These thick and chewy peanut butter cup cookies surround a chocolate peanut butter Reese's cup for the ultimate peanut butter cookies. They're exactly like classic peanut butter blossoms, but with a peanut butter cup!
Looking for more cookie recipes? Try flourless peanut butter cookies, peanut butter cookies bars, and peanut butter Ritz cookies.
Who could say no to a peanut butter cookie with more peanut butter and chocolate inside? It’s a peanut butter lover's dream come true. This recipe could take down even the most intense pb craving. Which is basically every day in my case.
This peanut butter sweatshirt should be my uniform because I love it that much. I love it in smoothies, on toast, in ice cream, and especially in cookies.
Want another peanut butter and chocolate cookie recipe? Try these peanut butter blossoms next.
Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Recipe Details
These cookies are nothing like crunchy hard peanut butter cookies you may see in bakeries or have eaten before. They're ultra soft and chewy with just the right amount of peanut butter.
I make them in mini muffin cups by rolling the dough into one inch balls and placing them in a mini muffin cup. Which means the dough is contained and you don't have to chill the dough!
They will puff up gorgeously in the oven and fill the tin with delicious cookie goodness until they’re golden brown and just right. Stuff mini peanut butter cups inside each one and you have the most delicious chewy peanut butter cookie and a chocolate candy inside.
How to Make Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Here are the basic steps, with images, for these Reese's peanut butter cookie cups. Skip down to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe.
Wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the peanut butter and room temperature butter on high speed until combined and creamy (some lumps are ok!). Add the sugars and beat for 2-3 minutes, until lightly and fluffy. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla and beat until combined.
Dry ingredients: Whisk the baking soda, flour, and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the dough on medium speed, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Scoop and bake: use a small cookie scoop or heaping teaspoon to scoop the dough out and roll them into 1-inch balls. Roll the cookie dough balls in extra sugar and place them in a greased mini muffin tin. Bake for 7-9 minutes, until puffed and slightly golden brown.
Success tip: these cookies bake fast, so remove the wrappers from the pb cups before baking so you're ready to press them into the cookies when they come out of the oven.
Press the peanut butter cups inside: Immediately press the unwrapped Reese’s peanut butter cups into the center of each cookie, so that the candy is inside and the cookie comes up and around the edges.
Can I Make them On A Cookie Sheet?
If you don't have a mini muffin pan on hand, you can make these peanut butter cup cookies on a baking sheet. However, you'll need a bit of extra time to chill the dough and ensure they don't spread. We'll also be making them a little larger!
How to make them on a cookie sheet: Follow the instructions to make the dough. Cover and chill dough for 1 hour then scoop them using a small cookie scoop (about 1 heaping Tablespoon) and roll them in sugar. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Place the miniature reeses in the baked cookies right out of the oven.
How to Store and Freeze
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. You can chill the cookie dough covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Sit at room temperature to soften slightly for 30 mintues before following the directions to scoop and bake.
To freeze baked cookies, allow them to cool completely until the pb cups are set. Store in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to three months.
To freeze the cookie dough, follow the steps to make the dough and scoop into balls, without rolling in sugar. You can bake the cookie dough directly from frozen. Roll the frozen dough in sugar and bake as directed, adding an extra minute to the bake time.
If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
More Holiday Cookies
- These chocolate marshmallow cookies, Rolo cookies, chocolate shortbread cookies, and triple chocolate cookies use my favorite chocolate cookie base.
- Everyone will ask you for this chocolate chip pudding cookie recipe (it's famous!)
- Need a classic cutout? Try gingerbread snowflake cookies, gluten-free dairy-free sugar cookies, or chewy gingerbread man cookies with icing.
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (156g) all purpose flour gluten-free if needed (Note 1)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick; 113g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup (194g) creamy peanut butter (Note 2)
- ⅓ cup (66g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (66g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup extra sugar for rolling
- 24 mini Reese's peanut butter cups unwrapped
Recommended Equipment
- 24-count (or 2 12-count) mini muffin pan (Note 3 Sheet Pan)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees. Spray a 24-count (or 2 12-count) mini muffin tin with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Unwrap all of the Reese’s peanut butter cups.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl using a electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and peanut butter together until well combined, 1-2 minutes. Add the white sugar and brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy, at least 2-3 minutes. With the mixer on medium low speed, add the egg, milk and vanilla and beat until combined.
- Turn the mixer on low and gradually add the dry ingredients, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. Continue to mix until full incorporated.
- Place the extra cup of granulated sugar in a small bowl. Use a heaping teaspoon to scoop the dough and roll them into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in the sugar and place them in the prepared muffin tin.
- Bake them for 7-9 minutes, until puffed and slightly golden around the edges. Immediately press the unwrapped Reese’s peanut butter cups into the center of each cookie, so that the candy is inside and the cookie comes up and around the edges.
- Cool them in the pan for 10 minutes then use a knife of fork to pop the cookies out of the tins and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The Reese’s cups will melt and harden again as they cool.
Alyssa Overs says
Great classic recipe I use each year!
Lori Zapotocky says
Can the Peanut Butter Cup cookies be frozen after baking? Thank you.
Molly Thompson says
Yes they can! Freeze them in an air tight container for up to 3 months.