Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Recipe

Oh my gosh, you’re going to flip when you try this Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Recipe! I’ve been making this recipe for years, ever since my college roommate introduced me to the magic of stuffing cookies with Reese’s cups. There’s something about biting into a warm, chewy cookie and hitting that creamy peanut butter center that just makes life better.

What I love most (besides eating them, obviously) is how ridiculously easy they are to make. We’re talking basic pantry ingredients plus those irresistible mini peanut butter cups. No fancy techniques here, just good old-fashioned cookie dough hugging little pockets of peanut butter joy. These disappear faster than I can bake them at family gatherings, and my kids beg me to make them for school bake sales.

The best part? You probably have everything you need already. Softened butter, eggs, flour, the usual suspects. The peanut butter cups do all the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so even beginner bakers end up looking like cookie pros. Ready to make your kitchen smell amazing?

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Recipe

Listen, I know we’re supposed to be all professional and list reasons here, but honestly? The second you take one bite of these cookies, you won’t need convincing. But since you asked, here’s why these are my forever favorite:

• Impossible to mess up – Even if your baking skills begin and end with boxed cake mix, this recipe has your back
• 15 minutes from bowl to oven – Faster than driving to the bakery (and way more satisfying)
• The peanut butter cup surprise – That moment when someone bites in and their eyes light up? Priceless
• Kids and adults lose their minds – Birthday parties, potlucks, “I had a bad day” treats, these work for everything
• Smells like childhood happiness – That buttery, peanut buttery aroma filling your kitchen? Pure nostalgia

Seriously, just make them. Your future self (and everyone around you) will thank you.

Ingredients for Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Okay, let’s talk ingredients – and I mean the real, honest-to-goodness stuff that makes these cookies sing. No fancy-pants ingredients here, just simple things that work magic together. Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour – Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off, don’t scoop! That little trick makes all the difference in texture.
• 1 teaspoon baking soda – Make sure yours is fresh – I learned the hard way that old baking soda makes sad, flat cookies.
• 1 teaspoon salt – Just regular table salt works great here to balance all that sweetness.
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened – And I mean softened, not melted. Leave it out for about an hour – when you press it, your finger should leave an indent but not sink right through.
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar – Plain white sugar does the job perfectly.
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar – Pack it firmly into the measuring cup – I use the back of a spoon to really press it in there.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – Splurge on the real stuff if you can – that imitation vanilla just doesn’t hit the same.
• 2 large eggs – Crack them into a separate bowl first to avoid any shell surprises in your dough.
• 2 cups Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Minis – The star of the show! If you can’t find minis, regular ones chopped into quarters work too.

See? Nothing crazy – just good, honest ingredients that come together to make something magical. Now let’s get mixing!

How to Make Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Alright, let’s get down to business! I promise this is so easy you’ll have cookie dough ready before your oven finishes preheating. Here’s exactly how I make these peanut butter cup cookies every single time:

1. Preheat & Prep: Crank that oven to 375°F (190°C) – no cheating on the preheat! Line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Trust me, this saves so much clean-up hassle later.

2. Cream the Good Stuff: In your mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and both sugars until it’s light and fluffy – about 2 minutes with a hand mixer. This is where the magic starts! The mixture should look pale and creamy. Scrape down the sides halfway through – those sneaky sugar pockets love to hide.

3. Add the Wet Team: Crack in those eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Then pour in the vanilla – the scent alone will make you happy. The batter might look a bit curdled at this point – don’t panic! It’ll come together beautifully.

4. Dry Ingredients Join the Party: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this to your wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Overmixing = tough cookies, and we don’t want that! The dough should be soft but not sticky.

5. The Grand Finale: Now for the best part – gently fold in those peanut butter cup minis! I use a rubber spatula here to keep them from breaking apart too much. If you’re using full-size cups you chopped up, work quickly because they’ll start melting from the warmth of the dough.

6. Scoop & Press: Drop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto your prepared sheets. Here’s my signature move: press half a mini peanut butter cup right into the top of each dough ball before baking. This ensures every cookie has that glorious peanut butter center!

7. Bake to Perfection: Pop them in the oven for about 11 minutes. They’re done when the edges turn golden but the centers still look slightly underdone. They’ll firm up as they cool – patience is key! Let them rest on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Pro tip: Rotate your baking sheets halfway through if your oven has hot spots. And resist the urge to eat them straight from the oven – that molten peanut butter filling is hot! (Okay, maybe let one cool just enough not to burn your tongue… I won’t tell.)

