Lemon Bar Cookie Cups

Name: Lemon Bar Cookie Cups
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2¾ cups flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon baking powder; 1 cup butter (softened); 1¼ cups sugar; 1 egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 6 Tablespoons butter (softened); 1 cup sugar; 4 eggs (divided); ⅔ cup lemon juice; 1 lemon zest; 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar (for garnish)

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111 Comments

4.97 from 31 votes

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Sugar cookie cups with an easy, no-bake lemon curd filling. These tasty cookie cups are perfect for parties and showers!

I have been on a major lemon kick now that it’s officially spring and these Lemon Bar Cookie Cups are just what I needed! I made our amazing lemon bars last week and have been dreaming of them ever since!

A few years ago, I made these Cream Filled Sugar Cookie Cups and thought they would be so good with a lemon curd filling. These lemon filled sugar cookie cups are perfect for parties or showers!

Recipe Ingredient Notes

To make Lemon Bar Cookie Cups, you will need the following ingredients:

Cookies

2 ¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter softened
1¼ cups sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Lemon Curd Filling

6 Tablespoons butter softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs divided
⅔ cup lemon juice

Topping

1 lemon zest
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar for garnish

Equipment Needed

For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:

Small sugar cookie cups in a mini muffin tin.

Preheat oven to 375 ℉.
Spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.
Beat in egg and vanilla.
Gradually beat in dry ingredients until combined.
Roll into 1″ sized balls and place in muffin tin.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
Press the insides of the cookies down with the backside of a spoon to make an indent for filling; let cool.

Lemon Curd

Cream together 6 Tablespoons softened butter with 1 cup sugar.
Mix in 2 eggs and just the yolks from the other 2 eggs, and beat until well combined.
Add lemon juice and mix until combined, there will still be some lumps.
Pour filling mixture into a saucepan over medium heat.
Whisk constantly for 5 minutes, or until smooth and thickened.
Remove lemon curd from heat and let cool for 2-3 minutes.
Carefully spoon a teaspoon of lemon curd into each cookie cup.
Top cookie cups with lemon zest of one lemon, and place in fridge for 30 minutes, or until lemon curd has set up.
Remove cookie cups from pan using a butter knife and sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Fresh lemon zest on top of Lemon Bar Cookie Cups in muffin tin.

A hand holding a Lemon Bar Cookie Cup with a bite missing.

Storage Suggestions

If you manage to not eat the whole tray of cookies immediately, these Lemon Bar Cookie Cups store well. Once cookies have completely cooled, here is how you can store them:

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in a single layer for up to 7 days in a refrigerator.

There’s nothing like homemade cookies that the whole family will love. Check out our comprehensive collection of cookie recipes here.

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Questions & Reviews

Wendy Condon says:

These look delicious. Do they need to be stored in the refrigerator?
Cyd says:

If they aren't going to be eaten right away, store them in the fridge in an airtight container. They are fine to be left out for a few hours for a party.
Laura Adams says:

Do these bake in a regular muffin tin, or a mini? The pictures kinda look like they're mini-size. Thanks! I am a lemon lover, & these look yummy!
Cyd says:

They are in a mini muffin tin.
Krista says:

I followed this to the letter and the lemon never set. Stayed like liquid ? Very disappointed
Cyd says:

The lemon curd thickens as you cook it on the stove top. Then you transfer it to the cookie cups. So if it never thickened in your pan, it may have needed to cook longer.
Candace says:

These are fantastic! The curd never set to the point where I could stack them, or toss them on a plate at an angle, like the ones in the picture (the curd would eventually slide), but they were a huge hit! Definitely a keeper!
Candace says:

These are fantastic! The curd never set to the point where I could stack them, or toss them on a plate at an angle, like the ones in the picture (the curd would eventually slide), but they were a huge hit! Definitely a keeper! *** Update: a couple of hours in the fridge, and they firmed up nicely. So delicious!
jenny says:

i baked them in a bigger muffin tin and they came out perfect
Deborah says:

Can they be frozen?
Lauri Cikowski says:

How many does the recipe make?
Chris says:

can you use refrigerated sugar cookie dough?
Cyd says:

It says it in the recipe as you scroll down. But it makes about 24.
Cyd says:

Yes, these will freeze fine in an airtight freezer container.
Jennifer says:

I'd like to get a head start because we have a crazy week...can the lemon curd be made 1 day ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator? Or does it need to be put in the cookie cups as soon as it is made a d comes to room temp? Thank you for this fun spring recipe!
Cyd says:

