Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Super soft and thick peanut butter cookies with the added bonus of entire Reese’s peanut butter cups inside! These cookies are the perfect combination of crumbly and soft and will literally melt in your mouth.

These cookies are a peanut butter lover’s dream. Which means, they are my dream. Along with my chewy peanut butter cookies and classic peanut butter cookies, these are one of my all-time favorite cookies with peanut butter!

These cookies are like peanut butter blossoms, only instead of using Hershey’s kisses chocolates, I use Reese’s peanut butter cups, which is even better if you ask me!

The cookies have an irresistible texture that’s crumbly and soft and quite literally, melts in your mouth (especially if eat one while still warm). The peanut butter flavor in the cookie goes perfectly with the creamy peanut butter filling inside the Reese’s cups.

How to make peanut butter cup cookies

1. Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. 
2. Cream butter, sugars, and peanut butter together. In a mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment or using a handheld mix, beat butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium speed for 3-4 minute until fluffy and creamy.
3. Add wet ingredients. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla extract, and beat until combined.
4. Incorporate the dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
5. Roll cookie dough into balls. Roll into balls the size of 1.5 tablespoons each (I use this ice cream scoop for even cookies). Roll balls in sugar and place onto the cookie sheets, 3-inches apart.
6. Bake. Bake for 10 minutes at 375°F/190°C until puffy and slightly cracked.
7. Press in peanut butter cups. Allow the cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes, then gently press peanut butter cups into the centers of each cookie. The cookies will crack a bit and that’s ok!
8. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tip: If the cookies break too much when pressing in the peanut butter cups, simply squeeze the broken-off bit back onto the cookie. No one will ever know!

What if the peanut butter cups start to melt? 

The Reese’s cups will melt slightly, and that’s ok. But if you prefer they won’t melt at all, you can stick the cookie sheet into the freezer immediately, or transfer the cookies to a plate and place in the freezer for a few minutes. This will help prevent them from melting.

What kind of peanut butter should I use?

When baking, I prefer using unnatural creamy peanut butter, like Skippy or Jif. This type of peanut butter contains added sugars which contribute flavor, as well as stabilizers, which keep the peanut butter thick as well as from separating. I find that this type of peanut butter makes the cookies extra thick and chewy.

Tips for making peanut butter cup cookies

• Use creamy, not natural peanut butter. As explained above, this type of peanut butter creates extra thick and chewy cookies.
• Don’t overmix your cookie dough. Once you add the dry ingredients, gently mix your cookie dough to bring it together. Overmixing can result in cookies that are tough and dense.
• Underbake your cookies. The baking time can affect the texture of the cookies greatly, and slightly underbaking cookies will make them softer and chewier. Depending on your oven, the baking time should be around 10 minutes. The cookies won’t be fully baked in the centers, which is why they’re soft.

More of my favorite peanut butter

• Easy Peanut Butter Pie: Super rich and creamy with a chocolate cookie crust.
• Peanut Butter Pretzel Brownies: Fudgy, chocolatey, with salty, crunch pretzels.
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Biscotti: These twice baked cookies have great texture and taste amazing.
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake: Ultra rich, decadent, amazing.