Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Recipe (2024)

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Peanut butter cup cookies are homemade peanut butter cookies, baked in a mini muffin tin and stuffed with a mini Reese’s peanut butter cup.

Chocolate and peanut butter are a winning flavor combination and a family favorite in our house. We make Frosted Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats, Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies, Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies, and these tasty Reese’s peanut butter cup cookies at least once every holiday baking season. And several times throughout the year as well.

I mean does it get any better than homemade peanut butter cookies stuffed with peanut butter cups?

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Recipe (1)

Plus, I love how easy these Reese’s cookies are to make, all in one bowl. No need to combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately for this quick and easy cookie recipe!

For another easy Reese’s dessert try my Reese’s peanut butter cup dip recipe.

These mini peanut butter cup cookies will be the star of your Christmas cookie tray, although the delicious cookies are perfect for any time of the year and for any occasion.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Recipe (2)

Unlike most cookie recipes, this peanut butter cookie recipe doesn’t call for any butter or flour.

Surprising I know, but trust me on this–they are absolutely delicious!

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Recipe (3)

Table of Contents

Ingredients

This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

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  • Mini peanut butter cups– I used Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups
  • Creamy peanut butter– I recommend using a conventional peanut butter here since they are typically thicker than natural peanut butters. The thicker peanut butter is necessary to hold up the shape of the cookie.
  • Granulated sugar
  • Light brown sugar
  • Baking soda
  • Large eggs
  • Pure vanilla extract– if you are using imitation vanilla increase the amount to 2 teaspoons
  • Fine sea salt – regular table salt works too

Kitchen Supplies

  1. Measuring cups and spoons
  2. Mini muffin tins (you will need 2 tins)
  3. Large mixing bowl
  4. Mixing spoon or hand-held mixer
  5. Medium cookie scoop
  6. Wire cooling rack

How to Make

This section shows you how to make the recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions. For the full printable recipe, see the recipe card below.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and baking soda. Mix in the eggs, the vanilla extract, and salt.

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Use a medium cookie scoop to portion out equal scoops of batter and roll each scoop into a ball. Place 1 cookie dough ball into each cup of a mini muffin tin.

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Bake as directed in the recipe card below.

When you remove the cookies from the oven immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie.

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Place the muffin tin on top of a wire cooling rack and allow the cookies to cool completely before carefully removing them from the pan.

Tip: You may find it helpful to a butter knife to gently separate the side of cookie cups from the tin.

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Storage

Room Temperature: Place the cookies in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Place baked and cooled cookie cups on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour before placing in a freezer bag or other freezer-safe container. The cookies will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 4 weeks. Thaw the cookies or eat them frozen!

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Tips & Variations

  • You can replace the Reese’s with another small candy. Try the recipe with Rolos, caramels, mini Snickers, mini Milky Ways, mini Butterfingers, Hershey Kisses, etc…
  • Prep the dough ahead of time and freeze for up to 3 months. Then simply thaw, bake, and add your mini peanut butter cups.
  • For a short cut you can use a bag of peanut butter cookie mix or ready-to-bake peanut butter cookie dough.

More Must-Try Cookie Recipes

  • Sugar Cookie Bars
  • Chocolate Chip Air Fryer Cookies
  • Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies
  • Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
  • Peanut Butter Blossoms

Recipe

4.58 from 42 votes

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Author: Jaclyn

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

Peanut butter cup cookies are homemade peanut butter cookies, baked in a mini muffin tin and stuffed with a mini Reese's peanut butter cup.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar packed
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 34 mini peanut butter cups unwrapped

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit.

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and baking soda. Mix in the eggs, the vanilla extract, and salt.

  • Use a medium cookie scoop to portion out equal scoops of batter and roll each scoop into a ball. Place 1 cookie dough ball into each cup of a mini muffin tin.

  • Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes, or until set and the tops are beginning to crack. When you remove the cookies from the oven immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie.

  • Place the muffin tin on top of a wire cooling rack and allow the cookies to cool completely before carefully removing them from the pan.

Notes

Storage: Place the cookies in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 4 days.

To freeze: Place baked and cooled cookies on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour before placing in a freezer bag or other freezer-safe container. The cookies will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 4 weeks. Thaw the cookies or eat them frozen!

Or prep the dough ahead of time and freeze for up to 3 months. Then simply thaw, bake, and add your mini peanut butter cups.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 122kcal

    Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Recipe (11)

    Did You Make This Recipe?

    Share it with me on Instagram @crayonsandcravings and follow on Pinterest @crayonsandcravings for even more!

    Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Recipe (12)
    Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Recipe (2024)

    FAQs

    Can you bake with Reese's cups? ›

    We've literally got half-empty bags pushed into every nook and cranny of our pantry. A few of those bags had one of our favorites, Reese's peanut butter cups. This soft, tender and easy bar cookie recipe was the perfect way to use them.

    Why are my homemade peanut butter cookies falling apart? ›

    One reason could be that you overcooked them. Another reason could be that you didn't add enough moisture to the dough. Finally, your peanut butter cookies might be dry and crumbly if you used a natural peanut butter that doesn't have any added oil.

    What happens if you don't flatten peanut butter cookies? ›

    The fork marks also encourage the cookies to bake more evenly and brown evenly. If we skipped that step, these cookies would be so thick that they'd barely spread, and they may not bake all the way through.

    Why are my peanut butter cookies always hard? ›

    If your peanut butter cookies are hard, you likely cooked them for too long. They should not be baked for more than 8 or 9 minutes.

    Do Reese's peanut butter cups melt? ›

    Reese's chocolate-covered peanut butter cups will melt to create a peanut-flavored base for a chocolate sauce or dessert filling. The melted Reese's peanut butter cups can also be used as a chocolaty spread for toast. Because chocolate burns easily, it's simplest to melt it in a ...

    Why do Reese's peanut butter cups taste different? ›

    The Bottom Line

    Even though all Reese's shapes are made the exact same way with the exact same recipe, the temperature at which the chocolates hang out in during shipping could play a factor into how fresh each shape tastes.

    Should you refrigerate peanut butter cookie dough before baking? ›

    Chill your cookie dough! The dough is extremely soft due to the creamy peanut butter, eggs, and butter and if it's not cold going into the oven, the cookies will spread all over your baking sheet. I chilled this cookie dough for 24 hours and my cookies were soft, thick perfection.

    What kind of peanut butter is best for baking cookies? ›

    Peanut butter: Creamy peanut butter is ideal for this recipe because crunchy peanut butter creates an overly crumbly cookie. You can use processed peanut butter such as Jif or Skippy, or natural-style peanut butter.

    Why do you smash peanut butter cookies? ›

    Peanut butter cookie dough is stiff and will not spread out while baking (the way chocolate chip cookie dough does). Using the long tines of a fork and pressing down on the dough ball twice , one vertically and one horizontally, flattens the dough evenly and leaves attractive marks.

    What happens if you don't chill peanut butter cookie dough? ›

    Firm dough prevents the cookies from spreading too much, which is why chilling the dough is a crucial step for cut-out and rolled cookies. "The colder and more solid the fat is, the less the cookie will spread," says food stylist and recipe developer Caitlin Haught Brown.

    Why do you press a fork in peanut butter cookies? ›

    These early recipes do not explain why the advice is given to use a fork, though. The reason is that peanut butter cookie dough is dense, and unpressed, each cookie will not cook evenly. Using a fork to press the dough is a convenience of tool; bakers can also use a cookie shovel (spatula).

    Should I let peanut butter cookie dough rest? ›

    We prefer natural peanut butter here, so you can dial in the sugar and salt amounts precisely, and smooth peanut butter over crunchy to better control the cookies' fat and moisture levels. Letting the cookie dough rest ensures the flour is fully hydrated, resulting in crisper edges and chewier middles.

    How can you tell when peanut butter cookies are done? ›

    Unlike many other cookies, peanut butter biscuits only fully harden once they've been removed from the oven. Here's how to tell when peanut butter cookies are done: The tops of the cookies are a uniform light brown. They're soft to the touch but not moist or mushy.

    How do you moisten peanut butter cookie dough? ›

    Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

    Why do my peanut butter cookies not taste like peanut butter? ›

    The most common mistake with peanut butter cookies is using the wrong type of peanut butter. The BEST peanut butter for today's cookies is a processed creamy peanut butter, preferably Jif or Skippy.

    Are Reese's Pieces and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups the same thing? ›

    Reese's Pieces are a product extension of the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups line; they were designed to capitalize on the success of the chocolate-covered peanut butter cups, though unlike the cups, they have no chocolate.

    Is Reese's peanut butter the same as the cups? ›

    Originally Answered: Why does Reese's peanut butter not actually taste like the peanut butter in their candy? Because it's not the same, there is no peanut butter in Reeses Peanut Butter cups. There are peanuts, sugars and salt in the candy but the process and amounts are different.

    What is so special about Reese's Peanut Butter Cups? ›

    1. Reese's product offer a delightful combination of sweet chocolate and salty peanut butter. 2. Many people grew up enjoying Reese's candies, creating a strong sense of nostalgia and fond memories associated with them.

    References

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