Indulgent Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Recipe

Irresistible Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Recipe for Sweet Tooths

Chocolate and peanut butter collide in these irresistible peanut butter cup cookies that promise pure dessert bliss.

Sweet meets salty in a delectable dance of flavors that will make taste buds sing.

These homemade treats blend rich chocolate with creamy peanut butter for an unbeatable combination.

Each cookie delivers a decadent punch of sweetness that melts in your mouth.

Soft, chewy, and packed with chunks of chocolate peanut butter cups, these cookies elevate the classic chocolate chip recipe.

The secret lies in carefully balancing the ingredients to create a perfect texture.

One bite will have everyone begging for the recipe, so prepare to become the neighborhood’s most sought-after baker.

Serve These Cookies Warm or Packed for Gifts

  • Sweet Picnic Treats: Pack these cookies in a cute container for outdoor gatherings and potlucks, creating a delightful dessert everyone will love.
  • Decadent Dessert Pairing: Serve alongside cold vanilla ice cream or with a warm mug of hot chocolate to elevate the indulgent peanut butter and chocolate experience.
  • Kid-Friendly Snack Station: Create a fun cookie platter with these cookies as the centerpiece, allowing children to enjoy a special homemade treat that combines chocolate and peanut butter flavors.
  • Gifting Delight: Wrap a few cookies in clear cellophane with a ribbon, making them a perfect homemade gift for teachers, neighbors, or friends who appreciate sweet, personalized treats.

Storing Peanut Butter Cup Cookies to Keep Them Soft

  • Refrigerate cookies for 15-20 minutes to help chocolate set faster without compromising texture, perfect for impatient sweet lovers.
  • Prepare cookie dough up to 3 days in advance, storing tightly wrapped in refrigerator. Roll and bake when craving strikes for instant deliciousness.
  • Fully cooled cookies can be frozen in single layers between parchment paper for up to 4 weeks. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving to maintain soft, delicate texture.
  • Keep cookies in airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days. Place wax paper between layers to prevent sticking and maintain chocolate's beautiful shine.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Calories: 150 kcal

Servings: 24

Ingredients to Bake Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

For Cookie Base:
  • All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure and classic tender texture for the cookie, choose unbleached flour for best results.
  • Baking Soda: Helps cookies rise and creates a soft, light crumb with perfect spreading.
  • Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances sweetness in the cookie dough.
For Creamy Binding:
  • Unsalted Butter: Creates rich, tender base with smooth mouthfeel, ensure it's softened at room temperature.
  • Peanut Butter: Adds deep nutty flavor and creamy consistency, select smooth variety for even mixing.
  • Granulated Sugar, Brown Sugar: Contribute sweetness and moisture, brown sugar adds deeper caramel undertones.
  • Egg: Binds ingredients together and provides structure, select fresh large eggs for best consistency.
  • Vanilla Extract: Deepens flavor complexity and adds aromatic warmth, use pure extract for best results.
For Topping:
  • Mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups: Delivers chocolate-peanut butter burst, select original milk chocolate variety for classic taste.

Tools That Help You Make Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

  • Electric mixer: Crucial for beating butter, peanut butter, and sugars until creamy and smooth.
  • Mixing bowls: Two different sizes needed – one for wet ingredients, another for dry ingredients.
  • Mini muffin tin: Essential for creating perfectly shaped cookie cups.
  • Mini muffin liners (optional): Helps with easy cookie removal and clean-up.
  • Measuring cups and spoons: Precise measurements ensure consistent cookie results.
  • Whisk: Great for combining dry ingredients evenly.
  • Wire cooling rack: Allows cookies to cool and chocolate to set without getting soggy.
  • Spatula: Helpful for mixing ingredients and scraping bowl sides.

How to Bake Soft and Gooey Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

  • Warm Up The Oven

Fire up your oven to a toasty 350 degrees and grab a mini muffin tin. Spray it with cooking spray or line with cute paper cups.

  • Mix The Creamy Base

Grab a mixing bowl and whirl together soft butter, creamy peanut butter, white and brown sugars until they’re smooth and dreamy. Crack in an egg and splash of vanilla, mixing until everything looks happy together.

  • Create Cookie Foundation

In a separate bowl, blend flour, baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Slowly fold these dry ingredients into your sugary mixture until a soft, delightful dough forms.

