Stuffed with chunks of Reese's peanut butter cups, these homemade peanut butter cup cookies are a twist on classic chocolate chip cookies. For best results, chill the cookie dough balls for an hour in the fridge before popping the cookies into the oven.
Hi hi! I hope things are going well! Just wanted to pop in and share this recipe for Peanut Butter Cup Cookies. I took my tried and true favourite Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe and filled it with Peanut Butter Cups. As a baking blogger I love a homemade cookie recipe, and these peanut butter cup cookies are a fast and easy way to mix things up a little. If you would like to try another cookie recipe using candy, my M&M chocolate chip cookie is amazing, along with my mini egg chocolate chip cookies and my Kit Kat Cookies. These chocolate chip peanut butter cup cookies are the perfect peanut butter dessert!
These reese's peanut butter cup cookies are a super fun twist on my forever fave best chocolate chip cookie recipe. They are super easy to make and can be made ahead. I have filled them with Peanut Butter Cups, but you could fill them with any candy that you have on hand. They would be particularly good with something like a snickers! In this post I share all my tips and tricks for making perfect chocolate chip cookies:
How to make peanut butter cup cookies
These reese's cookies are super easy to make:
- Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix to combine. This recipe uses three kinds of sugar - granulated sugar, muscovado sugar (or brown sugar), and turbinado sugar, for great texture and flavour.
- Add in your dry ingredients - All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda. Mix until only just combined - stop before the flour is completely incorporated in order to avoid over mixing.
- Add in your mix ins. I filled these chocolate chip peanut butter cup cookies with reese's peanut butter cups, but here is your chance to play around with cookie mix ins as you like.
- Scoop the dough. I like to scoop the dough and then chill it, rather than chilling first, as cold cookie dough can be hard to scoop. This makes it easy to freeze some dough for later too.
- Chill the reese's cookie dough. Chill the dough for at least an hour, but you can do this up to overnight if needed.
- Bake your peanut butter cup cookies, transfer to a cooling rack to cool, and enjoy!
Can you freeze cookie dough?
I love to freeze cookie dough when I bake it - it works great for my other cookie recipes, and it works perfectly for these cookies with peanut butter cookies too.
To freeze cookie dough, I scoop the dough out onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, and then lightly cover the pan with plastic wrap. Then I pop the whole thing in the freezer, and freeze until solid. Once the cookie dough is solid, I pop it into a ziploc bag or other airtight container.
To bake frozen cookie dough, you bake directly from frozen. Do not defrost. You will need to add 2-3 minutes onto the baking time to account for the frozen dough, but this is a perfect way to store dough if you don't want to make a whole batch all at once.
For all my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough and bake from frozen, check out my post: How to freeze cookie dough
The best chocolate for chocolate chip cookies
You can use whatever you like in these cookies, but I really prefer chopped chocolate over chocolate chips or chunks for a few reasons:
- Chopped Chocolate gives you variation - When you chop up chocolate you get a whole bunch of different sized and shaped pieces, giving you get a variation in chunk size.
- Chopped chocolate gives you tiny chocolate shards - Chopping chocolate means that as you chop, you get all those tiny shards of chocolate and chocolate dust on the chopping board. This means that when you add all those in to the dough along with the bigger chunks, you get shards of chocolate throughout the dough, which gives the most amazing flavour.
- Pockets of chocolate - Chopped chocolate gives you the most perfect pockets of melty chocolate throughout the cookie.
- Chocolate puddles - Chopping your chocolate means you can press additional chocolate on top of the cookie before baking. This gives you the most amazing chocolate puddles! I'll tell you more about how to get those below.
I like to use a bar of chocolate for these Peanut Butter Cup Cookies, and I usually just use a grab bag of what is in the pantry. If I'm feeling fancy i'll grab some Valrhona, otherwise the Pound Plus bars from Trader Joe's are great. I am also currently working my way through an 11lb bag which I ordered online a few months ago.
How do you get chocolate puddles on chocolate chip cookies?
There are a few different ways to get puddles on top of your peanut butter cup cookies. I find that this method is the most effective. After you have scooped out your dough, you flatten a ball in your hand. Then you press some extra chocolate onto the top side, then continue as usual and roll it into a ball. This then gives you even chocolate distribution as the cookie bakes.
This step is totally optional but I always like to chop up some extra chocolate to have on hand for this. If you are adding mix-ins like the peanut butter cups, chop up some extra ones of those too to stick on the top.
For all my other best tips and tricks on all things chocolate chip cookies, check out my post: How to make perfect chocolate chip cookies
How to store chocolate chip cookies
This recipe for peanut butter cup chocolate chip cookies makes 24 cookies, so if you are not planning on freezing your cookie dough, you can store baked cookies in an airtight container.
Cookies keep for up to a week, but I like to freeze the dough if I know I am not eating them soon after making them as they are so good from fresh!
Frequently asked questions
What if I don't have Peanut Butter Cups?
Leave them out! This recipe is legit just my Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe but made with Peanut Butter Cups, so you should make that instead!
Can I use other candy for this?
You sure can! Switch up the mix-ins. I like to use a base of some chopped dark chocolate, then supplement with candy mix ins such as the peanut butter cups. You could use M&Ms, Snickers Bars, whatever you like! Go for 250g of candy, and a little extra on the top if you would like.
What is a substitute for Muscovado sugar?
If you don't have any Muscovado sugar, you can sub it for either light or dark brown sugar if you like! Both will work fine. Muscovado gives a darker colour of dough and a slightly deeper flavour. I have made these with light, dark, and muscovado sugar, and they all work great.
How do you get cookies all the same size?
