Ultimate Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies: Soft, Chewy, and Irresistible
Prepare to be enchanted by the absolute best Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies recipe you will ever encounter! Imagine a perfectly golden, delightfully puffed peanut butter cookie cup, cradling a mini Reese’s peanut butter cup at its heart. This isn’t just a cookie; it’s a culinary masterpiece that will instantly rocket to the very top of your favorite dessert list. If you’re a devoted fan of the classic chocolate and peanut butter combination, get ready for a truly extraordinary baking experience that will leave you craving more.
Why These Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Stand Out
These Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are nothing short of phenomenal. They take the beloved soft and chewy peanut butter cookie to an entirely new level by generously stuffing them with miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups. The magic truly happens as the cookies bake, and the Reese’s cups soften and slightly melt, creating a molten chocolate peanut butter core that is simply irresistible.
While similar in concept to the immensely popular peanut butter blossoms, these cookies offer a richer, more profound chocolate and peanut butter flavor. This intensified flavor comes directly from the beloved Reese’s candy itself. Beyond flavor, these cookies boast a distinct advantage in texture and form: they are thicker, more substantial, and baked in a mini muffin pan, giving them a delightful “cookie cup” shape. This unique structure ensures a perfect balance of cookie to candy in every bite. They emerge from the oven beautifully golden brown and wonderfully puffed, promising a dreamy experience for any chocolate and peanut butter enthusiast. I’ve been perfecting this recipe for over a decade, making them for the past 11 years, and I always ensure a fresh batch is tucked away in my freezer, ready to satisfy any sudden craving. Their consistent popularity is a testament to their exceptional taste and ease of preparation.
Essential Ingredients for Your Perfect Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Creating these delicious Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies starts with a selection of common pantry staples, alongside the star ingredient – the miniature Reese’s cups. While the full, precise measurements, detailed ingredients, and comprehensive instructions are conveniently provided in the printable recipe card at the conclusion of this post, let’s briefly highlight the key components you’ll need to gather. Most of these items are likely already in your kitchen, making this a wonderfully accessible recipe for bakers of all skill levels. Ensure your butter is softened to room temperature for optimal mixing, and have your mini Reese’s unwrapped and ready for action to streamline your baking process.
Ingredient Insights and Smart Substitutions
Understanding your ingredients is key to baking success. Here’s a closer look at the components of these incredible Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies and how you can adapt them if needed:
REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups: For this recipe, the miniature Reese’s milk chocolate peanut butter cups are absolutely ideal. Their size perfectly complements the cookie cups, ensuring a delightful chocolate and peanut butter burst in every bite without overwhelming the cookie. A single 10.5-ounce family-sized bag typically provides just enough for the entire recipe. While milk chocolate is the classic choice, don’t hesitate to experiment! White chocolate or dark chocolate mini peanut butter cups would also make fantastic variations, offering a slightly different flavor profile that still pairs beautifully with the chewy peanut butter cookie.
The Peanut Butter Cookie Base: The foundation of this recipe is a uniquely chewy and soft peanut butter cookie dough. This isn’t just any cookie; it’s designed to be incredibly tender, allowing your teeth to sink right into its rich texture. The texture is crucial as it perfectly contrasts with the slightly firm yet melted Reese’s center. The yield of this recipe, and the ultimate size of your cookies, will depend on how much dough you place into each mini muffin well. To achieve consistently sized, perfectly puffed cookie cups that don’t overflow, I highly recommend adhering to the suggestion of using 1-inch dough balls. This measurement ensures the ideal dough-to-muffin-well ratio, resulting in uniformly baked and visually appealing treats.
Peanut Butter: Opt for creamy peanut butter varieties like Jif or Skippy. These processed brands tend to have a more consistent texture and sweetness, which is ideal for baking and ensures the cookies hold their shape well. Natural peanut butter, which often separates, can alter the cookie’s texture and moisture content, so it’s generally best to avoid it for this specific recipe.
Butter: Unsalted butter is preferred as it gives you more control over the overall salt content of the cookie. Ensure it’s softened to room temperature, which is critical for proper creaming with the sugars, resulting in a light and airy dough. If you only have salted butter, you can use it but consider reducing the added salt by about a quarter of a teaspoon.
Sugars: The combination of granulated white sugar and packed brown sugar provides both sweetness and a wonderful chewy texture. Brown sugar adds moisture and a subtle molasses flavor, contributing to the cookie’s desirable softness.
Crafting Your Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies: A Step-by-Step Guide
These detailed step-by-step photos and instructions are designed to visually guide you through the process of making this delightful recipe. For your convenience, you can easily Jump to Recipe to access the printable version, complete with precise measurements and full instructions, located at the very bottom of this article.
- Begin by preheating your oven to 325°F (160°C). This ensures a consistent baking temperature from the moment your cookies enter the oven. While the oven preheats, take the time to thoroughly grease a mini-muffin pan. This crucial step will prevent your delicate cookie cups from sticking and make removal a breeze.
- In a generously sized mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, creamy peanut butter, granulated white sugar, and packed brown sugar. Use an electric mixer to beat these ingredients together until they are light, fluffy, and well-combined. This creaming process incorporates air, which contributes to the cookies’ soft texture. Next, beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. The egg acts as a binder, and vanilla enhances the overall flavor profile.
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisking ensures these dry ingredients are evenly distributed, preventing pockets of leavening agent in your cookies. Gradually add this flour mixture to the wet sugar mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough, as this can lead to tough cookies. Stop mixing as soon as no dry streaks of flour remain.
- Employ a cookie scoop (approximately 1 tablespoon in size) to portion out 1-inch dough balls. Gently roll each portion in your hands to create a smooth, compact ball. Place one dough ball into each greased mini muffin cup. Ensure they are evenly sized for consistent baking.
