How to Make Strawberry Shortcake Cups

Step 1 - Macerate the strawberries: Combine the sliced strawberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl and toss until every piece is coated. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through. By the time you are ready to assemble the cups, the strawberries will have released a significant amount of juice that has combined with the dissolved sugar into a glossy, ruby-red syrup. Do not drain this syrup — it is the best part of the topping and should be spooned over the cups along with the fruit.

Step 2 - Make the graham cracker crumble: Crush the graham crackers in a zip-lock bag using a rolling pin until you have a mixture of fine crumbs and small chunky pieces — you want some texture in the crumble, not a uniform fine powder. Combine the crushed crackers with the melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon if using, and mix until the crumbs are evenly moistened and hold together lightly when pressed. The crumble does not need to be baked — the butter binds it sufficiently for the cup format.

Step 3 - Make the cream filling: Beat the softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl until smooth, light, and completely free of lumps — this takes about two minutes with a hand mixer on medium speed. In a separate cold bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two additions, using a spatula and gentle folding motions rather than stirring, to keep as much air in the mixture as possible. The finished filling should be thick, billowy, and hold its shape when spooned.

Step 4 - Assemble the cups: Spoon two to three tablespoons of the graham cracker crumble into the bottom of each cup and press lightly to create an even base layer. Add a generous scoop of the cream filling on top of the crumble — roughly 1/3 to 1/2 cup per serving depending on cup size — and smooth the surface slightly with the back of the spoon. Finish each cup with a generous spoonful of the macerated strawberries and their syrup, making sure each cup gets a good amount of the liquid as well as the fruit.

Step 5 - Chill and serve: Place the assembled cups in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the layers to set and the crumble to soften slightly at the edges where it meets the cream. The cups can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours after assembly without any loss of quality. Serve cold, directly from the refrigerator, with an extra pinch of crumble over the top if desired for visual contrast and crunch.