Phenomenal Tip: DIY Cookie Cups

On days when I have my head in the clouds and I feel like I can stop time, I like to indulge in DIY's.  I know other people might scoff at the idea of DIY-ing, but I derive pleasure in the process.  The very idea of making time to create something is therapeutic for me. 

My daughter celebrated her birthday a few months ago, and we both decided to bake treats so she could share the happiness with all of her friends.  Hence, the cookie cup project. 

I started this post in July, and did not even realize that I had this on draft until I scrolled down my list of posts and found this still unfinished.  Nonetheless, Christmas will soon be upon as, and now is a good time as any to share how I made it.  This could be easily be under the best handmade gifts list for Christmas 2013! The biggest smiles will greet you as soon as you hand over a box of these goodies to the special people in your life!

Cookie cups are basically choco chip cookies that are baked to resemble mini-bowls.

You can use a store-bought cookie mix, but really, where's the fun in that?  Mixing the dough is half the fun! You can use your favorite cookie recipe, but here's a a recipe, which I shared in an earlier post, that you might want to try..

I just follow the recipe and stop at the part where I have to  scoop out cookies and place in oven. Instead of placing them on a cookie pan, I scoop them out, a tablespoon at a time, onto a mini-muffin pan. I bake them at the same temperature indicated in the recipe for 10-12 minutes. 

As soon as I take them out of the oven, I use a small measuring spoon to put indentions on these treats.  Below is a photo of B helping out.  I like getting my kids join me in the kitchen most of the time, and it makes me happy to see that they grow their interests in so many areas.

Let them cool for about 15 minutes before you attempt to take them out.  The extra few minutes make sure that the cookies are all set and won't crumble as you pry them out. A word of advice, make sure to grease the muffin pans, otherwise it will be a disaster taking the cookies out; leaving you with cookie crumbs, instead of cups.

Putting indents is optional; and I even intentionally left some as is. The cookies form a natural concave in the muffin pan, and I find that this shallow concave is just the right size for putting choco chips or a spoonfull of nutella. However, for bigger toppings like Ferrero Rocher, maltesers, or m&m's, putting a deeper indent holds the toppings and makes them stay in place better. 

For an even indulgent treat, I saved a few of the cookie cups to serve with ice cream.  

What will you fill your cookie bowls with?