- Bake the cookies in your preheated oven for exactly 11 minutes. This initial bake time allows the cookie cups to set and partially bake. After 11 minutes, carefully remove the pan from the oven. Working quickly, gently but firmly push one miniature Reese’s peanut butter cup into the center of each partially baked cookie. Return the pan to the oven and continue baking for another 4 minutes, or until the cookie edges are light golden brown and the surface of the candies just begins to look slightly melted and glossy. This two-stage baking ensures the Reese’s cup melts perfectly without being overcooked.
- Once baked to perfection, remove the mini muffin pan from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool in the pan for a crucial 10 minutes. This cooling period helps them firm up and prevents them from crumbling when removed. After 10 minutes, use a small spoon or offset spatula to carefully lift each Reese’s cookie cup from its muffin well. Transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. Cooling on a rack ensures air circulation, preventing soggy bottoms and allowing the cookies to reach their ideal texture.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips for Success
While theoretically possible, using a regular-sized muffin pan is not recommended for this specific recipe. You would need significantly more dough to properly fill each standard muffin well, which would result in extra-large, jumbo cookies. This dramatically alters the delightful cookie-to-candy ratio, making the Reese’s cup feel tiny within the giant cookie. Furthermore, larger cookies would require much longer baking times, potentially leading to a dry or overbaked texture. For the best results – that perfect balance of soft cookie and melted Reese’s – sticking to a mini muffin pan is essential.
Absolutely! Freezing the dough is an excellent way to prepare ahead and always have fresh cookies on hand. To do so, prepare the dough as directed and roll it into 1-inch balls. Place these dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and flash freeze them until they are solid. Once frozen solid, transfer the dough balls to a large, freezer-safe ziptop bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, allow the frozen dough balls to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour as your oven preheats, then bake them according to the recipe instructions, adding a minute or two to the baking time if needed.
To maintain their freshness and delightful texture, store your Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will remain wonderfully delicious for 4-5 days. For longer storage, you can freeze baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature or gently warm in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.
Yes, absolutely! This recipe is incredibly versatile and lends itself beautifully to experimentation with various miniature chocolate candies. Over the years, I’ve tried topping our peanut butter cookie cups with a variety of options, including Rollo’s, Hershey’s Drops, mini Milky Ways, and mini Snickers. Each variation was met with rave reviews and disappeared from the plate in record time! Feel free to get creative and experiment with your favorite mini candy bars to discover new and exciting flavor combinations that complement the rich peanut butter cookie base.
Using room temperature butter is crucial for the texture of these cookies. Softened butter creams properly with the sugars, creating a light, airy base that contributes to the chewy, tender crumb of the cookie. Cold butter won’t incorporate well, leading to a denser, tougher cookie. Melted butter will make the dough too oily and the cookies will spread excessively.
Several factors can cause cookies to spread too much. Ensure your butter wasn’t too warm (it should be soft, but not melted). Chilling the dough for 30 minutes before scooping can also help prevent spreading. Additionally, make sure you’re using the correct amount of flour and that your baking soda is fresh and active. Over-greasing the muffin pan can also contribute to spreading.
Delightful Serving Suggestions for Your Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
These Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are incredibly versatile and delicious in many ways. For the ultimate nostalgic treat, serve them alongside a tall, frosty glass of cold milk – a timeless pairing that truly enhances their rich flavors. They are equally delightful enjoyed slightly warmed from the oven, where the Reese’s center is still wonderfully gooey, or savored at room temperature, offering a perfect balance of chewiness and chocolatey goodness. These cookies are an excellent choice for holiday cookie swaps, potlucks, and parties, always disappearing quickly. However, their comforting appeal makes them just as delicious and appropriate for a cozy treat any time of year. Consider them for after-school snacks, dessert with coffee, or even as a thoughtful homemade gift. Enjoy every single bite!
Explore More Chocolate Peanut Butter Delights
If you’re a true connoisseur of the irresistible chocolate and peanut butter pairing, you’re in for a treat! We have an array of other fantastic recipes that celebrate this iconic flavor combination. Don’t stop at these amazing Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies; delve into these other delectable creations:
- Reese’s Pie: A decadent pie featuring the classic candy.
- Peanut Butter Brownies: Fudgy brownies swirled with creamy peanut butter.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls: No-bake delights perfect for a quick fix.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies: The classic duo in a traditional cookie form.
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Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
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Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter such as Jif or Skippy
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 36 miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups
Things You’ll Need
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Mini muffin tin
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Large mixing bowl
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Hand mixer or stand mixer
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Whisk
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Wire cooling rack
Before You Begin
- One 10.5 ounce family-sized bag should be enough for this recipe. They’d also be great with the white chocolate or dark chocolate mini peanut butter cups!
- Depending on how much dough you put into each mini muffin well will determine how many cookies you get from this recipe.
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 325 F and grease a mini-muffin pan.
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In a large mixing bowl beat together the butter, peanut butter, granulated white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla.
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In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture.
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Use a cookie scoop to measure out 1-inch dough balls. Roll gently in your hands and add 1 ball to each muffin well.
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Bake in preheated oven for 11 minutes. Remove from oven and gently push a miniature Reeses cup into each cookie. Bake for another 4 minutes, or until light golden brown and the surface of the candies are beginning to melt.
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Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from cups using a spoon and cool on wire racks.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Storage – Store your peanut butter cup cookies in an air-tight container kept at room temperature for 4-5 days.
- Freezing – Prepare and roll the dough into 1-inch dough balls then flash freeze them on a baking sheet until solid. Once solid and mostly frozen, transfer the dough balls to a large ziptop bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow the dough balls to rest at room temperature as you preheat the oven then bake as directed.
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
This post originally appeared here on December 7, 2013 and has since been updated with new photos and expert tips.