Growing up there was a dessert that I always looked forward to: chocolate pudding.  I loved to take a dollop of cream and stir it into my pudding to create a chocolate-marbled piece of art.  I always admired the beauty in all of the unique swirls and patterns and shades of color.   Typically, I would end up over-stirring my mixture and was left with a light brown bowl of fluff void of anything beautiful.  My solution?  Fill another bowl and start again.

So as I was thinking of a simple treat to make to compliment the Father’s Day menu that the boys and I had planned, that chocolate pudding memory came to mind.

This really is a simple recipe to make.  And what I love most about it is that I can prepare the cookie cups the day before, leave them empty, and fill them in no time flat just when I am ready to serve them.  I suppose that this recipe would fall into the semi-homemade camp.  But I’m just fine with that because on this Father’s Day, I’m more interested in spending time celebrating the wonderful dad that my husband is than hanging out in the kitchen fussing about.

I hope you’ll give these a try.  Let me know what you think!

Gluten Free Chocolate Pudding Cookie Cups
yields 24

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
2 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum (I used Bob’s 1 to 1)
1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups prepared chocolate pudding
whipped topping
good quality chocolate bar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Either line a mini-muffin tin with liners or lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Set aside.

Place the butter, cut into slices, into the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  Cream until smooth.  Add in the cream cheese and mix until the butter and cream cheese are completely combined.

Mix in the sugar and cocoa until combined.

Add in the flour and baking soda, mixing until the dough comes together.

Using a spring loaded 1 tablespoon-sized scooper, scoop out level mounds of dough.  Roll between the palms of your hands and place into the prepared tin(s).  Gently flatten out the dough.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove the tray from the oven and immediately create the center holes.  I used a 1 teaspoon sized, round metal measuring spoon.  I gently pressed the rounded part into the cookie.  The cavity should only go about halfway down into the cookie.

Next, gently run a butter knife around the edges of the cookies cups to loosen them from the tray.   Allow them to cool in the muffin tins for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Just prior to serving, fill the each cookie cup with a bit of chocolate pudding and a dollop of cream.  I also created chocolate shaving by running a knife blade along the edge of a chocolate bar.  Scatter the shavings over the cream and serve.

**Only fill the cookie cups that you will use.  Leftover, filled cookie cups will likely become moist and a bit soggy if the pudding and cream sit too long….but I don’t think you will have to worry about leftovers with these delicious treats!

 

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