Tips for Perfect Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

After making these cookies approximately a zillion times (okay, maybe just a few dozen batches), I’ve learned all the tricks to get them just right. Here are my hard-earned secrets:

Chill if you have time: If your dough feels too sticky, pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes. Cold dough spreads less, giving you thicker cookies. Bonus – chilled dough keeps the peanut butter cups from melting too much during baking.

Mix with care: When adding the flour, stop mixing as soon as it’s incorporated. Overmixed dough = tough cookies, and we’re going for tender and chewy here!

Parchment is your BFF: I know I already mentioned it, but seriously – don’t skip the parchment paper. It prevents sticking AND makes cleanup a breeze.

The golden rule: Take cookies out when they look slightly underdone in the center. They’ll continue cooking on the hot baking sheet. If you wait until they look “done” in the oven, they’ll be overbaked by the time they cool.

Size matters: Use a cookie scoop for uniform cookies that bake evenly. I like about 1.5 tablespoons of dough per cookie – big enough to hold that peanut butter cup surprise, but small enough that you don’t feel guilty eating two (or three…).

Ingredient Substitutions & Variations

Listen, I’m all about keeping things classic, but sometimes you gotta mix it up! Here are my favorite ways to tweak this peanut butter cup cookie recipe when the mood strikes (or when I’m out of something):

• Gluten-free? Swap the all-purpose flour 1:1 with your favorite gluten-free blend – I’ve had great results with King Arthur’s measure-for-measure.
• Healthier option: Use natural peanut butter cups (Justin’s makes great ones) and whole wheat pastry flour for half the all-purpose.
• Extra chocolatey: Toss in a handful of chocolate chips along with the peanut butter cups – because more chocolate is always the answer.
• Peanut allergies: Try this with chopped-up Enjoy Life chocolate bars instead – not quite the same, but still delicious!

The beauty of this recipe? It’s like your favorite pair of jeans – perfect as is, but easy to dress up however you like!

Storing and Freezing Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Okay, confession time – these cookies rarely last long enough to need storing in my house! But when they do (or when I’m smart enough to hide a batch), here’s how I keep them tasting fresh:

• Room temp storage: Pop cooled cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread – the bread absorbs excess moisture and keeps the cookies soft for up to 5 days. Just replace the bread when it gets hard.
• Freezing baked cookies: Layer them between parchment paper in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for 2-3 months. To revive, microwave for 10 seconds or let thaw at room temp – they’ll taste freshly baked!
• Freezing dough: Scoop dough balls onto a tray, freeze solid, then transfer to bags. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1-2 extra minutes. Perfect for last-minute cookie emergencies!

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Recipe Nutrition Information

Okay, let’s keep it real – we’re not eating peanut butter cup cookies for our health! But in case you’re curious, here’s the scoop: each cookie comes in at about 96 calories, with 5g fat and 12g carbs. Of course, these numbers can vary based on your exact ingredients and how big you make them.

I always say one cookie is a serving… but who are we kidding? Just enjoy them in moderation (or don’t – I won’t judge!). The joy they bring is worth every delicious bite.

FAQs About Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Recipe

Over the years, I’ve gotten tons of questions about these peanut butter cup cookies – so let me save you some trouble with answers to the most common ones!

Can I use regular-sized peanut butter cups instead of minis?
Absolutely! Just chop them into quarters or eighths – about the size of the minis. Work quickly though, because the chocolate melts fast in warm dough. I sometimes keep the chopped pieces in the fridge until the last minute.

Why do my cookies spread too much?
Three likely culprits: 1) Your butter was too soft (should leave an indent when pressed, not be greasy), 2) Your baking soda is old (check the expiration date!), or 3) Your dough was too warm when baking. Chilling the dough for 30 minutes fixes most spreading issues.

Can I freeze the cookie dough?
Yes! Scoop the dough balls first, freeze them on a tray, then transfer to a bag. They’ll keep for 3 months. Bake straight from frozen – just add 1-2 extra minutes. Perfect for impromptu cookie cravings!

How do I get that perfect soft center?
The magic number is 11 minutes in my oven – edges golden, centers still slightly underdone. They’ll set up perfectly as they cool. Overbaking is the enemy of soft cookies!

Can I make these without a mixer?
Of course! I’ve made them with just a wooden spoon when my mixer broke. It takes some elbow grease to cream the butter and sugar, but the cookies taste just as amazing.

Share Your Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Recipe

Now it’s your turn! I’d love to see how your peanut butter cup cookies turn out. Snap a photo of your batch (especially if someone catches that perfect bite with a melted peanut butter center!) and tag me on Instagram or leave a comment below.

Happy baking, friends, may your cookies be chewy and your peanut butter cups plentiful! And don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest for more easy recipes.

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