If you are looking for an easy Peanut Butter Cup Cookies recipe that works every time, this is it. These cookies start with a soft peanut butter cookie dough and are topped with a mini Reese's cup right after baking. The result is a chewy peanut butter cookie with crisp edges and a chocolate and peanut butter center that sets perfectly as the cookies cool.
This is a practical, family-friendly peanut butter cookie recipe made with simple pantry ingredients. No chilling, no complicated steps, and no special equipment required.
Why You'll Love It
- Soft, chewy cookies with crisp edges
- Simple ingredients you likely already have
- No chill dough required
- Perfect for holidays, cookie trays, and bake sales
- A reliable recipe for peanut butter lovers
If you enjoy classic peanut butter blossoms, this version delivers the same peanut butter flavor with the rich chocolate center everyone expects.
See also our Peanut Butter Spritz Cookies for another simple peanut butter cookie idea.
Ingredients
- unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- creamy peanut butter
- light brown sugar, packed
- granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
- egg
- milk
- vanilla extract
- all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- baking soda
- salt
- 25 mini Reese's peanut butter cups
How to Make Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the unsalted butter until creamy. You can use a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Add the creamy peanut butter, brown sugar, and ½ cup granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until the butter mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not overmix the peanut butter cookie dough.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. A medium cookie scoop or #40 cookie scoop works well.
- Roll each ball of dough in granulated sugar.
- Place the sugar-coated cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake one sheet pan at a time in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
- Immediately press a mini Reese's peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. Press gently so it stays in place. The cookie will crack slightly around the edges.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Do not stack or store until the chocolate has fully hardened.
Helpful Tips
- Make sure your butter is at room temperature so it creams properly with the sugars.
- Spoon and level the flour to avoid adding too much. Too much flour can make the cookies dry.
- Press the mini peanut butter cups into the center of each cookie right after baking while the cookies are still hot.
- Let the cookies cool completely before storing so the chocolate sets properly.
If you love classic peanut butter cookies, you may also enjoy my soft and simple M&M Peanut Butter Cookies. It uses many of the same pantry staples and is just as reliable.
Variations
Use a mini muffin pan
Instead of baking on a cookie sheet, place balls of dough into a lightly greased 24-cup mini muffin tin. Bake for about 8 minutes, then press a mini Reese's peanut butter cup into the center of each partially baked cookie cup. Let cool before removing to create peanut butter cookie cups.
Natural peanut butter
Natural peanut butter can be used, but the texture may be softer and more delicate. For best structure, standard creamy peanut butter works best.
Storage
Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
You can freeze the baked cookies once the chocolate has hardened. Layer them between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
To freeze the peanut butter cookie dough, roll into balls of dough and freeze on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe container. Bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.
MORE COOKIE RECIPES
📖 Recipe
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter - softened
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar - packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar - plus more for rolling
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour - spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 25 mini Reese's peanut butter cups - unwrapped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat softened butter until creamy.
- Add peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.
- Mix in egg, milk, and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll in granulated sugar. A #40 cookie scoop is helpful.
- Place on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
- Immediately press a mini Reese's peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie.
- Cool 5 minutes on pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before storing.
Notes
- Do not stack until chocolate is fully set.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Dough can be frozen before baking for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Popular Recipes
Dana is the lead recipe developer and photographer for PopularRecipes.com. With her 10+ years of experience creating, testing, and photographing recipes, she has become an artist in developing wholesome, family-friendly meals that are a hit with both kids and parents.
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