Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
97 comments » 
Christmas baking can be incredibly nostalgic. Anytime I bake peanut butter blossoms or mini cheesecake cookies, I imagine being about 8 years old, in the kitchen of my old house, watching my mom bake. I can feel the carpet under my toes, I can see the floral painting on the wall, and if I walk around the corner, I can see the silver and blue garland wrapped around the staircase. There are certain recipes that flat-out have to be made during the holidays, or it’s just not Christmas. Then there are cookies and treats that have been made occasionally, but somehow fall through the cracks some years. These peanut butter cup cookies fall into that category, although how that ever happened with me around is absolutely astonishing. Now that I’ve revived the recipe from the depths of my mom’s recipe books, it will be a Christmas baking staple from now on!
This is one of the easiest cookie recipes you’ll find, and it’s one that will have people going crazy. You pop a little ball of peanut butter dough into a mini muffin pan, bake them until they’re puffy and pale, then take them out of the oven and immediately press a miniature peanut butter cup into the center. Gooey peanut butter cookie meets melty peanut butter cup. It’s cookie and candy perfection, and I will never live through a Christmas season without them again.
I dare you to try to wait an appropriate amount of time before popping at least two of these in your mouth. It’s absolutely impossible. Still warm or not, I have to grab one almost immediately. Pay no attention to the melted chocolate on my hands and crumbs around my mouth 😉
This is the perfect holiday cookie recipe – quick, easy, and yields a ton! Perfect for making numerous cookie trays to take with you on your holiday visits. Enjoy!
One year ago: Lofthouse Style Frosted Sugar Cookies
Two years ago: Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix
Three years ago: Nut Crescents
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Yield: 48 cookies
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
A holiday classic, straight from my mom's old recipe card!
Ingredients:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
48 miniature Reese's peanut butter cups, unwrappedDirections:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. Beat together the butter, peanut butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg and vanilla and mix for another minute or so to combine. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. Give the dough a final mix with a rubber spatula to ensure all of the flour is incorporated.
4. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls (about 2 teaspoons worth of dough) and place in the cups of a miniature muffin pan (keep the dough in balls - do not press into the pan).
5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until light golden brown and slightly puffy. Remove from the oven and immediately press a miniature peanut butter cup in the middle of each cookie, pressing down so that the top of the peanut butter cup is even with the top of the cookie. Cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pans, and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
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I love these! I was all ready to make them last year- bought the peanut butter cups and everything. Then never got around to it. They WILL be made this year!
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I haven’t baked a Reese’s cup into a cookie in at least…3 months. I’m overdue! Yours look great! I love using muffin tins for cookies or mini whoopie pie pans because the cookies turn out so well!
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Mmm, yum!! These look so good and are cute too!
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I’m not a fan of any of the 3 main components of these but they look so good I might have to give them a try!
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I had these at a caroling party recently and loved them – so glad to have a recipe for them! Yum!
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These do look easy and yummy! I’d probably have to make them and then taken them to work or else I’d finish them myself!
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These are are one of my husband’s “best thing I ever made”…when I use Reese’s Dark
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups!
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These are my favorite cookies – except I am lazy and just use Pillsbury peanut butter cookie dough and bake the Reeses right in the dough so the chocolate is all gooey when the come out of the oven. I have one rule in the house – if they break when they come out of the pan, I get to eat them, still hot. I purposely try to break at least one in each pan (:
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What a gorgeous cookie! I would have no control with these around!!
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I can smell these peanut butter cup cookies now!! Thanks for the reminder of a Christmas classic- we love the classics over here! 🙂
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These are dangerous! I can pop about 3 of these in one sitting. sigh. What a way to go though…
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These look DELICIOUS!
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I have baked these for years, I do the Pillsbury sugar cookie dough, or any other sugar cookie dough recipe. I also dress them up a bit for the cookie trays. I put a midget wrapper on them(small cupcake paper) sprinkle a little powered sugar and or sprinkles. I have to hind them or they get eaten before i can put them on my trays. They are the request of most my family. I have to take my sister her own batch. I only wish they sold the peanut butter cups unwrapped LOl. You must try them…
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Robbie on December 11th, 2012 at 11:24 am
In Canada, there are two sizes of RPBCs, the smaller one is unwrapped. They are too small for my combo of cookie and muffin tin. I’ll have to just eat them with no cookie around them!
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T on November 27th, 2014 at 10:24 pm
we do sell the minitures in Canada. Not the super small ones but the next size up
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I’d love to try these with a sugar cookie dough and Rollo caramel candies too!
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YUM! Anything with a peanut butter cookie PLUS a Reese’s is good in my book 🙂 Can’t wait to try these!
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These are definitely going on my “must make” list this year. Yumm.
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YES! I couldn’t agree more, there’s definitely some recipe that are a must at this time of year. These little cups look so cute I need to try over the holidays 🙂
http://lyndajanecakes.blogspot.co.uk/
x
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Michelle,
These look so cute. I love old family recipes. Can’t wait to try them. I’m a long time fan amd Twitter follower. You can visit my blog at http://bakewelljunction.wordpress.com
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These look soo amazing!! I will definitely be making these soon!
