Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
These Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are made with Reese’s and are the best combination of chocolate and peanut butter. Made in a mini muffin tin using pantry ingredients, they’re a classic Christmas cookie we make every holiday season.
Every year I ask my kids as well as my husband what cookie recipes they would like me to make in December. Without a doubt, my son always asks for these Peanut Butter Cup Cookies. He’s a huge fan of Reese’s and these cookies are the perfect combination of the candy in a cookie form.
Save The Recipe!
Add your email below and we’ll send it straight to your inbox+ you’ll receive all our newest recipes!
It’s a recipe that’s easy for a beginner baker and fun for kids to help out with since they can roll the dough, press it into the mini muffin tin and also add the peanut butter cup into the center. I love to add it to a cookie gift box with my Saltine Cracker Toffee and White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- 10-ingredient cookie recipe. Yes, there’s nothing special in these cookies. In fact, I usually have all of the ingredients already at home (except for the peanut butter cups!). It’s easy to shop for and also so affordable.
- A cookie all ages will love. The classic flavors of chocolate and peanut butter never get old, kids and adults love them!
- Hassle-free method that’s so simple. With a couple of bowls and a mini muffin tin, it’s so easy to assemble and bake these cookies quickly.
Laura Ashley’s Tip: Remember to unwrap and freeze your peanut butter cups prior to beginning the recipe. I’ll remind you several times in the post as well as the recipe – this is so important to make sure the cookies bake correctly!
Ingredients
Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below
- Salted butter: The base of the cookie dough, you want to make sure it’s softened before starting the recipe.
- Creamy peanut butter: Don’t buy natural peanut butter here, regular creamy is the best for texture and flavor.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness to the dough.
- Brown sugar: Gives that molasses flavor and chew to every bite.
- Egg: Binds the dough together.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a hint of caramel and floral notes to the cookie dough.
- All-purpose flour: Structure for the cookie dough recipe.
- Baking soda: Leavening agent that tenderizes the cookies so they are soft.
- Baking powder: The second leavening agent that helps the cookie dough to rise.
- Salt: All sweets need a little bit of salt to help bring out their flavors!
- Reese’s peanut butter cups: The star ingredient, you want to unwrap these and freeze them in advance of cooking for best results!
Tools You’ll Need
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Mixing Bowls
- Liquid Measuring Cups
- Spatula
- Scoop
- Cooling Racks
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Mini Cupcake Pan: 1 pan has 24 wells, and this recipe makes 48.
How to Make Peanut Butter cup Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan with butter or nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter until smooth and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla until fully incorporated.
- Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to the wet mixture. Mix just until a dough forms. Don’t overmix.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place each ball into a mini muffin cup.
- Bake 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set.
- Remove pan from the oven and immediately press a frozen mini Reese’s cup into the center of each cookie.
- Let cookies cool in the pan 10 minutes, then gently loosen and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Expert Tips
- Freeze the Reese’s peanut butter cups in advance. This is so important to the success of these cookies. If you don’t then they will melt in the oven as they bake!
- Don’t overmix the cookie dough or you will have a tough cookie. Mix everything until it is just combined. This is the key to a soft and chewy bite.
- Only let the cookies cool in the muffin tin for 10 minutes. If you let them cool longer, then you risk the cookies “baking” for too long and they could become hard and crunchy.
- Use a cookie scoop to make 1-inch balls of cookie dough quickly and easily for the muffin tin. This is how I work quickly to make these cookies during the holiday season! It makes it so easy.
Storage
Store these peanut butter cup cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the cookies for up to 2 months, just thaw on the counter until they are ready to eat.
Frequently Asked Questions
You are going to par-bake the cookie dough in the mini muffin tins, then press the frozen peanut butter cups into the dough when it’s still soft and continue baking to set.
Yes, you can mix the dough and chill it in the fridge until you are ready to scoop, mold, and bake.
No, creamy regular peanut butter (not natural) is the best kind for both texture and flavor, plus to keep the dough bound together.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes
- Avalanche Cookies
- Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
- Old Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies
- Whipped Shortbread Cookies
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter softened
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 48 Reese's peanut butter cups unwrapped and frozen
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan with butter or nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter until smooth and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla until fully incorporated.
- Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to the wet mixture. Mix just until a dough forms. Don’t overmix.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place each ball into a mini muffin cup.
- Bake 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set.
- Remove pan from the oven and immediately press a frozen mini Reese’s cup into the center of each cookie.
- Let cookies cool in the pan 10 minutes, then gently loosen and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Video
Notes
- Freeze the Reese’s peanut butter cups in advance. This is so important to the success of these cookies. If you don’t then they will melt in the oven as they bake!
- Don’t overmix the cookie dough or you will have a tough cookie. Mix everything until it is just combined, this is the key to a soft and chewy bite.
- Only let the cookies cool in the muffin tin for 10 minutes. If you let them cool longer, then you risk the cookies “baking” for too long and they could become hard and crunchy.
- Use a cookie scoop to make 1-inch balls of cookie dough quickly and easily for the muffin tin. This is how I work quickly to make these cookies during the holiday season! It makes it so easy.
Nutrition
About Laura
Taught by some of the best, cooking and entertaining has always been my favorite hobby. Food is my love language! The conception of Dinner in 321 came from my family talks that sharing our dinners would help others learn new skills, tasty recipes, and make cooking fun! Read more…
My question is.. does it have to be salted butter?
If you use unsalted, add 1/4 teaspoon salt to the dough.
Do these cookies freeze well?
Yes! 🙂
I will be trying this recipe..looks sooo delicious..thank ypu..
Aww!🥹You’re so sweet! Thank you SO much!!!🥰 I hope you love them too!
Love ALL your recipes but need some clarification. I don’t understand “Freeze the Reese’s peanut butter cups in advance. This is so important to the success of these cookies. If you don’t then they will melt in the oven as they bake!” if you aren’t pressing the Reese’s until you remove from the oven.
Yes, you want the Reese’s frozen before you press them in the cooked dough. The Reeses don’t go in the oven at all 🙂