Treats That Start with a Package of Cookie Dough

Sugar Cookie Cups with Coconut Buttercream Frosting
Photo: foodelicious

When nothing but fresh cookies will do but time is tight, prepared cookie dough saves the day. You can stash it in your fridge or freezer for your next emergency dessert, or you could use the dough as a starting point for many more amazing treats. Layer it up with cheesecake filling or your favorite candy bar flavors. Bake one large cookie and top with fruit for a sweet pizza. Form into cups or roll up like a pinwheel. Ready-to-go dough lets you skip right to creating your next cookie masterpiece, and no one will know you didn't make it from scratch!

01 of 12

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
lutzflcat

Just four ingredients combines two of our favorite desserts in one: chocolate chip cookies and tangy cheesecake. It's all thanks to prepared cookie dough that's pressed into a bottom crust and crumbled over the cheesecake filling.

02 of 12

Fruit Pizza

Fruit Pizza II
Gilda George

This gorgeous pizza looks like a fancy fruit tart, but couldn't be simpler. A base of prepared sugar cookie dough bakes until golden, then gets topped with a fluffy cream cheese frosting and any fresh fruit you like.

03 of 12

Sugar Cookie Cups with Coconut Buttercream Frosting

Sugar Cookie Cups with Coconut Buttercream Frosting
foodelicious

How adorable are these mini cups? Prepared sugar cookie dough cuts out all the mixing — just form, bake, and fill with a coconut-flavored buttercream. Sprinkles are optional, but they make this two-bite treat even more cute.

04 of 12

Raspberry Swirl Cookies

Raspberry Swirl Cookies
Kim's Cooking Now

Pretty pinwheel cookies skip right to topping, rolling, and slicing by using prepared sugar cookie dough. We love the combo of raspberry jam, toasted walnuts, and coconut here, but the filling possibilities are endless.

05 of 12

Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake
Jennae

While recipe creator Jenn8504 uses prepared chocolate chip cookie dough in these bake-and-slice bars, she recommends using whatever store-bought dough you like. All would work well with her classic cheesecake filling.

06 of 12

Disappearing Caramel Apple Bars

Disappearing Caramel Apple Bars
Melissa Goff

Recipe creator Christina Khloen named these bars after seeing how quickly they vanish as soon as they're served. She tops prepared sugar cookie dough with a cream cheese and cinnamon chip filling, then finishes with fresh apples.

07 of 12

Peanut Butter Cup Dessert Pizza

Peanut Butter Cup Dessert Pizza
Lisa Altmiller

Calling all peanut butter lovers! This dessert pizza uses prepared sugar cookie dough as the crust, with peanut butter frosting as the sauce and peanut butter cups as the topper. You can even use a pizza wheel to cut into slices!

08 of 12

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Brownies

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Brownies
Christina

The only thing better than fresh baked chocolate chip cookies you don't have to mix yourself? Sandwiching them with a rich cheesecake filling, of course. "These bars turned out wonderful," says reviewer lutzflcat.

09 of 12

Pumpkin Cheesecake Squares

Pumpkin Cheesecake Squares
Mackenzie Schieck

One unexpected yet brilliant addition to these bars? A layer of cinnamon chips that melt into the prepared sugar cookie crust as bakes. The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for the pumpkin filling to set so you can dive in.

10 of 12

Easy Peanut Butter Chip Cookie Bars

Easy Peanut Butter Chip Cookie Bars
Lela

Prepared sugar cookie dough doubles as the crust and crumble-like topping for these easy bars. The only part you make is the peanut butter and chocolate chip filling, inspired by the candy cups we love. Layer, bake, and enjoy!

11 of 12

Simple Fruit Pizza

Simple Fruit Pizza
Jennifer Baker

A sugar cookie base and cream cheese frosting are the blank canvas for this pizza. After you've arranged your favorite fruits on top, brush with marmalade for a glossy finish and even more flavor. "My kids went crazy," says Jennifer Baker.

12 of 12

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
cookin' mama

One reviewer had great success using prepared sugar cookie dough instead of the from-scratch version — a great option to save time. You could even double the peanut butter flavor with prepared peanut butter cookie dough.

  • 18 of Our Most Chocolaty Chocolate Cookies
Was this page helpful?