Cookie Cupcakes -- Quick, Easy, and SO Yummy!

You guys, I am so excited to share these treats....crispy, chewy, coconut sugar cookies, topped with a sweet cream cheese frosting, sprinkled with pretty coconut and sugar....and devoured!  Two words: "dangerously delicious"!  They are a great bite-size for the kiddos....and for you to have more than one and still enjoy yourself.  ;)

We had a last-minute get together for the 4th of July, and at first I was going to make our 4th of July fruit kabobs (....big hit with the kids, and a favorite on the blog!)....but then I realized we were out of blueberries and I couldn't find our wooden skewers, lol. 

I wanted a fun treat for the kids though, so with strawberries in hand, off to Pinterest I went!  I found this recipe for "Red, White, and Blue Sugar Cookie Cups" and it was perfect -- it's an easy one to make and easy to have all the ingredients on hand!

After baking the sugar cookie cups, I frosted them with cream cheese frosting - just put it in a Ziploc bag, snip off the corner and do a swirly-whirly on top for a pretty look.

I had red sugar that was clearanced after Christmas, and I dyed some coconut blue for the topping.  To make the blue coconut, I just tossed some shredded coconut and a couple drops of blue food coloring (I'd like to try a natural food coloring like this) in a Tupperware container - the kids liked helping with this!  Then we added some fresh strawberries...

The red, white and blue was perfect for a 4th of July or Memorial Day treat, but my mind was racing with other color possibilities -- birthday parties, sports teams, other holidays, pink and blue for baby showers or gender reveal parties...

I did leave some plain for those who don't love coconut - just as yummy to keep it really simple with just the colored sugar....

They were super delicious!!  Seriously, how can you go wrong with sugar cookies, cream cheese, fresh fruit, and anything in a mini muffin tin?? It was very similar in taste to a fruit pizza, but in a cute bite size.  (My mouth is watering just typing this up!)

Directions

For the Cookie Cupcakes:

• 1 (17.5 oz.) package Sugar Cookie Cookie Mix (I used Betty Crocker)
• ½ c. coconut oil
• 1 egg

1. Mix cookies according to package instructions, substituting coconut oil for butter.
2. Grease mini muffin tin (24 muffins) and divide dough evenly among tins.

3. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
4. Cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• ½ c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 6 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 c. powdered sugar

1. In a large bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, & vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth & blended.
2. Add powdered sugar, mixing until smooth, then beat on medium speed for 1 minute to lighten the frosting.
3. Top cooled cookie cups with cream cheese frosting, using a plastic bag with the corner cut off to pipe frosting (a smaller hole gives you more control). Top with blue coconut, red sugar, and strawberry piece (or whatever you'd like).

Optional Toppings:

• ½ c. sweetened, shredded coconut (dyed with a couple drops of food coloring)
• colored sugar
• fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries (if using large strawberries, divide into smaller segments)
• candies (nerds, gummies, etc)