Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
This peanut butter cup cookies recipe is a total classic! My mom has had this recipe in her little index binder since I was barely old enough to reach the counter, and I would devour them every single year. This super simple recipe has you bake peanut butter cookies in a mini muffin pan until they’re just barely done, then a Reese’s mini peanut butter cup is pressed into the center; an absolute Christmas staple!
Christmas baking is incredibly nostalgic for me.
Whenever 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 (yes, back in that house in the mid-80’s, there was carpet in the kitchen, if you can believe it!), 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 candies that make occasional appearances, showing up some years but not others. These peanut butter cup cookies always fell into the latter category, so I was especially excited when I saw them in my mom’s kitchen.
How to Make Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
This is one of the easiest cookie recipes you’ll find, and it’s one that people go crazy about year after year. Here’s what to do!
- Make Peanut Butter Cookie Dough – A simple combination of butter, peanut butter, granulated and brown sugars, along with egg, vanilla, flour, baking soda, and salt is all that’s needed for these basic cookies.
- Roll the Dough Into Balls – The peanut butter cookie dough gets rolled into balls about 1-inch in diameter. You can use a small cookie scoop (it’s literally PERFECT for this!) or measure out about 2 teaspoons of dough.
- Place the Dough Balls Into Mini Muffin Pan – Drop those balls of dough into the wells of a mini muffin pan. Don’t press them down or into the pan, just place them in the center.
- Bake the Cookies – You only need to bake these for 8 to 10 minutes, you want them puffy and pale, that’s the sweet spot!
- Press in the Peanut Butter Cup – The best part of the recipe! As soon as you take the pan out of the oven, press a mini peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie.
Gooey peanut butter cookie meets melty peanut butter cup. It’s cookie and candy perfection, and your Christmas season and cookie trays NEED them!
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Recipe Notes
- Use a traditional peanut butter such as Jif or Skippy; natural-style peanut butters will be too oily for this recipe.
- A small cookie scoop will portion out the perfect amount of dough.
- If you don’t have a mini muffin pan, you can make these on a traditional cookie sheet, however they will spread out when you press the peanut butter cup in the middle, so you will have less of a tassie-style cookie and more of a regular-size cookie.
- Don’t overbake the cookies! You want them to look puffy and pale when you pull them from the oven; if they get golden brown, the peanut butter cup won’t easily sink down into the cookie.
- Store the peanut butter cup cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
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!
If You Like These Cookies, Try These Recipes:
- Buckeye Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
- Peanut Butter Buckeyes Recipe
- Salted Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Chip Cookies
Watch the Recipe Video:
One year ago: Oreo Balls
Two years ago: Mini Cheesecake Cookies
Five years ago: Peanut Butter Swirl Chocolate Bark
Six years ago: Homemade Torrone
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups (178 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup (135 g) creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 48 miniature peanut butter cups, unwrapped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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 for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Use a traditional peanut butter such as Jif or Skippy; natural-style peanut butters will be too oily for this recipe.
- A small cookie scoop will portion out the perfect amount of dough.
- If you don’t have a mini muffin pan, you can make these on a traditional cookie sheet, however they will spread out when you press the peanut butter cup in the middle, so you will have less of a tassie-style cookie and more of a regular-size cookie.
- Don’t overbake the cookies! You want them to look puffy and pale when you pull them from the oven; if they get golden brown, the peanut butter cup won’t easily sink down into the cookie.
- Store the peanut butter cup cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in December 2012. It was updated in December 2018 with new photos, a video, and extensive recipe tips.
[photos by Whitney Wright]
I put the candy in freezer for a bit before baking cookies that way they didn’t melt so easy. I also put them in fridge for cooling time that way they were easier to get out of pan
This recipe is my daughters go to for the holidays! She just made 12 dozen and put in the freezer for Christmas.
The recipe is no fail and perfectly written. Her platter is always the first to disappear! So easy to make too!
My husband tried one &liked it. Said I could make them again.
I. Chilled the dough which made it easy to roll balls. I also chilled the peanut butter. cups then they don’t melt.
I do like this cookie for Christmas. I’m going to freeze them until ready to use them.
Can these be made using the 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies?
Hi Lona, I’m not familiar with that recipe, so I couldn’t say for sure.
I don’t have a mini muffin pan. Can these be made on a cookie sheet, instead?
Hi Harriet, I don’t know that that would work, as you really need a vessel to help the cookies keep that “cup” shape as they bake.
I would try the foil mini cup liners. They can go directly onto a cookie sheet and put the balls into the foil cups to bake. Seriously though, invest in some nice mini muffin pans. There are so many wonder recipes that you can make with them. Cherry top cheesecake cookies, tassies with all sorts of filling, mini cupcakes, mini muffins.
I’ve been making something similar for years – always rave reviews, and I didn’t think these could get any better. Then last year I saw DARK chocolate mini Reese’s pb cups at the store…amazing!! The dark chocolate, being less sweet than milk chocolate or semisweet, balances out the cookie part just right.
These are so good that we have made them twice in the past 24 hours!
Do you grease the muffin tin for peanut butter cup cookies?
Hi Mary, No, I do not grease the pan.
Made these cookies today last minute for a party. They came out perfectly and were a big hit. Five stars!
Best cookies ever!
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!
Hi Sherry, Yes, I would spray the pan. Enjoy!
I’ve found that sometimes these will stick to the pan if you try to take them out while they’re too warm. If they don’t pop right out, I’ve taken a toothpick and stuck it down between the cookie and the side of the pan, in 3-4 places around the cookie. After doing this, you can even use the toothpick to help ease the cookie out of the pan. Sometimes, though, the cookie just sticks, no matter what you do, and then you’ll have to just take a spoon to it and eat it on the spot :)
Great timing to look in my inbox and see this link. I wanted to make these this morning.
I am in love just looking at it
Totally going to try this
So you think these would work with other candies? I’m thinking Rolo? I just discovered this recipe thanks to a buzzfeed post!
Hi Michelle, Absolutely, I don’t see why not!
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.
love these cookies, I make mine with white chocolate peanut butter cups!
Did anyones reeses miniatures melt??? Mine did..
Those peanut butter cup cookies look wonderful!
For faster loving cups use break and bake sugar cookies in mini muffin tins instead of making batter!
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!
Can I use the peanut butter jar recipe for these cookies? and mini paper liners
I am not sure what you mean by peanut butter jar recipe?
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!
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!
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!
Wow. Just made these and they are super easy, fast AND YUMMY! Thanks BEB! I love every recipe I’ve tried from you.
It’s b/c of recipes like this that I’m in the gym 5 days/week. :)
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!
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.
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 :)
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!
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!