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You are here: Home » Recipes » Dessert » Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Dessert

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The Best Peanut Butter Cup Cookies; easy recipe!

Peanut butter cup cookies are homemade peanut butter cookies, baked in a mini muffin tin and stuffed with a mini Reese’s peanut butter cup.

Chocolate and peanut butter are a winning flavor combination and a family favorite in our house. We make Frosted Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats, Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies, Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies, and these tasty Reese’s peanut butter cup cookies at least once every holiday baking season. And several times throughout the year as well.

I mean does it get any better than homemade peanut butter cookies stuffed with peanut butter cups?

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies with a mini reese's cup in the center. One had bite taken out of it to show inside of reese's peanut butter cup.

Plus, I love how easy these Reese’s cookies are to make, all in one bowl. No need to combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately for this recipe!

For another easy Reese’s dessert try my Reese’s peanut butter cup dip recipe.

These mini peanut butter cup cookies will be the star of your Christmas cookie tray, although the delicious cookies are perfect for any time of the year and for any occasion.

Mini peanut butter cup cookies stacked neatly on serving platter

Unlike most cookie recipes, this peanut butter cookie recipe doesn’t call for any butter or flour.

Surprising I know, but trust me on this–they are absolutely delicious!

 three peanut butter cup cookies stacked, top cookie cup has bite taken out of it

Ingredients

This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Ingredients on countertop: bowl of granulated sugar, bowl of creamy peanut butter, bowl of light brown sugar, bowl of unwrapped mini reese's peanut butter cups, 2 eggs, baking soda, vanilla, and fine sea salt. Several mini peanut butter cups and a kitchen towel surround the ingredients
  • Mini peanut butter cups– I used Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups
  • Creamy peanut butter– I recommend using a conventional peanut butter here since they are typically thicker than natural peanut butters. The thicker peanut butter is necessary to hold up the shape of the cookie. 
  • Granulated sugar
  • Light brown sugar 
  • Baking soda
  • Large eggs
  • Pure vanilla extract– if you are using imitation vanilla increase the amount to 2 teaspoons
  • Fine sea salt – regular table salt works too

Kitchen Supplies

  1. Measuring cups and spoons
  2. Mini muffin tins (you will need 2 tins)
  3. Large mixing bowl
  4. Mixing spoon or hand-held mixer 
  5. Medium cookie scoop
  6. Wire cooling rack 

How to Make

This section shows you how to make the recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions. For the full printable recipe, see the recipe card below. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and baking soda. Mix in the eggs, the vanilla extract, and salt.

Two image collage. On left: sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter, and baking soda in mixing bowl with hand mixer next to it. On right: eggs, vanilla, and salt added to cookie batter

Use a medium cookie scoop to portion out equal scoops of batter and roll each scoop into a ball. Place 1 cookie dough ball into each cup of a mini muffin tin.

Two image collage. On left: cookie batter in mixing bowl with hand mixer and mini muffin tin next to it. On right, mini muffin tin filled with evenly-sized cookie dough balls

Bake as directed in the recipe card below.

When you remove the cookies from the oven immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. 

How to make peanut butter cookie cups with peanut butter cups

Place the muffin tin on top of a wire cooling rack and allow the cookies to cool completely before carefully removing them from the pan. 

Tip: You may find it helpful to a butter knife to gently separate the side of cookie cups from the tin.

Peanut butter cup cookies on cooling rack

Storage

Room Temperature: Place the cookies in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 4 days. 

Freezer: Place baked and cooled cookie cups on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour before placing in a freezer bag or other freezer-safe container. The cookies will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 4 weeks. Thaw the cookies or eat them frozen! 

peanut butter cookies with peanut butter cups pressed in center. Several cookies are stacked neatly on platter and one is removed and cut in half to show inside.

Tips & Variations

  • You can replace the Reese’s with another small candy. Try the recipe with Rolos, caramels, mini Snickers, mini Milky Ways, mini Butterfingers, Hershey Kisses, etc…
  • Prep the dough ahead of time and freeze for up to 3 months. Then simply thaw, bake, and add your mini peanut butter cups.
  • For a short cut you can use a bag of peanut butter cookie mix or ready-to-bake peanut butter cookie dough.

More Must-Try Cookie Recipes

  • Sugar Cookie Bars
  • Chocolate Chip Air Fryer Cookies
  • Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies
  • Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
  • Peanut Butter Blossoms
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies with a mini reese's cup in the center. One had bite taken out of it to show inside of reese's peanut butter cup.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Peanut butter cup cookies are homemade peanut butter cookies, baked in a mini muffin tin and stuffed with a mini Reese's peanut butter cup.
4.54 from 39 votes

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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 34 cookies
Calories: 122kcal
Author: Jaclyn Shimmel
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 34 mini peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. 
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and baking soda. Mix in the eggs, the vanilla extract, and salt.
  • Use a medium cookie scoop to portion out equal scoops of batter and roll each scoop into a ball. Place 1 cookie dough ball into each cup of a mini muffin tin.
  • Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes, or until set and the tops are beginning to crack. When you remove the cookies from the oven immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. 
  • Place the muffin tin on top of a wire cooling rack and allow the cookies to cool completely before carefully removing them from the pan. 

Notes

Storage: Place the cookies in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 4 days. 
To freeze: Place baked and cooled cookies on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour before placing in a freezer bag or other freezer-safe container. The cookies will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 4 weeks. Thaw the cookies or eat them frozen! 
Or prep the dough ahead of time and freeze for up to 3 months. Then simply thaw, bake, and add your mini peanut butter cups.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 122kcal

    The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by a third party and intended to serve as an estimate only. The accuracy of nutritional information is not guaranteed.

    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Please rate the recipe and leave a comment on the blog or share on social media and tag @crayonsandcravings!
    The Best Peanut Butter Cup Cookies; easy recipe!

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    By Jaclyn Shimmel | 11/02/2021
    Filed Under: Dessert, Recipes Tagged With: Cookies

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    Comments

    1. Kristan Blackledge says

      12/23/2021 at 11:01 am

      Worst peanut butter cookies I have ever made. They never set up and stayed dough even after baking an extra minute. I had to through the batch out. What a waste of time, money and ingredients! Boo!

      Reply
      • Jaclyn Shimmel says

        12/25/2021 at 8:33 pm

        I haven’t experienced this anytime that I have made these cookies. Did you use large eggs? Did you substitute any of the ingredients?

        Reply
    2. Nancy Seyvilt says

      02/06/2022 at 8:57 am

      As I look a the ingredients it has no flour. Is that missing ? I was going to make them however I changed my mind when I realized that !!

      Reply
      • Jaclyn Shimmel says

        02/06/2022 at 7:36 pm

        The recipe is correct, these PB cookies have no flour 🙂

        Reply

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