Sugar Cookie Cups with Pink Champagne & Vanilla Buttercream

I am always looking for that new, unique dessert that I can make and let my husband taste test.  (NOTE:  My husband is sweet treat freak!) :) I recently ran across a great recipe that I just had to try because the name was just too cute and catchy for it to not be good!  I mean who wouldn't want to try Sugar Cookie Cups with Pink Champagne Buttercream Icing?  I can assure you after the taste test, these little cuties are definitely as good as the name is catchy and super easy to make!!

Blogger Arlene Cummings of Cooking with Sugar created this fabulous recipe that turns Pillsbury Ready to Bake! refrigerated sugar cookies into a simply elegant dessert that is perfect for weddings, parties, or just because!

Below recipe adapted slightly from:  http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/pink-champagne-buttercream-cookie-cups/ba0e5a8b-224f-4e5a-94ba-b81a1a7b2ac9


INGREDIENTS:
Cookie Cups:
1 package (16 oz) Pillsbury Ready to Bake! refrigerated sugar cookies

Champagne Buttercream Icing:
1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 shortening
4 cups of powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 tsp of salt
1 Tbsp Vanilla extract
1/4 cup pink champagne (I prefer Pink Moscato wine)
1 Tbsp of milk or heavy cream
1-2 drops red food coloring (until desired pink color is reached)


DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray 24 mini muffin cups with cooking spray.

Remove cookie dough rounds from tray.  Place 2 cookie dough round in each muffin cup.  Bake 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown.

Directly after taking the muffin tin out of the oven, take a wooden spoon and using the end, carefully press into the center of each baked cookie to make a 1-inch wide indentation.  Allow cookies to cool for a about 5 minutes, remove them from the muffin tin and place then on a cooling rack.  

While the cookie cups are cooling on the cooling rack, in a medium bowl, beat butter and shortening with a stand mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.  Turn the speed down to low and gradually add the sifted powered sugar while beating 1-2 minutes.  After powered sugar has mixed in well, add the 1/4 tsp of sale, 1 Tbsp vanilla extract, 1/4 cup of pink champagne, and 1 Tbsp of milk or heavy cream.  Add 1-2 drops or more red food coloring to create the pink color that you are looking for.  Continue to mix and beat ingredients until stiff peaks form.  

Put the prepared buttercream icing into a piping bag with your favorite end attachment and pipe the icing into the sugar cookie cups (about 1 Tablespoon of icing per cookie cup).  Decorate cookie cups with candy sprinkles!  Enjoy!