The BEST Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Recipe - Cooking With Karli (2024)

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Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are a mega soft and chewy from scratch peanut butter cookie, baked and then topped with a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup right as they come out of the oven. This cookie is made for all Peanut Butter and Chocolate lovers!

The BEST Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Recipe - Cooking With Karli (1)

Peanut Butter Cookies with Reese’s Cups

I’m sure you’ve seen them, the peanut butter cookies made in the mini muffin tins and then the little Reese’s cup is pushed into the cookie cup? These cookies are very similar.. only you don’t have to scratch your non-stick mini muffin pan with the fork while trying to get the little guys out! (please tell me I’m not the only one to accidentally ruin a pan doing this as a teen??)

First, let’s talk about the peanut butter cookie. I have never been more serious in my life than when I say this cookie is thee most pillowy, soft, chewy, melt in your mouth goodness I’ve ever experienced with a peanut butter cookie. The base cookie recipe is tried and true. Perfect for this recipe, topping the cookie with a Reese’s Thin Cup or you can roll the cookie dough and smash with a fork for the classic peanut butter cookie should the need arise.

I will always top these cookies with Reese’s new Thins Cup. It is wide enough to cover the majority of the cookie’s top, but thin enough. that it doesn’t take over the entire cookie eating experience. The Thins are perfect!

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What ingredients are in Peanut Butter Cup Cookies?

To successfully make Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies at your home, you’ll need the following ingredients on hand. We will go over specific amounts and instructions below.

  • Peanut butter- I like to use creamy, but if you prefer a little crunch to your cookie, crunchy would work fine, too!
  • Butter, softened
  • White sugar
  • Brown sugar
  • Egg
  • Milk
  • Vanilla extract
  • All purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • 36 Reese’s Thins

How to make Peanut Butter Cookies

Making peanut butter cookies isn’t hard or complex. As long as you have an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, this will be a breeze!

The first step is to cream together the peanut butter, butter, sugar and brown sugar. Cream together until all of the ingredients are incorporated and smooth. While continuing to mix, add in the egg, milk and vanilla extract. The mixture will be come very creamy as all of the ingredients combine.

Add in the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until well combined. The dough will be very soft. Using a 1 1/2 tbsp scoop, scoop and roll cookie dough balls, arranging them a parchment lined cookie sheet. Allow approx 2 inches in between each cookie.

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Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes. Take care not to over bake the cookies! If the cookies are over baked, they will be dry and crumbly instead of soft and chewy. The cookies won’t change shape too much as they cook, they will still very much be in the ball shape when they come out of the oven.

Immediately after the come out of the oven, gently press a Reese’s Thins Peanut Butter Cup into the center of each cookie.

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The chocolate will melt from the heat of the cookie, so once you press in the peanut butter cup, don’t touch it again until the chocolate has set back up! If you are like me and want the chocolate set up like, yesterday, feel free to pop them into the fridge to speed that process up.

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How to store your Peanut Butter Reese’s Cookies

Store at room temperature in and airtight container or baggie for up to 3 days.

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The BEST Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Recipe - Cooking With Karli (7)

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5 from 11 votes

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

By: Karli Bitner

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are a mega soft and chewy from scratch peanut butter cookie, baked and then topped with a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup right as they come out of the oven. This cookie is made for all Peanut Butter and Chocolate lovers!

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 36

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (246g) creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup (139g) + 2 tbsp salted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup (115g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (123g) brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup (59ml) milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups (228g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 36 reese's thins

Instructions

  • With a mixer, cream together the peanut butter, butter, white sugar and brown sugar until blended.

  • Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla.

  • Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl.

  • Add flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture and mix together.Scoop tablespoonfuls of dough and roll into balls.

  • Place cookies 2 inches apart on parchment lined cookie sheets.Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375°F (190° C). Don’t overcook! These cookies are much better soft and just barely cooked all the way through. I baked the cookies scooped with the medium 1.5 TBSP scoop for 8 minutes and the 3 TBSP cookies for 10 minutes.

  • Immediatly after removing the cookies from the oven, gently press a Reese's Thins Peanut Butter cup into the center of each cookie. Allow the cookies to cool and the chocolate to set up before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 152mg | Potassium: 130mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 98IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg

Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

The BEST Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Recipe - Cooking With Karli (2024)

FAQs

Why are my homemade peanut butter cookies falling apart? ›

One reason could be that you overcooked them. Another reason could be that you didn't add enough moisture to the dough. Finally, your peanut butter cookies might be dry and crumbly if you used a natural peanut butter that doesn't have any added oil.

