Chocolate Pudding Cookie Cups with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
These Chocolate Pudding Cookie Cups are rich, soft, and so chocolatey thanks to the instant pudding mix. It’s then filled with a tall swirl of creamy peanut butter cream cheese frosting. Think of it like as a brownie-like cookie with a peanut butter cheesecake filling.
They’re baked right in a cupcake pan, pressed into cups while warm, and once cooled filled and topped with frosting and sprinkles. They’re perfect for parties, holidays, bake sales, or anytime you want a dessert that can be held like a cupcake and tastes like a decadent peanut butter frosted brownie.
Why You’ll Love These Cookie Cups
- No chilling required! This chocolate pudding cookie can be scooped immediately and baked.
- Great make-ahead dessert. Because of the pudding mix, these cookies will stay soft so they can be made a day or two ahead.
- Peanut butter and chocolate are always an amazing combination.
Ingredients
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all ingredients and quantities.
- Butter – I used salted butter for this recipe, but unsalted butter works great. Make sure it’s at room temperature to it blends well into the cookie batter.
- Brown Sugar – I used light brown sugar and packed it. The brown sugar provides moisture to the cookies too.
- Chocolate pudding mix – I highly recommend Hershey’s instant milk chocolate pudding mix for this cookie. It was tested with several different chocolate pudding mixes and Hershey’s was by far my favorite.
- Cocoa Powder – I wanted the cookies to have another depth of chocolate to them, so I added some cocoa powder. My favorite cocoa powder brand is Hershey’s, but use your favorite.
- Cream Cheese – Use full-fat cream cheese that’s at room temperature for the frosting.
- Peanut Butter – Use a creamy peanut butter. Don’t use a natural peanut butter though.
- Powdered Sugar – If your powdered sugar is lumpy, be sure to sift it before adding it to the frosting mixture.
Substitutions and Variations
- You can use any a different flavor of instant pudding mix like dark chocolate or vanilla.
- If you don’t like peanut butter frosting, you can use my cream cheese frosting recipe or chocolate frosting as a filling.
- You can bake these in a mini muffin pan and reduce the bake time for mini versions of these chocolate pudding cookie cups.
- You can add a mini peanut butter cup or a Hershey kiss in the bottom of the cup before filling it with frosting for a little surprise.
NOTE: This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations
FREE EMAIL BONUS: Treat yourself with these delicious recipes
Tips for Success
- Press the centers of the cookie cups while they’re still hot. Doing it while the cookies are hot ensures the cookies don’t break while pushing in the medicine cup.
- Use instant pudding mix only. Cook-and-serve won’t work here.
- Let the cookies cool completely before frosting so it doesn’t melt.
How to store and Freeze
Due to the cream cheese in the frosting, these cookie cups need to be refrigerated. Place in an airtight container and store for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
Then you can eat the cookies cold, or allow them to warm up a bit to room temperature for letting them sit out for 20-30 minutes.
To freeze these chocolate cookie cups with the peanut butter frosting, place any cups you don’t plan to eat right away in a freezer container. If you want to freeze them in a freezer bag, I would place them on a baking sheet and freeze them until firm before placing them in the freezer bag.
Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you want some, remove however many and thaw on the counter for an hour or in the fridge overnight to allow the peanut butter frosted cookie cups to thaw slowly.
Recipe FAQs
Instant pudding mix keeps the cookies soft, moist, and rich. Plus it enhances the cookies chocolate flavor.
No, only instant pudding mix works in this recipe.
Yes! Bake the cookie cups a day ahead making sure to still press the center down while they’re still hot and frost them just before serving.
If you try this recipe, be sure to leave a rating below and also share it on Instagram, and tag me! You can also find me on Facebook and stay up to date on recipe releases by joining the Newsletter!
Chocolate Pudding Cookie Cups with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
SAVE THIS RECIPE
We’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 3.56 ounce Hersheys instant chocolate pudding mix
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 1/4 cup butter room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons milk
- chocolate sprinkles
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a cupcake pan with nonstick baking spray.
- Add the 1 cup butter, 3/4 cup light brown sugar, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium until creamed.
- Add in the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and the 2 large eggs and beat until the eggs are incorporated.
- Add in the 3.56 ounce Hersheys instant chocolate pudding mix, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Beat with the hand mixer just until combined.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough into each cavity of the cupcake pan. Gently press the rounded top down so the cookie dough is flat in each cupcake cavity.
- Place the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 13 to 15 minutes until the center is set. It shouldn’t look darker in the center than it does on the edges.
- Once the cookies are fully baked, remove the pan from the oven and immediately press a medicine cup or spoon into the center of the cookies to make the cookie cup.
- Let the cookies cool completely before turning them out onto a paper towel.
Frosting
- Add the 1/4 cup butter and 4 ounces cream cheese to a medium bowl. Beat with the hand mixer on medium until creamed.
- Add in the 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Continue to beat until incorporated.
- Add in the 2 cups powdered sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons milk and beat until the powdered sugar is combined and the frosting is smooth.
- Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M piping tip.
- Add a tall swirl of frosting to each cookie cup.
- Sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles.
Notes
Nutrition
(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)
