Go Back

Mini Butterscotch Cream Pies

These easy-to-serve Mini Butterscotch Cream Pies feature crisp chocolate cookie cups loaded with rich, creamy butterscotch pudding. Makes 18 to 24 2 1/2-inch pies, depending on how much pudding you like in your cookie cups.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Chilling Time3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time4 hours 25 minutes
Course: Dessert, Dinner
Keyword: butterscotch, cookie cups, cream pie, miniature pies, miniature treats

Ingredients

Chocolate Cookie Cups

  • 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus more for rolling out the dough
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 cups unsalted butter softened but still cool
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Butterscotch Pudding

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/3 cups whole milk
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • chocolate sprinkles or shavings

Instructions

Chocolate Cookie Cups

  • Mix flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • Combine butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixture on medium speed with the paddle attachment. Beat until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract and beat until well combined. Add flour mixture and stir on low speed until the dough comes together, about 1 minute. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 2 or 3 times. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill until firm, about 30 to 40 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease 24 standard-size muffin tin wells.
  • Roll out the chilled dough to about 1/8-inch thickness on a counter generously dusted with cocoa powder.
  • Using a 3 3/4-to 4-inch flower-shaped cookie cutter, stamp out as many flowers as possible, rerolling the scraps as necessary to make 24 flowers. Gently transfer the dough to the greased muffin tins, tucking each flower carefully into one of the cups.
  • With a toothpick or sharp skewer, prick holes in the dough around the edge of the cup, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch apart, adding a few holes in the center as well. Gather the scraps, re roll, and stamp out additional cookies to fill the remaining cups.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until just set, shifting the baking sheets halfway through for even baking.
  • Let the cookies cool in the muffin tins for 5 to 10 minutes before running a thin metal spatula around the outside edge of each cup. Leave cups in the pan to cool completely before removing carefully.

Butterscotch Pudding

  • Set a fine mesh strainer over a spouted measuring cup that holds 3 to 4 cups. Set aside.
  • Melt butter in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Mix in brown sugar. Cook, stirring constantly as the mixture bubbles and foams, becomes smooth, and begins to darken, about 5 minutes. Just as it begins to smell caramelized, remove the mixture from heat and stir in the heavy cream, taking care as it will bubble and steam quite a bit. If the mixture seizes up, warm it over low heat, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
  • Combine milk, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt in spouted glass measuring cup that holds at least 2 cups. Whisk well to combine.
  • Slowly pour the milk mixture into the pan with the butterscotch mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to combine. It’s okay if there are some undissolved patches of butterscotch.
  • Warm the pan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Once it begins to thicken and simmer, continue whisking vigorously for 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract.
  • Strain the mixture into the prepared measuring cup. Pour or spoon the filling into the cookie cups. If you want to pipe the filling, cool it in a water bath, whisking frequently, until just warm to the touch. Transfer it to a pastry bag and pipe the pudding into the cookie cups. Chill the filled cups, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours.

Topping

  • Just before serving, beat heavy cream with confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract until it just holds stiff peaks.
  • Spoon or pipe whipped cream on top of each pie.
  • Garnish with chocolate sprinkles or shavings.