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You want cookie all the way around a Reese’s cup, not just under it. So I took my soft, chewy peanut butter cookie dough and baked it in a mini muffin pan, which gives each cookie a little cup shape to hold a frozen Reese’s cup. The only thing I had to test was the bake time. My girls say they’re like a peanut butter cup, but better!
I don’t usually leave comments on recipes, but these were SO good I had to!
-Zach
Why These Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Are the Best
These cookies start with my peanut butter cookie recipe, the soft, chewy one with more peanut butter than most recipes. That dough was already right, so I didn’t change it. The only thing I had to figure out was the bake time in a mini muffin pan, and one test got me there.
Why a mini muffin pan? It bakes each cookie into a little cup shape, which is exactly what you want for pressing in a Reese’s cup. You end up with cookie surrounding the whole peanut butter cup.
The other key is freezing the Reese’s cups first. They go into hot cookies, and frozen cups hold their shape.
When a pan of these comes out of the oven, my girls say it’s like a peanut butter cup, but better!
- One bowl
- No chilling the dough
- Everyday ingredients
- Chocolate and peanut butter in every bite
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Ingredients
Here are the key ingredients and why they’re there. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
- Creamy peanut butter: I use more than most recipes. The extra fat and moisture keep these cookies thick and soft. Use processed peanut butter like Jif or Skippy, not natural.
- Brown sugar and granulated sugar: Brown sugar adds moisture and chewiness. Granulated sugar gives the cookies structure and crisp edges.
- Unsalted butter: Use it at room temperature so it creams easily with the sugars.
- All purpose flour: I weigh mine. For this recipe it’s 180g, and too much flour makes dry cookies.
- Mini Reese’s peanut butter cups: One 10.5 oz bag. Unwrap them and freeze them before you start, so they hold their shape when they go into the hot cookies.
- Plus: an egg, vanilla extract, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
How to Make Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookies
- Unwrap the peanut butter cups, place in a bowl and put in the freezer.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and sugar.
- Add in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla extract, beat again.
- Next, add in the dry ingredients mixing on low until combined.
- Use a cookie scoop to form dough balls. Place the balls in an un-greased mini muffin pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and press a mini peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. Before eating, allow the cookies to cool for 15-20 minutes before moving to cooling rack.
How to Make Reese’s Cookies Ahead of Time
This dough doesn’t need to chill. But you can make it ahead. Press it into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and keep it in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Tips for the Best Reese’s Cup Cookies
- Weigh, don’t scoop. Set your bowl on a kitchen scale, zero it out, and add flour until it reads 180g.
- Set the butter out first. Pull it from the fridge before you start so it’s soft enough to cream with the sugars.
- Grab Jif or Skippy. I recommend processed creamy peanut butter for this recipe, not natural.
- Freeze the cups before anything else. Unwrap them and get them in the freezer before you make the dough. That way they’re ready the second the cookies come out of the oven.
- Skip the grease. Bake in an ungreased mini muffin pan. I haven’t tested this recipe in a regular size muffin pan.
- Let them cool before you pop them out. Run a small spatula around the edge of each cookie, then use it to lift the cookie out.
Why I Weigh My Flour
A kitchen scale is the most accurate way to measure flour. Scooping straight from the bag packs too much flour into the cup, and that’s what makes cookies dry. Set your bowl on the scale, zero it out, and add 180g of flour.
So good and very rich! Peanut butter lovers dream. I didn’t use non stick spray and I was worried they were stuck. I tried a spatula, knife, and toothpick but they were just making them crumble apart. Instead I twisted them with my fingers and they popped right out.
-Allison
How to Store Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
To store: Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
To freeze: Freeze them in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature.
To make ahead: See How to Make Reese’s Cookies Ahead of Time above.
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies FAQs
Right when the cookies come out of the oven. They’re still hot and soft, so a frozen mini Reese’s cup presses right into the center.
I’ve only tested these in a mini muffin pan. The pan is what gives each cookie its cup shape around the Reese’s. I haven’t tested this recipe in a regular size muffin pan.
Yes. Freeze them in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months, then thaw at room temperature.
They go into hot cookies, and frozen cups hold their shape instead of melting.
Let them cool first. Then run a small spatula around the edge of each cookie and pop it out.
More Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Spider Cookies
- 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Lemon Sugar Cookies
- Sugar Cookies
- Turtle Cookies
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Reese’s Cup Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 stick
- ½ cup (107g) brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (66g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (201g) creamy peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (180g) all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 10.5 oz bag Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
Instructions
- Unwrap the peanut butter cups, place in a bowl and put in the freezer. This helps them to maintain their shape once added to the hot cookies. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.10.5 oz bag Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer for 1 minute, until smooth and fluffy.½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (107g) brown sugar, ⅓ cup (66g) granulated sugar
- Add in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla extract, beat again, less than 1 minute.¾ cup (201g) creamy peanut butter, 1 large egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, mixing on low or with a spatula just until combined. Be careful not to over mix.1 ½ cups (180g) all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt
- Use a cookie scoop to form dough balls. Place the balls in an un-greased mini muffin pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cookie begins to turn golden.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and press a frozen mini peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. Once the cookies are cool, I use a small spatula and go around the edge of the pan to help release them. Then use the spatula to pop them out.
Last Step: I’d love to hear what you think. Leave a rating and comment here.
This recipe was so easy and it’s so good. The best part it makes a lot so for cookie trays or you are you are taking them some where you have plenty. My kids and their friends walked in as they were warm and they were right incredible warm and cooked I had to hide them
So good and very rich! Peanut butter lovers dream. I didn’t use non stick spray and I was worried they were stuck. I tried a spatula, knife, and toothpick but they were just making them crumble apart. Instead I twisted them with my fingers and they popped right out.
I’m worried about them falling apart too. Ran in here to see if I’m supposed to make them cool longer. They look so good
Love these. Easy to make and taste great!