Easy Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Recipe
It’s no secret that I really love peanut butter. I wrote a cookbook with over 100 peanut butter recipes included. These cookies have peanut butter incorporated 3 ways because you can never have too much peanut butter. As much as I don’t want to say that you can never have too many cookies, unfortunately sometimes, you can. I have no need for recipes that make 3 dozen cookies. I don’t want that many cookies at once because I’ll burn out, not to mention, I don’t love cardio that much, so keeping batch sizes smaller is more practical. This peanut butter cup cookie recipe make just 8 cookies. If you have a big family, teenage boys with supersonic metabolism, or need to make cookies for your next holiday cookie exchange, this isn’t the recipe for you. If you love super duper soft and moist peanut butter cookies that just melt in your mouth, and 8 cookies sounds about right, then these are perfect.
I studded peanut butter chips on the tops of the cookies to provide another layer of peanut butter flavor and because I thought it looked pretty. I was going to add chips to the dough, but decided I wanted the cookies to be buttery soft, smooth and uncluttered from chips, and just melt in your mouth. And they do just that. They’re pillowy soft and puffy, and because I used baking powder rather than baking soda, there’s a lightness to them, and they remind me somewhat of Softbatch-style cookies. They’re buttery, rich, and between the peanut butter, peanut butter cups, and peanut butter chips, they pack enough peanut butter punch to tame your fiercest peanut butter cravings. It’s a good thing I only had 8 of these around.
What’s in Peanut Butter Cup Cookies?
To make these peanut butter cookies with peanut butter chips and peanut butter cups, you’ll need:
Egg Light brown sugar Peanut butter Unsalted butter Vanilla extract All-purpose flour Baking powder Salt Mini peanut butter cups Peanut butter chips
How to Make Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Cream together the wet ingredients, then gently mix in the dry. Scoop the dough into 8 equal-sized balls, then top with a mini peanut butter cup and circle with peanut butter chips. Chill for at least 3 hours. Once the dough has chilled, bake until the tops are just set. It’s okay if cookies are glossy, pale, and slightly underdone in the center because they firm up as they cool. Let the peanut butter cookies with peanut butter chips and cups cool for 10 minutes before diving in.
Do I Have to Chill the Dough?
Yes!! It’s a very soft dough and you absolutely must chill it before baking or the cookies will spread like crazy and bake thin and flat. That would be bad because you need them to retain some thickness so the peanut butter cup and peanut butter chips have a nice plump based to stay perched on.
Can I Use Natural Peanut Butter?
No, you need to use a “traditional” PB brand like Jif or Skippy. Homemade and natural peanut butters are too oily and tend to separate in baked goods.
Tips for Making Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Butter Cups
I used Reese’s Minis and they’re sold in pouches in the candy aisle of any major grocery store, Target, or even gas stations. Trader Joe’s has mini peanut butter cups that will work, too. Try to use a mini cup because even the next size up may be a little too large and could overwhelm the cookies. I love underbaked cookies but if you like crunchier or firmer cookies, bake a minute or two longer. These peanut butter chip cookies are best warm and fresh, but will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More Peanut Butter Cookie Recipes:
All of my peanut butter recipes! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Chip Cookies – Super soft, perfectly chewy, BROWNED BUTTER cookies that are LOADED with two kinds of chips!! An EASY one-bowl, no-mixer recipe for irresistibly DELISH cookies!!
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Peanut Butter Comfort – My cookbook featuring over 100 Peanut Butter Recipes!
