Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are my all-time favorite candy, so it should come as no surprise that these Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are one of my favorite cookie recipes. I’ve made them a ton of times over the years and they are so dang delicious. Plus, they are seriously so simple to make. You don’t have to take the time to chill the cookie dough and you don’t have to worry about using the perfect amount of flour for fear that your cookies will spread. Using a mini muffin tin means that they will come out amazing every single time!

However, in all fairness, it is hard to go wrong with a cookie that is mostly made up of a miniature peanut butter cup. Am I right or am I right? 😉

I haven’t met a single person that didn’t LOVE these cookies. They are perfect for family gatherings, an after school snack or your holiday cookie tray! Add them to the Christmas cookie baking list! Now, let’s get to the delicious details.

Ingredients needed

These peanut butter cup cookies are super easy to make and require normal baking ingredients with the addition of your favorite mini peanut butter cup. Here’s everything you’ll need:

• Miniature peanut butter cups. Reese’s peanut butter cups are my favorite, but you can use another brand, if you prefer. You’ll need two 11-12 ounce bags, approximately 40 miniature cups.
• Flour. All-purpose flour is what we’re using to give these cookies a tenderness that you just won’t find when using other types of flour.
• Baking soda. To ensure the cookies bake properly and have the right texture.
• Salt. All good cookie recipes contain a bit of salt!
• Butter. I always use unsalted butter, so I can control the amount of salt going into a recipe. Be sure your butter is softened to room temperature, so that it combines properly with the sugars. Room temperature butter is still a bit cool to the touch and it should indent slightly when you press on it with your finger. Take butter out of the refrigerator about 1 hour before beginning your recipe.
• Sugars. With a mix of white granulated sugar and brown sugar, you will enjoy a cookie with a slightly crisp exterior and a soft and chewy center. Perfection!
• Peanut butter. Creamy peanut butter works best in this recipe. I also recommend a no-stir peanut butter, like Jif or Skippy.
• Egg. One egg will add structure, stability, and richness.
• Vanilla extract. Do NOT forget the vanilla. And use pure vanilla extract (affiliate link), not imitation. It’s worth it!
• Milk. A small amount of milk is needed to achieve the perfect consistency of cookie dough.

HOW TO MAKE PEANUT BUTTER cup COOKIES

Peanut butter cookie cups are super easy to make and you’ll be happy to know that you don’t even have to chill the dough! Grab your mini muffin pan (affiliate link) and let’s bake!

Here’s a quick rundown of the instructions. For the full, printable recipe, reference the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

1. Prep time. Go ahead and remove your butter, egg and milk from the fridge about 30 minutes to an hour before you start making your peanut butter cup cookies. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a mini muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. Unwrap the pb cups and place them in the freezer. This will keep them from melting when you press them into the warm cookies.
3. Dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. Wet ingredients. Using a large stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, cream together butter, sugars and peanut butter until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg, vanilla and milk.
5. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Gradually stir flour mixture into wet ingredients until just combined.
6. Roll dough. Roll the cookie dough into balls (about 1 tablespoon per cookie). Place each ball into the cups of the muffin pan.
7. Bake. Place muffin tin in oven and bake for 8-9 minutes. Do not over bake, as cookies will continue to cook even after they have been removed from the oven.
8. Miniature Reese’s peanut butter cup. Remove the peanut butter cups from the freezer and press one into the center of each cookie. Place the pan in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to cool the cookies and keep the peanut butter cup from melting.
9. Enjoy! After about 20 minutes and when cookies are completely cooled, remove them from pan and place on a wire cooling rack.

Tips for recipe success

Here are some top tips to make sure your peanut butter cup cookies come out perfect every time!

• Freeze peanut butter cups. Before beginning this recipe, be sure to unwrap all of the peanut butter cups and place them in the freezer until you’re ready to use them. It’s best if they are super cold when you push them into the warm peanut butter cookies, so they won’t melt.
• Let the kids help! Do your kids beg you to help bake cookies? Mine always do and this recipe is great for letting them get involved! Kids will love unwrapping the miniature peanut butter cups as well as placing the dough into the muffin tins.
• Buy extra candy. I definitely recommend buying more mini peanut butter cups than you’ll actually need for the recipe. You never know who might munch on one or seven while they’re busy unwrapping them. There are 36 Reese’s peanut butter cups in an 11-ounce bag, so you will have more than enough, if you buy two bags.
• Two muffin pans. This recipe makes about 40 cookies, so if you have two muffin pans, grease them both. This will speed up the baking process.
• Chill dough. It’s normal for the dough to be a bit sticky. If it seems to be too sticky to work with, chill the dough for about 20 mins before rolling into balls.

Variations

This dessert is pretty incredible as-is, but there are endless options for changing it up to satisfy any craving!

• Ready-made cookie dough. Don’t have time to make homemade peanut butter cookie dough. Ready-made cookie dough will work perfectly for this recipe! Peanut butter is always great, but chocolate chip or double chocolate cookies will taste amazing too!
• Homemade cookie dough. Mix things up and make a different type of cookie dough for this recipe. I KNOW my chocolate chip cookie dough would be amazing. Sugar cookie dough is a great choice too!
• Candy. Swap out the peanut butter cups with other candies. Hershey’s Kisses or your favorite mini candy bar would be fun choices.

storing peanut butter cup cookies

Store these peanut butter cup cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 1 week!

Can you freeze peanut butter cup cookies?

Yes, you can easily freeze these cookies! Here are my recommendations:

1. Freeze the dough. If you’d like to freeze the dough before baking, roll the cookie dough into balls and place them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Place the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes. Once the cookie dough balls firm up, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. Cookie dough will keep well for up to 3 months. You don’t have to thaw before baking, but you may need to add a minute or so of bake time.
2. Freeze baked cookies. Once the peanut butter cup cookies cool completely, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. Cookies will keep well for up to 2 to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy the cookies, thaw out at room temperature.

You won’t be able to eat just one of these amazing peanut butter cup cookies, I promise you that. I apologize in advance, if your pants fit a little tighter!

If you try this peanut butter cup cookies recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves these cookies as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. It’s so fun to see what you’re cooking! Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.