I use a cookie scoop! I have a bunch of different sizes, and they help so much to keep the cookie dough balls nice and even. If you are looking to get just one, get the one I linked, but a 1 tablespoon and a ¼ cup are great to have on hand too.
For more chocolate chip cookie recipes, check out:
❤️ Made this recipe and love it? ❤️
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Answers to your baking questions
Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:
- baking in grams
- adjusting oven temperatures
- what kind of salt to use
- and many more!
I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!
Peanut Butter Cup Candy Cookies
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Cuisine: American
Description
Stuffed with chunks of Reese's peanut butter cups, these homemade peanut butter cup cookies are a twist on classic chocolate chip cookies. For best results, chill the cookie dough balls for an hour in the fridge before popping the cookies into the oven.
Ingredients
- 225g Unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 170g Dark Brown or Muscovado Sugar
- 100g Granulated / White Sugar
- 50g Raw / Turbinado Sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 300g All-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 250g chopped peanut butter cups, plus a few extra for on the top
- 100g milk chocolate, coarsely chopped, plus more for finishing
- 100g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped, plus more for finishing
- Flaky Sea Salt such as Maldon for finishing
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars on high speed for 5 minutes, until pale, and light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix to combine, scraping down the bowl when necessary.
- Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to the mixing bowl, and mix on low to just combine (you still want a few streaks of flour remaining that will get mixed in when you add the chocolate).
- Add the chopped peanut butter cups and chopped chocolate and mix until just incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer and give a few mixes by hand using a flexible spatula, to ensure even incorporation of the chocolate.
- Using a 2 tablespoon Cookie scoop, scoop out balls of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (you can place them close together). If you want big puddles on the top of your cookies, you flatten a ball of dough, press the chocolate and chopped peanut butter cups onto the top side, then continue as usual and roll it into a ball, which then gives you even chocolate distribution as the cookie bakes.
- If you are not adding additional chocolate, there is no need to re-shape into a ball - you can bake right from the scooped shape. Cover the sheet pan with plastic wrap and chill the dough balls for an hour in the fridge (if you want to freeze some, now is the time, see notes in the post)
- Toward the end of the chilling process, preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c. Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper (you can bake these in batches)
- Arrange 6 cookie dough balls on a baking sheet, leaving room for spreading. Leave the remainder of the dough balls in the fridge.
- Bake for 13-14 minutes, or until lightly golden and beginning to set. Baking time depends on personal preference - if you like them quite soft, bake for 13 mins, if you like them a tiny bit crispy then bake for 14. Remove from the oven, and if desired, use a round cookie cutter slightly larger than the cookie to scoot them into a perfectly round shape. Add a few more chunks of chopped peanut butter cups if you see any big bare spots.
- Sprinkle liberally with flaky sea salt. Allow to cool on the pan - the cookies will deflate slightly as they cool. Repeat the baking process with the remaining cookies.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container.
Comments
Jessica Mann says
OH M G. These might be the most delicious cookies I have ever eaten- let alone made myself. FANTASTIC recipe. 10/10 will make again... like next week. 🤣
Erin says
Eeee so glad you love! x
Den says
Is it too much trouble to use include Imperial measurements???
Erin says
Hi! I don't post in cups because they aren't accurate. You can read more about that on my FAQ page if you would like. King Arthur has a good conversion chart if you need one but please know that I have not tested the recipe using cup measures so I cannot speak to the accuracy of the recipe.
Tatiana says
These cookies were soooo delicious!! So glad I found this recipe. Will definitely make again! My 6 year old really enjoyed "helping" me open up the reese's 🤣
Paulina says
OMG I had no clue what turbinado sugar was until I googled it. No clue wh to find it in Mexico! Can I sub for something else without affecting the flavor too much?
Erin says
Hi! You can use brown sugar! 🙂
Carolyn says
Good morning! Thoughts on how to incorporate PB into the dough? Thank you!
Erin says
Hi! I haven’t tried it sorry so I’m not too sure! You’d have to adjust the butter to account for it
Reese Rachel says
It works!! The first time I made it I added about 2 tablespoons - the dough was stiff and I worried it would be dry, but it was spectacular! Just enough PB flavor in the dough. I’m making them again right now and am going to reduce the flour by ~ 20g to see if I get just a wee bit more spread in the cookie. But try it! You’ll love it swap or addition!
may says
Thanks, I want to try it with peanut butter too!
Sam Campbell says
So delicious. Freezing and baking directions work perfectly, too!
Erin Clarkson says
Yay! So happy to hear you loved!
Reese Rachel says
So so good! Trader Joe’s mini peanut butter cups = no chopping! And I swapped ~ 20g flour for peanut butter powder. ❤️🤩💥
Kinsey says
I made these cookies to bring to work for my fiancés birthday and everyone LOVED them. I shared the recipe with multiple coworkers. Loved the chopped chocolate versus the chips. Weighing all ingredients worked very well for me.
Sarah says
These are incredible cookies! Made a big batch today using a size 60 scoop for smaller cookies and reduced the cooking time slightly to make up for it. They are so delicious and I'll definitely be making them again.
Brittney says
These are SO good! I ended up using Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Candy baking bag and it worked out great. Cookies were crisp on the edges but soft on the inside, love love love.
Ciara says
1st year I made them and they were great. Made them again and went Flat, why??
Erin Clarkson says
Hi, make sure that your baking soda / powder isn't expired?
Alanna says
Recipe worked great for me. I think the amount of chocolate i used was a little lower than called for, and I used 10g less flour as I was using bread flour. I dont think id do this if I make again, as the cookies spread thinner than id prefer and we're a bit more oily, when I prefer cakey chocolate chip cookies.