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my husband is going to LOVE these!
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I make peanut butter blossoms every year – I am definitely going to try this variation!
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Loooove!
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Oops, sorry, wrote that on the wrong one!! On a different note, these cookies will be my Cookie Swap cookie, thanks!
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I can tell you are a Burgh girl. It’s like looking at my childhood through your eyes! [but I’m much older!] Oh those days were the best! Love me some PB cookies!
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I cannot wait to make these cookies. I might try with my homeade peanut butter cups that I make at Christmas time. Yum!
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These mini peanut butter cup cookies look very scrumptious! I’ve never tried them before but I wouldn’t mind taste testing them 🙂
I’m not too much of a baker. I seriously don’t have the patience to bake nor cook. However, since you’ve posted the recipe, I may bake these delicious looking cookies for Christmas.
Thank you for sharing! 😉
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I always go straight for these kind of cookies whenever they’re around! YUM!
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CHRISTMAS COOKIES!
Is this the best time of year or what?!
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OMG, the last picture is too tempting!! Need to try these!
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We are doing these cookies this year instead of PB Blossoms! Thank you for posting the recipe, I always trust that the recipes you post are amazing!
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Peanut Butter Blossoms are a wonderful idea. Really need to make these.
Thanks for sharing
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I have to admit this is one of my favorite cookies. I love everything with peanut butter and this satisfies my peanut butter cravings. It’s hard not to eat all of them when I bake them though!
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Peanut Butter Blossoms are for sure on my list to make this year.
They look so yummy
Thanks for sharing
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Little Reese’s cups are my favorite! Can’t wait to try these!
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Ok, I need to make these pretty much immediately…they look so good! Oh, in only I had more hours in the day! 🙂
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Yum!! These are such a fun spin on peanut butter blossom cookies! I can never say no to a peanut butter cup 🙂
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Too funny, I just made these for the first time yesterday. I can’t believe they aren’t all gone. So simple and definitely delicious!
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I haven’t made these in years. Thanks for the memories. Now, of course, it’s time to go buy the Reese’s cups.
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These are the prettiest peanut butter cup cookies I’ve seen! And yummiest. Mmm!
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These are one of my favorite cookies!! I usually end up eating half of them while baking. 🙂
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Hi!!
I love your recipes and especially these cookies!!!
Greetings from Chile
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These look so good. Better than regular pnut butter cookies w/ a kiss.
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I love these! If I didn’t make these around Christmas my kids would pitch a fit!
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Very pretty cookie of one of my favorites. Very transportable version, easy to share!
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Yummy cookies!!!
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Looks like a great cookie- and so easy!
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Even more than this deliciously easy recipe, I love all the nostalgic senses you write about. I can see that floral wallpaper and feel the carpet underfoot! That’s one of my favorite things about cooking (and reading great food blogs) is how evocative and transporting they can be. Christmas is especially a poignant and nostalgic time for memories in the kitchen.
We’re celebrating our favorite holiday recipes this month on the Shine Supper Club and this recipe would be a perfect addition! I hope you’ll join us!
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Definitely going to try this during the holidays and into next year!
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These were my favorite cookies as a kid growing up! We only ever had them at my grandma’s house, and they were the best!
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These look so good I want to run to my kitchen and make them!
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We make these, but gluten free! So easy and amazing!
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I just made my first batch–they are delicious and so simple
But how do you get them out of the pan!? Mine appear to be stuck!!
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Michelle on December 15th, 2012 at 11:01 pm
I just used a little butter knife to sort of “pop” them out – they slid right out of my pan.
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I made these yesterday for a cookie party and they were ahhhmazingg! Super easy and quick.
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I used to make these but the cookie part had bisquick in it and a family member has an allergy to bisquick so I stopped making them. I have been LOOKING for a totally homemade version and this is IT!!! I can’t wait to make these this week!
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I made these and they’re buttery-delisiousness. I used the caramel filled hershey kisses instead of pb cups for a fun change. Yum!
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I have made these with mini Snickers bars in them! They are positively sinful and extra yummy right out of the oven.
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Your’s turned out so pretty! I made this, but with store bought dough and totally botched it….they were falling apart and looked so ugly. I felt like a failure…slice & bake with a Reese…just plain wrong and embarrassing! Luckily it’s impossible for these cookies to taste bad. I’ll have to try your recipe for peanut butter dough next time!
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Do you think it would be ok if I used mini muffin liners? I’m afraid of the cookies sticking.
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Michelle on January 15th, 2013 at 7:02 pm
Hi Megan, I’ve never made these cookies with liners; if so you won’t get the nice smooth sides. It probably wouldn’t hurt them any, they just wouldn’t look the same.
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megan on January 16th, 2013 at 9:23 am
Thanks, Michelle! I want them to look pretty, so I might just spray the pan a little.
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sonia on January 31st, 2013 at 9:34 am
hi michelle,
did you spray the muffin pan? thanks!
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Michelle on January 31st, 2013 at 1:01 pm
Hi Sonia, I did not, as my pan is non-stick. They slid right out.
