The best recipe for soft Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies — bake the dough in a mini muffin tin, then press a miniature Reese’s cup into the center of each cookie. Ready in under 30 minutes with no chilling required.
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“My absolute fave. SO happy to have finally found a staple recipe that I can keep for all the holidays to come — these little guys are the best!” – Karly
The trick to making these Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookies so soft!
- Do not overbake. Bake for 8 minutes. A minute or two longer will give you a crisp, browned cookie — fine if you prefer that, but for the soft, tender texture, remove them right at 8 minutes.
- Make the dough from scratch. You can use premade dough, but homemade yields a richer, melt-in-your-mouth cookie that keeps people asking for more.
Ingredients for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
You only need a handful of ingredients to make these from scratch. See the recipe card below for exact amounts.
- Unsalted butter (softened)
- Creamy peanut butter
- Light brown sugar and granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- Baking soda
- All-purpose flour
- Miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (about 60 total) — use the individually wrapped miniature cups, not the very small bagged “Minis”
- Tools: mini muffin tin (recommended) or a cookie sheet
How to Make Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Step 1: Mix & scoop the dough
Use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Add vanilla and eggs, then mix in baking soda and flour until combined. To size the cookies evenly, scoop using a one-tablespoon cookie scoop and level each scoop, then roll into balls by hand.
Tip: If dough is sticky, lightly spray your hands with nonstick spray. If still sticky, chill the dough 20 minutes.
Step 2: Place in a mini muffin tin or on a cookie sheet
Place each dough ball into a greased mini muffin tin or onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. The muffin tin gives the classic cup shape that holds the candy; if you bake on a sheet, cookies will spread and be flatter.
Step 3: Bake & press in the candy
Bake at 350°F for 8 minutes, or until the edges are very lightly browned. They will look slightly underbaked — that’s correct. Remove from the oven and immediately press one miniature Reese’s cup into the center of each cookie. Let the pan cool on a rack; do not try to remove the cookies while warm, or they may break.
Important tip: Unwrap all miniature Reese’s before baking so they’re ready when the cookies come out of the oven.
Step 4: Cool & remove from pan
After adding the candy, cool the pan on a rack for about 20 minutes. The chocolate will still be soft, so chill the entire pan in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes until the chocolate sets. Once firm, use a spoon to gently scoop the cookies out of the muffin tin. Spraying the tin before baking helps prevent sticking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — bake on a regular cookie sheet, but expect the cookies to spread and be flatter, so the Reese’s may sit less snugly. To make larger, flatter cookies for regular Reese’s, scoop 3-tablespoon balls, flatten, and bake 9–11 minutes.
You can, but from-scratch dough gives a richer texture and flavor that’s well worth the effort. Homemade cookies are softer and more tender.
Yes. After cooling and allowing the chocolate to firm, store cookies in an airtight container and freeze up to 2 months. They’re also delicious slightly frozen.
Holiday decorating ideas
These cookies are perfect for holiday cookie trays and are quick to dress up for parties.
- Reindeer: Add pretzel antlers and an M&M nose for Rudolph-style treats.
- Sprinkles: Top with holiday sprinkles before the chocolate sets for a festive look.
- White chocolate toppers: Drizzle or add white chocolate decorations for a fancier presentation.
These cookie cups are easy to adapt for Valentine’s Day, summer gatherings, or any occasion where chocolate and peanut butter are welcome.
This is a tried-and-true family recipe enjoyed for years and a favorite on holiday cookie trays. If you make them, leave a comment and share a photo — it’s always fun to see your versions.
Use the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and a condensed recipe to follow.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 60 miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, individually wrapped (about 5 dozen)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, cream together softened butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium for 30 seconds. Add vanilla and eggs and mix 10 seconds more.
- Add baking soda and mix on low for 10 seconds. Add flour and mix until incorporated.
- Scoop dough into 1-tablespoon balls, roll, and place into a greased mini muffin tin (or onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet).
- Bake at 350°F for 8 minutes. Remove promptly — do not overbake for soft cookies. (For larger 3-tablespoon cookies, bake 9–11 minutes.)
- Immediately press one miniature Reese’s cup into the center of each warm cookie.
- Allow cookies to cool in the muffin pan on a rack for about 20 minutes. Then refrigerate the pan 15 minutes until chocolate sets. Once firm, gently scoop cookies out with a spoon.
- Store in an airtight container up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 months.
Notes
Miniature Reese’s: Use the individually wrapped miniature cups — the bagged “Minis” are too small. You can also use mini dark or white chocolate peanut butter cups.
No mini muffin tin? Bake on a cookie sheet; cookies will spread and be flatter. For larger, flatter cookies, press regular Reese’s into 3-tablespoon cookies.
Freezing: After cooling and firming the chocolate, freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. They’re excellent slightly frozen.
Nutrition (per cookie)
Calories: 138 kcal • Carbs: 16 g • Protein: 2 g • Fat: 7 g • Sugar: 11 g
Did you make this?
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