You can make the lemon curd ahead of time!
Shannon says:

These are so yummy! I cooked the curd longer than said to thicken it up. I had leftover curd so I put it in an airtight container in the fridge. A couple of weeks later, I made another batch of cookies with the leftover curd. It was still good and it had set up nicely. They were a big hit at both parties.
Debby Berteotti says:

I was going to make these for my granddaughter’s wedding reception . Would they be able to sit out for about 4 hrs ? They look so good !
Cyd says:

They will be fine sitting out for 4 hours. Congrats on the wedding!!
Sandy says:

Delicious. I made these but I found that it makes more than 24. Really if you use a 24 ct mini cupcake pan and you use 1” balls for each pan you can get double the amount. I did 24 and they puffed over the top. The curd was perfect. Next time, I’ll make 48 for this recipe. Thank you.
Kelly says:

Is it possible to use prenade lemon pie fillong? I know it's kind of a jelly and already set...thanks...cookie cup are always a hit!
Sylvia Cruz barcelo says:

A little confusing, do you beat the eggs separately then pour dry mixture in. Yolk beaten separately, then whites beaten separately then tossed together to then mix dry ingredients.
Cyd says:

The lemon curd section of the recipe calls for 4 eggs. Add in 2 of the eggs and just the yolks from the other 2. You won't be using the egg whites for those 2 eggs. So you can toss it in the trash or use it in some other way.
Cyd says:

We like the taste of lemon custard better than lemon pie filling. It's a creamier texture. But lemon pie filling should work great too!
Cindy says:

I would love to make these. I was wondering if you can tell me how you measure flour for your recipes. Do you spoon the flour into a measuring cup, or dip the cup into the flour and sweep off the excess? Better still, can you tell me the weight of a cup of flour that you typically use? Thank you!
Cyd says:

We scoop the measuring cup into the flour and tap it a little to be sure it all settles well. If we need to add a little more to get the correct measurement, then we add a little more. Nothing fancy!
Shirley says:

These turned our perfectly! I topped them with raspberries and blueberries with a sprinkle of powered sugar! Great Fathers Day treat!
Debby says:

On the 2/3 cup of lemon juice is this fresh squeezed or the concentrated stuff from a bottle?
Lexi says:

I was just wondering, are these Gluten-free? Also, how many calories are in each cup?
Linda gazda says:

Can you use store bought lemon curd?
Cyd Adamson says:

Yes, store bought lemon curd works great too.
Cyd Adamson says:

Either one will work just fine.
Lori says:

It was delicious. I got several compliments. My brother told me he didn't like lemon bars, but put these away.
Anthony says:

Would this Recipe transfer over to a Mini Cheesecake Pan, instead of a Mini Muffin Pan?...I wonder if the Pans Wells are close enough to each other to work? Thank you!
Momma Cyd says:

It makes sense that it would work. We haven't personally made it that way before. You may have to play with it a little to get it just right.
Lori D says:

Um..no. Flour is in the ingredient list above.
Momma Cyd says:

Flour is the first ingredient listed for these cookies.
Paula S. says:

Can you use store bought lemon curd
Angie says:

Can it be frozen with lemon curd?
Claire J says:

The recipe gave a little more actually 31! Cant wait to taste them, looks so yummy!
Momma Cyd says:

Yes, these cookie cups freeze well in a freezer container.
Momma Cyd says:

Yes, you can totally use store bought lemon curd.
Paula Ward says:

These were great my mother in law used to live a lemon pie with chocolate top I was able to make these and melted chocolate to put on top it reminded the whole family of my mother in law
Lynn says:

I love this recipe..everything about it was easy and delicious! My curd set up perfect. Family loved them..will make again and again. Note: these sat out overnight and curd was still amazing. (I did put in fridge the 30 minutes required before boxing up for next day party) no problem leaving out. Plus gone in no time 😂
Cherry johns says:

I cheated!! Used store bought cookie dough and store bought lemon curd! So fast, so easy, so yum!
Suggie says:

These cookies are a keeper !
Ree says:

Yes I also got 31. Balls were actually about 1.5 inch or 1 oz. I have plenty lemon curd for more.
Andrea says:

This was delicious! I will say my cookies took at least 13 minutes to cook and I would suggest not filling with curd until you are going to them as the cookies got a little hard in the frig.. I softened them up a bit and they were delicious 😋
Alvera says:

Hello there I have a graduation and I wanted to make these. Can they be frozen? Gradutation is in July
Momma Cyd says:

Yes, these will freeze well in a freezer bag or an airtight freezer container.
Roxanne C. says:

These cookies were a hit. The lemon curd was easy to make and the cookie recipe yielded almost 6 dozen. I topped each little cup with a fresh raspberry. At the end of the party, there were only a few left. yum!
Lorna says:

Can you freeze these lemon cookie cups
Momma Cyd says:

Yes, these will freeze well in an airtight freezer container.
Lynn Lindblad says:

I just finished making the and LOVE them! They were easy but will impress my friends. I was able to make 45 from the recipe.
Hn says:

Can you use ready made lemon curd from the jar?
Momma Cyd says:

Sure, that should work fine too.
caro says:

excelente
Lori Morris says:

This was so easy to make and came out fantastic!!!
M. Luther says:

My batter was very sticky, could hardly make the balld
Dawn says:

These are delicious. I do want to ask how long can the be stored in the refrigerator? How far in advance for a wedding should I make these?
Momma Cyd says:

We have frozen these before. You may want to freeze some in an airtight container and then thaw them and see if you feel like they are good enough for your wedding reception. They are so tasty and should be just fine.
Shawna says:

These were so yummy! Can't wait to take it to my cookie exchange at work!
Theresa Sullivan says:

This is my first attempt at lemon curd-and, THANK YOU-it turned out fabulous!! These cookies are a home run!! Love this recipe!!
Toni Watson says:

Can you line the muffin cups with paper liners?
Nicole Cupp says:

Followed to a T, they were amazing
Patti J says:

Can I freeze these lemon cookie cups?
Nicole M Cupp says:

This is probably my favorite dessert recipe! Loved the lemon filling but wondering if I could switch it out for something like raspberry preserves?
James Talvy says:

This recipe is amazing! I just used a tablespoon of dough and pushed them down into each mini muffin cup. I will definitely be making these again. Thanks!!
Momma Cyd says:

I'm sure that would work too. You just need the filling to be as thick as lemon curd so you don't have a runny mess.
Momma Cyd says:

Yes, they should freeze just fine.
Momma Cyd says:

Yes, you can line the muffin cups.
Jan says:

Could you use jarred lemon curd from Trader Joe’s for filling?
Momma Cyd says:

Sure, you can use store bought lemon curd.
Deb Clark says:

These were delicious!!! I will make again and share the recipe
Ruth W says:

This was a great concept and flavors were great but I learned I need to trust my gut when following a recipe. I easily could have gotten 6-7 more tarts out of the dough but since recipe said it makes 24 I made all the dough into 24 balls, which resulted in too large of tarts with big overhangs around the rim... which made them very difficult to remove without breaking which is what happened to half of them. Going to make the rest out of store bought cookie dough to salvage them this time. The curd however was perfect and mine was thick before 5 minutes on the stovetop. They’ll be cute for a shower this weekend!
Christine Skousen says:

I’m thinking these would be fabulous with a fresh berry on top once they are in season!!! Thank you for sharing!! I do cookie cups with Nutella in the middle - I had never thought to switch it out with a different filling!!!
Sherrie says:

Can I use another filling?
Momma Cyd says:

You can easily use any filling you have on hand or like.
Toni Moffatt says:

the egg part is a bit confusing. Can't wait to make them.
Momma Cyd says:

This recipe calls for 4 eggs - 2 whole eggs and the egg yolks from the other 2 eggs.
Chris says:

I am anxious to try this recipe. But I am confused as to how many the recipe makes. It says: Serves 24. But readers have gotten 45 to almost 6 dozen from a recipe. A reader who made 24 said it was too much dough for 24 and could have made more. Can you give a little more guidance please? Thanks.
Momma Cyd says:

We usually get around 24-30. A lot will depend on your mini muffin tin. They can vary slightly in size. You do want them to be a cookie cup, not just cookie on the bottom.
Chris says:

Recipe says it serves 24. How many per serving? One person got 45 from the recipe, another almost 6 dozen. Could you provide more guidance about serving size? Anxious to try this. Thanks.
Momma Cyd says:

We get around 24-30 cookie cups.
Carin says:

This is fantastic! I made these as well as some others as Christmas gifts and everyone loved them. Addicting 🖤
Peggy Marie says:

I have not made this yet but I know that t it will be perfect for an upcoming baby shower! But I wanted to leave a review because I save the picture of your adorable daughter every time I see that picture it just makes my day!
Marsha says:

No mini muffin pan, can I use a rrgular muffin pan and about how much cookie batter?
Momma Cyd says:

These really work best in the mini muffin tin. You'll want the cookie to go up the sides of the tin when you push it down after baking. The regular sized muffin tin would make these cookie cups very large.
Jane Joseph says:

The recipe is amazing. And if you love lemon lime my hubby does this is a hit. But I have a question, how can I make the dough from rising so much. I love the way it’s suppose to look in your picture but my curd just sits on top. Thank you in advance for answering my questions
Momma Cyd says:

You might have to play with it a little. If it seems like it's too big, try a smaller amount of dough. But watch it closely so they don't over cook.
Diane says:

These were absolutely delicious! This recipe does make 48 mini cups, and happy it does because you can't stop eating them.
Diane says:

I made 48 and had to do 2 batches as my pan only holds 24.
Judy Walgate says:

Can you tell me why my cups burned on the bottom? I had the oven at 375 as stated. Kinda disappointed. I followed everything as you described,just add a little erythritol sugar substitute would that be it? Thanks
Momma Cyd says:

It could be your sugar substitute, it could also be the pan. I have some baking sheets that are older and the finish is not as great and my cookies are always darker on those cookie sheets - even with parchment paper.
Judy says:

Maybe I’ll leave the sugar substitute out next time but my husband didn’t even notice😉I used a patty pan I use for mince tarts at Christmas and it’s relatively new. Thank you.
Lynnsey says:

I ran this thru an online nutrition calculator and the carbs per serving (based on your 24 serving yield) were 55, not 31...How did you calculate your nutritional info?
Janice says:

Can the finished recipe be frozen?
Momma Cyd says:

Yes, these can be frozen in an airtight freezer bag or freezer container.
Kelsey says:

Where do you recommend storing these cookies? And how long can they go until they’re bad
Jen McN says:

Could I make the cookie cups ahead of time & freeze just the cookie cups? Then I'd thaw them the day before, make the curd and fill then refrigerate so I can serve the next day?
Momma Cyd says:

Yes, that would work great!
Momma Cyd says:

I would store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Should be good for a week. You can also freeze them.
Mary says:

My usual Pinterest baking recipes usually turn out to be not-quite-what-is-pictured or not-quite-as-good-as-it-sounds. This is one of the first times when a recipe hit it out of the ballpark. There were some adjustments to be made, though. After hearing comments about the dough running over the muffin tin, one person mentioned using their melon ball spoon, which turned out perfect little cookie cups. I used that same spoon to make the indentations. The lemon curd thickened after cooking but didn't set up in 30 min or even 5 hours. It took refrigerating them overnight to get it to set. Other than those two issues, I give it 5 stars because it made a beautiful presentation for our Christmas banquet. Even my husband (who won't even try lemon curd) said they were great! This will be a holiday recipe for years to come. Thank you for this recipe!!
Amanda says:

I have made these last Christmas and just made them again. Everyone LOVES them and I am obsessed. Even my mom who isn’t a fan of lemons loves them lol thank you so much for this recipe!
Mollyb says:

You got raw eggs in the fillin?
Momma Cyd says:

There are no eggs in the lemon curd. The egg is in the baked cookie.
Mary C says:

Great recipe! I filled mine with Nutella. So delicious!!!
Pam says:

Can you tell me the difference between Baking soda and Baking powder please ?
Bobbi @ Six Sisters says:

They both are leavening agents but they are different. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, which requires an acid and a liquid to become activated and help baked goods rise. While baking powder includes sodium bicarbonate, as well as an acid. It only needs a liquid to become activated. This is a great article that goes into more detail about the difference: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/baking-powder-vs-baking-soda/
Angela says:

I loved this recipe and I have never made curd before they turned out delicious and very easy to make
James Talvy says:

I have been making this recipe for a few years now and they are a big hit for the holidays. To help others, If you have a kitchen thermometer, cook the lemon curd stirring constantly until it reaches 175-180f or 80-82c. If you dip a wooden spoon in curd you should be able to drag your finger and leave a clear trail. After cooking I strain into a glass bowl to make sure it is smooth and remove any small bits that might have accidentally cooked. I divide the dough into 18-19 gram portions and it makes about 45 cookie cups. You can make the cups and curd ahead of time and freeze both separately and assemble before serving or freeze the assembled cups. Sprinkle the powdered sugar at the last minute before serving or it will get absorbed into the curd. Thanks for a great recipe!