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Hey Michelle!
Did you put the cookies in a mini muffin pan or a regular sized pan?
Thanks!
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Crystal on February 11th, 2013 at 12:13 pm
Also, is it better to put the peanut butter cups in the freezer right before I begin mixing ingredients? I heard they might be easier to work with.
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Michelle on February 11th, 2013 at 1:34 pm
I’ve never put the peanut butter cups in the freezer, but I don’t think it would hurt any if you wanted to do that.
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Michelle on February 11th, 2013 at 1:33 pm
Hi Crystal, A mini muffin pan.
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Crystal on February 11th, 2013 at 1:43 pm
Thanks so much! And two more questions (Sorry! I never bake without supervision), should it be 1/2 cup of SOFTENED butter? And is granulated sugar the same thing as white sugar?
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Michelle on February 11th, 2013 at 5:15 pm
Hi Crystal, Yes, at room temperature generally means that it has been left to soften. And yes, granulated sugar is the same as white sugar.
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These Reese cookies are the best!
So easy , and fun to make.
I have made 200 of them in less than 2 hrs!
They look so pretty in colorful muffin liners (after they are baked and cooled)
Thank you for a quick recipe for my daughters’ Bridal Shower “Cookie Table”.
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Bought a bag of after-Easter-sale Reese’s and have my first batch cooling on the counter as I type. Thanks for the quick and easy recipe – this is my first time on your site…I’ll be back!
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I think I likee. 🙂 These are beautiful…and DELICIOUS cookies! Won the teachers over I’m sure for end of the year gifts. We put them in decorated mason jars, seperated by wax paper. Just adorable. Another winner from Brown Eyed Baker! Thanks Michelle!
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OMG, those cookies look delicious….and potentially dangerous because I have a feeling that if I ate one, 20 more would follow suite. I’d be trying to burn those off for days 🙂
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My mother makes a very similar cookie, but instead of regular creamy peanut butter she uses chocolate peanut butter. They’re AMAZING. I’ll eat a dozen in a sitting if no one stops me.
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I’ve always wanted to make these but never had a proper recipe…. THANK YOU!!!!!! Mine came out PERFECT!! I was concerned about not greasing the muffin tins, but I think with the butter and peanut butter being greasy enough, and along with the non stick pan, they DID “pop right out”, as you said!
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It’s b/c of recipes like this that I’m in the gym 5 days/week. 🙂
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Wow. Just made these and they are super easy, fast AND YUMMY! Thanks BEB! I love every recipe I’ve tried from you.
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I made these today, they are so easy to make and incredibly delicious! Definitely a keeper! They were a total hit with my grandchildren. Thank you!
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Hi Michelle,
This is one of my favorite recipes — I make these cookies all the time, and they are always a hit! My only gripe is that I never know how long I need to wait before I can remove them from the tins and package them. The Reese’s always start to melt, and then the cookies (while still delicious) no longer look as pretty. I’ve tried refrigerating them, but that makes the dough harder. Any tips?
Thanks!
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Michelle on February 6th, 2014 at 1:59 pm
Hi Rebecca, I usually use a fork or butter knife to pop them up out of the pan, and just don’t try to touch the chocolate middle part when I move them to the cooling rack. I hope that helps!
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Can I use the peanut butter jar recipe for these cookies? and mini paper liners
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Michelle on December 2nd, 2014 at 1:02 pm
I am not sure what you mean by peanut butter jar recipe?
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OMG. Words can hardly describe how fabulous these are! I made them this weekend and I was so excited b/c not only did they taste delicious but they look so cute. I used a mini ice cream scoop so they were all pretty uniform in size and then I let them cool a really long time. Like realy really long time. Then I popped them out with a spoon and let them cool even longer. Eventually (like a few hours later) the chocolate was completely set. I messed up 2 of them when I checked on their progress but that was just fine as I got to eat them right away! So excited to add this to my yearly baking repertoire. Thanks for the great recipe!
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For faster loving cups use break and bake sugar cookies in mini muffin tins instead of making batter!
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Those peanut butter cup cookies look wonderful!
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Did anyones reeses miniatures melt??? Mine did..
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love these cookies, I make mine with white chocolate peanut butter cups!
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I’ve been making something similar for years and a little secret that I finally learned (palm to forehead moment!), use paper liners for mini muffins. It makes a world of difference when removing them from the pan.
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So you think these would work with other candies? I’m thinking Rolo? I just discovered this recipe thanks to a buzzfeed post!
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Michelle on March 17th, 2015 at 3:14 pm
Hi Michelle, Absolutely, I don’t see why not!
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I am in love just looking at it
Totally going to try this
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Great timing to look in my inbox and see this link. I wanted to make these this morning.
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I made these last year and they stuck REALLY badly to the pan! I did not have a non-stick pan. Now I bought some non-stick pans – do I need to spray them or anything? Thanks!
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Michelle on December 18th, 2015 at 8:35 pm
Hi Sherry, Yes, I would spray the pan. Enjoy!
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Best cookies ever!
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