Dressing Up Dessert – Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Cups

Crispy and delicious, Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Cups are a great way to dress up fresh fruit, sorbet, mousse, or even cake and ice cream, to make a beautiful dessert.

A Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Cup filled with Blueberry Pomegranate Granita and garnished with blueberries and a sprig of basil
A Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Cup filled with Blueberry Pomegranate Granita and Fresh Blueberries

Simply Delicious

Presentation says a lot about a dish. Whether a recipe is simple or complex, adding interest through the art of visual appeal heightens the overall sensory experience of a meal. That’s why I love to find simple ways to dress up a recipe. What I love even more is dressing up a recipe without the need to buy and store new serving dishes (not that I don’t have my share) or spend a lot on special ingredients.

Clam Chowder is an example. Even a so-so Clam Chowder is tempting when served in a sourdough bread bowl. And, while I might order a Taco Salad based on a description of the ingredients, the probability goes way up if I see one served in a golden brown tortilla shell. In both cases, the appealing presentation elevates the ordinary to a whole new level.

Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Cup filled with a Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookie and Sweetened Sliced Peaches

Spicy Sweet Tortilla Cups

While we are fairly familiar with salads being served in tortilla shells, what about dessert? And what if there’s no need to deep fry them? Here is a great way to dress up a dessert with a few taco-sized flour tortilla shells, some non-stick cooking spray and a little cinnamon and sugar. You can make them even more fancy by dipping the edges in chocolate or drizzling melted chocolate over the cooled shells if you like, but you don’t have to. I didn’t here.

Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Cups make a great dessert dish in any season but they seem especially nice for summer. Great for holding fresh fruit, sorbet, even cake and ice cream, not only are they beautiful but they are the ultimate in disposable dishware. Why throw out even recyclables when you can eat these yummy dessert bowls instead?

A small Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Cup filled with Chocolate Tofu Mousse

A Smaller Tortilla Cup

Are taco sized tortilla shells too large for your idea of a perfect summer dessert? Smaller Tortilla Cups can be made by trimming the tortilla into smaller circles, coating them with sugar as directed above, and fitting them into muffin tins lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray. I folded these a little at the sides to fit them into the tins. They hold a relatively small quantity, just right for some desserts.

Serve and enjoy!

Dressing Up Dessert – Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Cups

Course: DessertCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes
Total time

30

minutes

Crispy and delicious, Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Cups are a great way to dress up fresh fruit, sorbet, mousse, or even cake and ice cream.

Ingredients

  • 6 small flour tortillas

  • Nonstick cooking spray

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar

  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • Line a cookie sheet with foil. Lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray. (Really I’m not sure this is necessary but it aids in cleanup especially if you don’t have non stick baking sheets. )
  • Invert three 6-ounce glass custard cups on the foil.
  • Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
  • Lightly spray both sides of half the tortillas with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle each side with a teaspoon or so of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  • Lay one tortilla over each custard cup, balancing it on the cup as evenly as possible. (The tortilla will conform more closely to the shape of the custard cup while baking.)Tortillas sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar draped over custard cups to make Tortilla Cups for serving dessert
  • Place another glass custard cup over the top, if you like. (This will hold the tortilla shells on the custard cups and make them more upright, but it isn’t necessary.)Tortilla Cups baking in the oven with custard cups on top to make the shape
  • Carefully slide the baking sheet into the oven. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp.
  • Remove from oven. Using tongs, remove the tortilla shells from the custard cups and cool right side up on a wire rack.Finished Tortilla Bowl (or cup) with cinnamon sugar topping
  • Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
  • When cool, fill with ice cream, fruit, mousse or other filling of your choice.

Notes

  • Smaller cups can be made by trimming the tortilla into smaller circles, coating them with sugar as directed above, and fitting them into muffin tins lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray.

8 Comments

  1. Zupan's Markets

    What an easy, yummy idea! A sweeter, yummier, and totally cute alternative to icecream cones!

  2. This is a great idea for a dessert. Whenever I make tortillas I think I should do sweet ones, looks lovely.

  3. I can't wait to make these. I am having a house full of company and this is a great way to serve a fruit salad and so many other things.
    Joyce

  4. Leave it to you, Lisa, to come up with a fantastic idea and a great presentation. This is a wonderful way to serve summer ice cream and fruit. I'm thinking of cinnamon ice cream with fresh mangoes. What do you think?

  5. delightful.
    would filling one of these terrific cups with a whopping scoop of fried ice cream be too much? methinks not. 🙂

  6. Beautifuls! I just bought some cinnamon sugar pita chips that are pretty good. I'll have to try making these. I love the fancy presentation it lends.

  7. Great idea and fabulous photos!

  8. This is the kind of fantastic idea that I bookmark and then never use. But I AM going to do this!

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