Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

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These soft, chewy peanut butter cup cookies are topped with a peanut butter cup for double the deliciousness. Not only are these cookies irresistible, they’re also incredibly easy!

Peanut butter cup cookies are definitely a must-bake for all you chocolate and peanut butter fans. If recipes like chocolate peanut butter tassies and chocolate peanut butter swirl cookies make your heart skip a beat, you’ll swoon for these cookies, too!

A Reese’s lovers’ spin on peanut butter blossoms. If you love classic peanut butter blossom cookies, these cookies have a similar flavor—but even more peanut butter goodness!
Lightly crisp, sweet exterior. One of my favorite aspects of these cookies is the coating of sugar each cookie gets before they are baked. It really ups the sweetness and gives them a little something extra.
Easy to make—and make ahead. Not only is this a simple recipe, you can also make a batch of these cookies ahead of time and freeze them for later. Simply thaw on the counter whenever you want a little treat.

Overhead view of ingredients for peanut butter cup cookies

What You’ll Need

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

All-purpose flour – Here’s how to measure flour for baking cookies.
Baking powder
Salt
Creamy peanut butter – I prefer using creamy peanut butter instead of crunchy, but if you’d like a little nutty texture in these peanut butter cup cookies, feel free to go with crunchy.
Unsalted butter – Learn more: Unsalted or Salted Butter: Which is Better for Baking?
Light brown sugar – Wondering why this recipe calls for light brown sugar? Here’s more info: Light Brown Sugar vs Dark Brown Sugar: What’s the Difference?
Eggs
Vanilla extract – You can use store-bought or homemade vanilla extract.
Granulated sugar
Mini peanut butter cups – Use miniature peanut butter cups, not the chocolate-chip-size cups sold in the baking aisle. I usually go with Reese’s peanut butter cups, but another brand with a similar size works, too.

What’s the Best Peanut Butter to Use in Cookies?

I always recommend skipping the natural peanut butter for baking, as it can be a bit unpredictable since the consistency varies from one brand to the next and the peanut butter at the top of the jar tends to be more oily, while the bottom is harder. If the peanut butter doesn’t need to be stirred before using, that’s what you want here!

How to Make Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Mixing bowl of dry ingredients for cookies

Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Cream the butters and sugar. Use an electric mixer to mix the peanut butter and butter until smooth. Add the brown sugar and beat until combined.

Eggs cracked into creamed butter and sugar

Adding dry ingredients to wet ingredients for peanut butter cookies

Finish the dough. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined.
Form the cookies. Scoop a tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball. (A 1-tablespoon cookie scoop will make portioning quick and accurate.) Roll the ball in the granulated sugar to coat completely. Repeat with the remaining dough and place the balls 2 inches apart on baking sheets.

Pan of peanut butter cookie dough, halfway through baking

Bake. Bake one pan at a time for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the cookies begin to puff slightly. Remove from the oven and press a single peanut butter cup in the center of each cookie.
Continue baking. Bake the cookies for 5 to 6 minutes more, or until they are golden brown and the chocolate has begun to melt.
Cool. Let the cookies cool on the pans for 10 minutes. Then, transfer them to wire racks to finish cooling. (Learn more: Why Every Baker Needs Wire Cooling Racks)

Tips for Success

Soften the butter. This ensures that it mixes evenly into the peanut butter cookie dough and it also helps it hold more air when beaten, giving your cookies the perfect texture. Learn more: How to Soften Butter
Let the baking sheets cool between batches. If you need to reuse the same baking sheets, make sure you let them cool completely before placing more cookie dough on them. If the baking sheets are still warm, the cookies are likely to be flat, crispy, and over-baked on the bottoms.
Chill the peanut butter cups. Chilling the peanut butter cups beforehand helps prevent them from melting too much during baking. It also makes it easier to press them into the center of the warm cookies without getting melted chocolate everywhere.
Don’t overbake. These cookies should be soft and slightly underdone when you take them out of the oven. They will continue to bake and set as they cool, so be careful not to leave them in the oven for too long.
Know the basics. New to baking? Read over my baking tips for beginners for more advice.

Box of peanut butter cup cookies with wrapped Reese's cups

Variations

You can use dark or white chocolate peanut butter cups instead of traditional Reese’s miniatures—and you can also use a different brand of peanut butter cup if you’d like, as long as it’s a similar size.

To give these peanut butter cup cookies a little extra flair, you can drizzle them with melted white chocolate for some visual contrast.

How to Store

Store peanut butter cup cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Can I Freeze This Recipe?

To freeze these cookies, place them on a baking sheet in the freezer until the peanut butter cups are frozen solid. Then, transfer them to an airtight container or zip-top bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

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