These peanut butter cup cookies are the PERFECT Christmas cookie: soft yet chewy, salty yet sweet. Santa will thank you! (And so will everyone else!) 🙂
It's almost Christmas!! Which means I can shamelessly shove this peanut butter cup cookie recipe into your face (while I shove the actual cookies into mine...) 🙂 Now is no time for calorie counting, people, it's the holidays and Santa's gonna need some sugar based sustenance this weekend!
If you're checking out this recipe and it's nowhere near Christmas, that's okay, too! These cookies are so delicious they can be devoured any time of year. Throw some different colored sprinkles on them (or no sprinkles at all) and they'll fit any occasion.
I have about -3% self-control when it comes to these chocolate and peanut butter chunks of heaven, so I only make them once a year, which is why I always associate them as a Christmas cookie.
These nuggets are incredibly easy to make and the peanut butter cookie recipe is on POINT. I've tried some seriously disappointing peanut butter cookies in my lifetime (too dry, too crumbly, full of actual nuts {uugh}) and this recipe is by far the best I've ever had. They're the perfect amount of chewy, salty and sweet, and they don't get hard or dried out like the others do. Plus, they're wrapped around a baby Reese's so what's not to love?!
PEANUT BUTTER CUP COOKIES
(Is it just me or does this cookie look like it's falling through space? 😀 )
Begin by mixing 1 ¾ C of flour, ½ tsp of salt, and 1 tsp of baking soda into a small bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, melt ½ C of butter, then add in ½ C white sugar, ½ C peanut butter, and ½ C packed brown sugar and mix until fluffy. Beat in 1 egg, then add in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 2 Tbsp of milk. Mix to combine all ingredients.
Slowly add the flour mixture into the wet ingredient bowl and mix well. Eventually you may have to use your hands (that's the fun part!) Once mixed, you can either continue with making the cookies or refrigerate the dough until you're ready to bake.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Begin rolling the dough into small balls (about 1 inch round) and place them into an ungreased mini muffin pan
. Bake for 8 minutes then remove from oven and immediately press one mini Reese's cup into each ball.
Allow to melt slightly for a few minutes, then top with sprinkles. Refrigerate until set (or mostly set), then you can easily remove each cookie by popping it out of the mini muffin pan with a butter knife.
Enjoy!! Store in an airtight sealed container. If you have to stack them, be sure to let them refrigerate until solid, as the chocolate stays runny for quite a while!
As a side note, I also use this peanut butter cookie recipe as the base for my blossoms (my lifelong favorite Christmas cookie!) All you have to do is put the balls on a cookie sheet instead of a mini muffin pan, bake for 8 minutes, then top with a Hershey kiss or hug. Refrigerate to set up, if needed. Boom. You just got two recipes in one. Merry Christmas! 😛
Looking for more recipes to satisify your sweet tooth? Check out these Chocolate Chip Brownies or this addicting Brownie Batter Dip!
Print
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 8 mins
- Total Time: 18 mins
- Yield: 40 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert, Holiday
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
The PERFECT Christmas cookie: soft yet chewy, salty yet sweet. Santa will thank you! (And so will everyone else!) 🙂
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ C all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ C butter
- ½ C white sugar
- ½ C peanut butter (I recommend using an off brand)
- ½ C packed brown sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 40 mini Reese's, unwrapped (see notes for a different option)
- Sprinkles for decorating (optional)
Instructions
- Begin by mixing 1 ¾ C flour, ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp baking soda into a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, melt ½ C butter, then add in ½ C white sugar, ½ C peanut butter, and ½ C packed brown sugar and mix until fluffy. Beat in 1 egg, then add in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 2 Tbsp milk. Mix to combine all ingredients.
- Slowly add the flour mixture into the wet ingredient bowl and mix. (Don't be afraid to use your hands!)
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Begin rolling the dough into small balls (about 1 inch round) and place them into an ungreased mini muffin pan.
- Bake for 8 minutes then remove from oven and immediately press one mini Reese's cup into each ball.
- Allow to melt slightly for a few minutes, then top with sprinkles.
- Refrigerate until set (or mostly set), then you can easily remove each cookie by popping it out of the mini muffin pan with a butter knife.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Store in an airtight container. Be sure to refrigerate until fully set if you need to stack the cookies!
This recipe can also be used to make blossoms. Simply put the balls on a baking sheet instead of a mufifn pan, then top with a Hershey kiss or hug! 🙂
Cook time is per batch. I had to do two batches since my mini muffin pan only has 24 holes.
Keywords: Reese's peanut butter cookies, Christmas cookies, kid-friendly baking, Holiday dessert, blossoms
**Recipe from Baked Perfection (appropriately named for this amazing recipe!)
What do you think? Did this recipe make the cut for you or did it crumble? What would you do differently? Leave a comment below! 🙂
yay! These are always one of my favorite Christmas cookies-they look amazing!
★★★★★
Thank you! I am so obsessed with them and so sad they're gone now. 🙁 Until next year!! 🙂