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Some desserts are worth turning the oven on for {even in the middle of summer} and these Strawberry Cream Cheese Pastry Bites are one of them. They have all the charm of a treat you would find at a bakery but are made with the kind of shortcut I love: a sugar cookie mix for the crust.
Table of Contents
I make these all the time, especially in the summer or during busy holidays because they’re easy, beautiful, and always disappear quickly. Friends and family always ask for the recipe, and I love that they can be adapted for other flavors, too.
Swap in fresh raspberries and raspberry jam for a slightly tart twist, and you have a whole new dessert that’s just as irresistible. Perhaps the best part about them is that you can eat a half dozen and not feel bad about it because they are just “bites”.
What goes into this Recipe
- Sugar Cookie Mix- Grab it from the baking section of the grocery store and add the ingredients listed on the back of the package.
- Cream Cheese- The base for the cheesecake-like filling. Use a full fat cream cheese for the best taste and texture.
- Powdered Sugar- Helps to sweeten the filling and create a smooth mixture.
- Fresh Strawberries- Using fresh fruit adds a wonderful flavor to the cookies, especially when they are in season. They also finish these Strawberry Cake Cookies off beautifully.
- Strawberry Jam- Added to the fresh strawberries to give them a nice glaze and extra sweetness.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make Strawberry Cream Cheese Pastry Bites
- Combine the dry sugar cookie mix with a stick of softened butter and an egg. I like to use a hand held mixer to get everything incorporated nicely. The dough will be thick and that is just how you want it.
- Using a small cookie scoop, scoop mounds of the dough into a mini muffin pan that has been liberally sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Take your fingers and press the top down to make a flat surface.
- Bake in a 350 degrees oven for 9-11 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately use a knife to run around the edges of the bites. This will ensure that they don’t stick.
- To make the indentation, take a tart shaper {or end of a wooden spoon} and press down on the middle of the cookie while they are still in the mini muffin pan.
- Allow the cups to cool completely and then transfer them to a baking sheet.
- To make the cream cheese filling, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla. I like to use a hand held mixer. Mix until you have a smooth and thick filling.
- Put the filling into a piping bag {or Ziploc bag} and squeeze enough filling into each cup to just fill the bottom. Be sure to leave room for the strawberry topping. You could also do this step by spooning the cream cheese mixture into each cup.
- For the strawberry topping, combine chopped strawberries with seedless strawberry jam. I love adding jam to cookies, it adds great flavor and color. You will also go crazy for this Strawberry Jam Cookie. Stir to combine without breaking up the strawberries.
- Spoon a teaspoon of strawberry topping onto each pie bite and on top of the cream cheese filling.
- Refrigerate for up to 2 days or serve immediately.
These Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie Bites are going to disappear before your eyes. I always suggest saving yourself a few because you know you want to!!
Expert Tips
- Don’t be restricted by having to just use sugar cookie dough. Refrigerated pie crust cut into circles works wonderfully too.
- Liberally spray each cavity of a mini muffin pan before adding the cookie dough. Failing to do this quick step could cause the cookies to stick to the pan.
- Run a knife around the edge of each crust as soon as you remove them from the oven. This will ensure that your crusts don’t stick.
- Use a tart shaper to make the indentation for the filling. This saves so much time.
- Filling and topping flavors are endless. Use any kind of sweetened fresh fruit, or strawberry jam for the topping. Homemade whipped cream would also be a great filling substitution.
- If you would rather have a homemade crust, this Cream Cheese Sugar Cookie would be perfect.
Storage and Freezing
Store leftover strawberry cookie bites in the refrigerator. For best results be sure to place them in a good airtight container or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap.
The cookie cups freeze well for up to 3 months. To serve, defrost the cookies and then add the filling and toppings to the cookies.
Do you love Strawberry desserts? Try these recipes…
Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review below and tag @practicallyhomemade on Pinterest!
Strawberry Cream Cheese Pastry Bites Recipe
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Crust
- 17.25 ounces sugar cookie mix
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 egg
Cream Cheese Filling
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Fresh Strawberry Topping
- ½-¾ cup strawberries, finely chopped
- ¼ cup strawberry jam, seedless
Instructions
Sugar Cookie Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Combine sugar cookie mix, 1 stick of softened butter and egg with a hand held mixer {or by hand} until you have a thick dough.
- Generously spray each cup of the mini muffin tin. Use a small cookie scoop and scoop a mound of dough into each cup. Press the top of the mound down slightly with your fingers so that you have a level top.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately run a knife around the edge of each cookie to loosen them. Once the cookies are loose, take a tart shaper and create an indentation into the middle of each cookie.
- Allow the cookies to cool and bake the remainder of the dough.
Cream Cheese Filling
- In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla. Using a hand held mixer, mix the ingredients until you have a smooth filling.
- Put the filling into a piping bag {or Ziploc bag} cut a small triangle off of the end. Pipe the filling into the bottom of each sugar cookie crust. Being sure to leave room for the strawberry topping.
Strawberry Topping
- Combine the chopped strawberries and seedless strawberry jam in a small bowl. Mix gently until everything is combined. This will ensure that the fresh strawberries don't mash up.
- Spoon about a teaspoon of strawberry filling onto the top of each pie bite. I like to be sure that it is covering the cream cheese filling.
- Serve or refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These are so cute and could not have been easier to make!