  • Shape Delicious Bites

Roll small balls of dough and nestle each one into a muffin cup. They’ll look like adorable little cookie pillows waiting to become something amazing.

  • Bake To Golden Perfection

Slide the tray into the oven and bake for about 8-10 minutes. You want them golden but still soft – like delicate cookie clouds.

  • Chocolate Surprise

Right after pulling them from the oven, gently press a mini peanut butter cup into the center of each warm cookie. Watch the chocolate start to melt into pure deliciousness.

  • Cool And Devour

Let the cookies rest in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Wait if you can – or dive right in while they’re still warm and gooey!

Flavor Tips for Better Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

  • Chill the dough for 30 minutes before rolling to prevent spreading and maintain shape.
  • Prepare cookie dough balls in advance and freeze up to 3 months, baking directly from frozen state with slight time adjustment.
  • Use gluten-free flour for celiac-friendly version; substitute almond butter for peanut butter to accommodate nut allergies.
  • Replace Reeses cups with dark chocolate, white chocolate, or caramel-filled chocolate pieces for unique flavor variations.
  • Reduce sugar content by using sugar-free sweeteners or monk fruit replacements, maintaining cookie's delicious texture and taste.
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Indulgent Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Recipe

Indulgent Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Recipe


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4.7 from 29 reviews

  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 25 1x

Description

Chocolate-loving souls will rejoice over these irresistible peanut butter cup cookies, blending rich Reese’s candies with classic cookie comfort. Sweet meets salty in each delectable bite, promising pure dessert bliss that draws you straight into cookie paradise.


Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup (113 g) peanut butter, creamy
  • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (110 g) brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 24 mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Instructions

  1. Oven Preparation: Heat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare mini muffin tin with non-stick spray or liners.
  2. Dough Creation: Cream butter, peanut butter, granulated and brown sugars until smooth and fluffy. Incorporate egg and vanilla extract thoroughly. In a separate bowl, blend flour, baking soda, and salt, then gradually fold into wet mixture until uniform dough forms.
  3. Cookie Shaping: Craft uniform 1-inch dough spheres and nestle each into muffin tin cavities. Bake for 8-10 minutes, achieving a delicate golden exterior while maintaining a tender center.
  4. Chocolate Embellishment: Immediately post-baking, gently press miniature Reeses peanut butter cups into cookie centers, allowing chocolate to slightly melt and integrate with warm cookie base.
  5. Cooling Process: Allow cookies to rest in tin for 5 minutes, facilitating structural stability, then transfer to wire cooling rack. Permit chocolate to solidify or serve while still warmly inviting, with melted chocolate centers.

Notes

  • Ensure butter is at room temperature for smooth, even mixing and optimal cookie texture.
  • Avoid overmixing the dough to prevent tough cookies; mix just until ingredients are combined.
  • Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to create consistent-sized balls for even baking.
  • Add Reese’s cups immediately after baking while cookies are still warm to help them sink perfectly into the soft center.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Desserts, Snacks
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 25
  • Calories: 180
  • Sugar: 12 g
  • Sodium: 120 mg
  • Fat: 9 g
  • Saturated Fat: 3 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 22 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 4 g
  • Cholesterol: 15 mg
William Hawkins

William Hawkins

Founder & Culinary Director

Expertise

  • Modern American and Southern Cuisine
  • Farm-to-Table Practices
  • Restaurant Concept Development
  • Culinary Education and Mentorship​

Education

Sullivan University, Louisville, KY

  • Degree: Associate of Science in Culinary Arts
  • Focus: Focused on mastering culinary methods and food science, immersive externships, hands‑on training in industry‑standard kitchen labs, and equipping graduates for roles in restaurant operations.

William Hawkins isn’t just a chef, he’s a storyteller through food. From his hometown of Louisville, KY, he’s spent years refining his craft, turning local ingredients into something extraordinary. 

With classical training from Sullivan University and a career marked by innovation, mentorship, and Southern soul, William approaches every recipe with purpose. His kitchen is where old techniques meet fresh ideas, and where comfort food gets a thoughtful, modern twist. 

When he’s not building dishes from the ground up, he’s out gathering inspiration from nature, markets, and the stories people share around the table.

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