookie Cups with Cranberry Curd
The cookie dough follows a classic creaming method: butter and sugar get whipped until fluffy, followed by the egg, vanilla, and orange zest. Once the dry ingredients are added, the dough is ready to scoop straight into a mini muffin tin. You’ll want to use cupcake liners or reusable silicone liners, which I prefer. As the cookies bake, they naturally puff, creating the perfect base for turning into cups.
The curd filling can be store-bought, but homemade cranberry curd elevates these cookie cups to something truly special. It’s sweet-tart, silky, richly colored, and sets beautifully inside the warm cookie wells. You’ll need only ¾ cup for the recipe, and the my homemade batch yields about 2 cups which means extra to enjoy all week.
Tips for Shaping Perfect Cookie Cups
The key to perfect cookie cups is shaping them while they’re still hot. As soon as they come out of the oven, use the back of a spoon (or I used a wooden mallet) to gently press a well into the center of each one. Work quickly, as the cookies firm up as they cool. Don’t press all the way down to the bottom; a shallow, rounded well holds the curd more neatly.
If you notice cracks around the edges, that’s totally normal. The curd filling helps hide imperfections, and slight cracks add a rustic look without affecting texture.
Getting the Curd to Set Beautifully
Once the wells are formed, spoon in a small amount of cranberry curd, about a teaspoon. A brief second bake helps the curd settle into the cookie and creates a silky, sliceable texture that stays neat even after chilling. After cooling, a short trip to the fridge ensures the centers firm up enough to remove cleanly from the pan.
Make-Ahead Tips
Orange cookie cups are ideal for advance prep. You can make the cookie base a day ahead and fill them just before serving, or prepare the entire dessert and store it in the fridge. They hold up for several days and remain soft without getting soggy. You can also freeze the unfilled cookie cups, then thaw and fill when you’re ready.
How to Use Leftover Cranberry Curd
Since my homemade cranberry curd yields about two cups and you’ll only need ¾ cup for this recipe, you’ll have extra — and that’s a good thing. Use it as a spread for toast or scones, swirl it into yogurt, spoon it over pancakes or waffles, or use it as a filling for thumbprint cookies and mini tarts. It also makes an excellent edible gift when jarred.
Serving Suggestions
These cookie cups are beautiful dusted with powdered sugar or topped with a tiny bit of fresh orange zest. They shine on holiday cookie trays, dessert boards, or brunch spreads. Their vibrant color makes them a standout among more traditional cookies, and their small size makes them perfect for parties where people want to sample a little bit of everything.
Looking for more cookie inspo? Try my Brown Butter Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies, Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies, or for a non-cookie option that’s always a hit, try these Sea Salt Peanut Butter Crunch Truffles!
Orange Cookie Cups with Cranberry Curd
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Stand Mixer or hand mixer
- Oven
- Muffin Tin
Ingredients
- 2¾ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 Tsp orange zest about the zest of 3/4 an orange
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup cranberry curd homemade or store bought or you can substitute cranberry or raspberry jam (you can find my recipe for homemade cranberry curd here)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 ℉.
- Spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or line with silicone baking cups.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or using a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Beat in egg and vanilla, then add orange zest.
- Gradually beat in dry ingredients until combined.
- Scoop about 1.5 tbsp for each cookie and place in lined muffin tin.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
- Press the insides of the cookies down with the backside of a spoon (or I used a wooden mallet) to make an indent for filling; fill each with 1 tsp cranberry curd.
- Bake for 2-3 more minutes to allow the curd to set a bit.
- Let cool and then place in fridge for 30 minutes, or until curd has set up.
- Remove cookie cups from pan and if desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.
