Berries and Cream Brownie Cups are the perfect endings for a festive gathering. The red, white, and blue make it perfect for the 4th of July. Add some crushed peppermint for Christmas, sprinkles for a birthday party, or leave it plain.
Key Takeaways:
- Festive & Versatile Dessert: Berries and Cream Brownie Cups can be customized for different occasions—4th of July, Christmas, birthdays, or everyday treats.
- Triple Chocolate Goodness: The brownie base features cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and white chocolate in the filling for rich, layered flavor.
- Boosted Chocolate Flavor: Espresso powder (or instant coffee) enhances the depth of chocolate without making it taste like coffee.
- Careful Baking Technique: Melt butter and sugar to 110°F, and shape the brownie cups while hot to avoid crumbling.
- Creamy Frosting Tip: Gently melt white chocolate until just warm to avoid melting the cream cheese frosting when mixing.
- Perfect Berry Toppings: Blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries make the ideal fresh topping for a festive and delicious finish.
Overview
Berries and Cream Brownie Cups are a festive, chocolate-lover’s dream, perfect for celebrations like the 4th of July, Christmas, birthdays, or any special gathering. Featuring a triple-chocolate base—chocolate powder, chocolate chips, and white chocolate filling—these mini brownie cups are rich, decadent, and customizable for any occasion.
The recipe combines pantry staples like eggs, sugar, butter, flour, and vanilla, with espresso powder (or instant coffee) to intensify the chocolate flavor. Key tips for success include heating the butter-sugar mixture to 110°F, gently folding in the flour and chocolate chips, and shaping the brownie cups while hot to prevent crumbling.
The creamy filling is a luscious cream cheese frosting blended with melted white chocolate for an irresistible flavor. After piping the frosting into the cooled brownie cups, they are topped with fresh berries—blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries—for a colorful and delicious finish.
Whether you’re looking for a festive treat or an elegant dessert option, these Berries and Cream Brownie Cups deliver a sweet, crowd-pleasing experience. For more fun brownie ideas, check out Brownie Bowls with Peanut Butter Mousse or Brownie Bites – Melted Monsters.
This page contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click a link, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
What Do You Need For Berries and Cream Brownie Cups?
Chocolate is the reason I make these brownie cups. I love chocolate, and these cute little cups have triple chocolate. Chocolate powder, chocolate chips, and white chocolate in the filling. I know some don’t consider white chocolate as real chocolate, but it does add to the YUM factor in these decadent berries and cream brownie cups.
The rest of the ingredients are eggs, sugar, butter, flour, vanilla, salt, and espresso powder. If you don’t have espresso powder, you can use instant coffee. The coffee enhances the flavor of the chocolate.
Tips for making the Brownie Cups:
- Melt the butter and then add the sugar and heat the mixture to 110 degrees.
- Mix all the rest of the ingredients (except the flour) and add the butter and sugar to this mixture.
- Stir in the chocolate chip and flour by hand.
- I use a generous tablespoon cookie scoop to fill the mini muffin tins
- Once the brownies are baked (don’t overbake), immediately use a mini tart shaper to create the cup shape in the brownie. You want to do this while the brownie is hot. Otherwise, the brownie will fall apart.
Let’s Make The Filling for these Berries and Cream Brownie Cups.
Think cream cheese frosting with white chocolate added for extra YUM. I adore cream cheese frosting, and the white chocolate makes it even better. Be careful when you melt the white chocolate that you heat it until the chocolate is just melted. It will be barely warm. If the melted chocolate is too hot it will melt the cream cheese frosting.
Assemble the Berries and Cream Brownie Cups.
Once the brownie cups are completely cooled. Pipe the cream cheese frosting into the cups and top with your favorite berry. Blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries work the best.
For some more brownie desserts try my Brownie Bowls with Peanut Butter Mousse or my Brownie Bites – Melted Monsters.
FAQ:
Q: Can I use regular coffee instead of espresso powder in the brownie mix?
A: Yes! You can substitute instant coffee for espresso powder. It won’t make the brownies taste like coffee but will intensify the chocolate flavor.
Q: What happens if I don’t shape the brownie cups right away?
A: If you wait too long, the brownies will firm up and crumble when you try to shape them. Always press the cups immediately after baking while they are still hot.
Q: Can I use milk chocolate instead of white chocolate for the filling?
A: You can, but it will change the flavor profile. White chocolate adds sweetness and richness without overpowering the cream cheese flavor.
Q: How should I melt white chocolate without overheating it?
A: Melt it slowly, stirring often, just until it’s barely melted and slightly warm. Overheating can ruin the texture and cause it to seize or melt the cream cheese frosting.
Q: How far in advance can I make these brownie cups?
A: You can bake the brownie cups a day ahead. Assemble them with the filling and berries shortly before serving to keep them fresh.
Q: What berries work best for topping the brownie cups?
A: Blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are ideal because they’re the right size and add a fresh, colorful touch.
Berries and Cream Brownie cups
Equipment
- mini muffin tins (2)
- This page contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click a link, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you
Ingredients
Brownie Cups
- ¾ cup cocoa powder dutch process (62g)
- 1 tsp espresso powder
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¾ cup granulated sugar(150g)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar(160g)
- 12 tbsp. melted butter(170g)
- 1 ⅛ cup flour(135g)all purpose
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips(170g)
- 48 fresh berries (blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries)
Cream Cheese Filling
- 12 ounces cream cheese(340g)
- ¼ cup butter
- 1½ cups white chocolate chips(205g)
- 1½ cups confectioners sugar(170g)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp sour cream
Instructions
Brownie Cups
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
- Mix the cocoa, espresso powder, eggs, vanilla, salt, and baking powder.
- Melt the butter and add the white and brown sugars to the melted butter.
- Microwave the butter and sugar together until it is 110 degrees F. (43°C)
- Add the butter sugar mixture to the cocoa misture and mix well.
- Add the flour and stir in.
- Add the chocolate chips and stir in.
- Spray the mini muffin tins (click here for where to purchase) with non-stick spray.
- Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop to fill each well. (smallest size scoop).
- Bake at 350°F (176°C) for 13 minutes.
- As soon as the brownie bites come out of the oven, press a well into the brownie to form the cup shape.
- Let the brownies cool about 15 minutes before removing from the tins.
Cream Cheese Filling
- Melt the white chocolate in either a double boiler or the microwave until just melted. Let the chocolate cool until it is just warm enough to be melted, but not so warm it melts the cream cheese.
- Beat the cream cheese and butter together.
- Add the melted chocolate and beat in.
- Add the confectioners sugar and beat in.
- Add the vanilla and sour cream and beat in.
- If the filling is real soft and won't hold it's shape when piped, put it in the fridge to cool until it is firm enough to hold it's shape when piped.
- Put the filling into a large piping bag with a star tip attached.
- Fill each brownie cup with the filling and top with half of the cups with a blue berry and the other half with either a strawberry or raspberry.
- These can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Serve at room temperature.
Love it! I’m just confused when you give directions for the cream cheese filling, step 3 says “beat the cream cheese and butter together” but in the recipe for the filling there is no butter. Just wondering if this is a simple typo or if butter is supposed to be in the filling as well. Thanks!
Thank you for spotting the discrepancy. The filling is delicious without the butter because it has sour cream. However, I’ve added 1/4 cup of butter to the ingredients as it makes the frosting a bit richer, and who doesn’t love a creamy, rich frosting?