Why are my peanut butter cookies always hard? ›

Why are my peanut butter cookies hard? If your peanut butter cookies are hard, you likely cooked them for too long. They should not be baked for more than 8 or 9 minutes.

Why do you put fork marks in peanut butter cookies? ›

These early recipes do not explain why the advice is given to use a fork, though. The reason is that peanut butter cookie dough is dense, and unpressed, each cookie will not cook evenly. Using a fork to press the dough is a convenience of tool; bakers can also use a cookie shovel (spatula).

How to make store bought peanut butter cookie dough better? ›

For example, I added a couple tablespoons of brown sugar to a store-bought peanut butter cookie mix and everyone at the event said it tasted home made. I also rolled them in granulated sugar before baking (I would have used colored sugar, but didn't have any).

Should you refrigerate peanut butter cookie dough before baking? ›

Prep your Peanut Butter Cookie recipe up to 24 hours in advance, cover it and refrigerate it so you are ready to bake at a moment's notice. The kids can even help you scoop, roll and flatten the cookies. If the dough is too firm to scoop, let it stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

What happens if you don't flatten peanut butter cookies? ›

Peanut butter cookies don't spread as they cook, so you have to flatten them before hand. This ensures that the middle will cook through before the outside burns. As for the pattern created, it actually creates slightly more surface area, so you'll get more browning at the extra edges that you create.

What ingredient makes cookies harder? ›

Baking powder

Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate and acidic salts. The reaction of these two ingredients results in a cookie that is soft and thick, but slightly harder.

How do you make cookies chewy and not hard? ›

The science is simple: According to the flour authorities over at Bob's Red Mill, cornstarch can help “soften the rigid proteins of the flour, resulting in a light and chewy dessert.” “The cornstarch complements the flour in absorbing the liquids, but won't develop gluten structure like the flour will,” stresses ...

How do you keep peanut butter cookie dough from sticking to your hands? ›

Dust hands and utensils with flour: Dusting hands with flour before handling the dough is a winning solution to prevent the dough from sticking. Grease hands: Lightly greasing your hands with vegetable oil or cooking spray will ensure the dough doesn't stick to your palms when rolling into balls.

Why do my peanut butter cookies not taste like peanut butter? ›

The most common mistake with peanut butter cookies is using the wrong type of peanut butter. The BEST peanut butter for today's cookies is a processed creamy peanut butter, preferably Jif or Skippy.

How do I know if my peanut butter cookies are done? ›

Unlike many other cookies, peanut butter biscuits only fully harden once they've been removed from the oven. Here's how to tell when peanut butter cookies are done: The tops of the cookies are a uniform light brown. They're soft to the touch but not moist or mushy.

What happens if you don't chill peanut butter cookie dough? ›

The most important part of today's recipe? Chill your cookie dough! The dough is extremely soft due to the creamy peanut butter, eggs, and butter and if it's not cold going into the oven, the cookies will spread all over your baking sheet.

Should I let peanut butter cookie dough rest? ›

We prefer natural peanut butter here, so you can dial in the sugar and salt amounts precisely, and smooth peanut butter over crunchy to better control the cookies' fat and moisture levels. Letting the cookie dough rest ensures the flour is fully hydrated, resulting in crisper edges and chewier middles.

How long should you refrigerate peanut butter cookie dough before baking? ›

Stir the dry ingredients into the sugar butter mixture. Chill the dough: Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate at least 3 hours. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

How do you fix cookies that fall apart? ›

If you overmix the dough, the cookies will be dry and crumbly. The best way to fix this is to add more liquid to the dough. This can be done by adding milk, water, or even melted butter. You may also need to add more flour to the dough if it is too wet.

How do you make peanut butter cookie dough less crumbly? ›

To avoid this, try using as little flour as possible while preparing to roll your dough. Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

Why are my 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies falling apart? ›

The wrong type of peanut butter may cause them to fall apart. Or using old eggs may create crumbly cookies. How long do peanut butter cookies last?

How do you keep peanut butter from separating? ›

And don't store it right side up after you've mixed it, either—flipping the jar on its lid also prevents the oil from re-separating. Another pro tip (me–I'm the pro): Stir the nut butter first (ideally with the electric mixer hack above) and then store it upside down.

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