If you love peanut butter and chocolate, you’re in for a big treat today. These Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are super easy, super fun, and ridiculously tasty. They’ve got gooey peanut butter, a hint of vanilla, and sweet chunks of peanut butter cups in every bite. Whether you’re baking for a party, after-school snack, or just because you need a cookie, these are perfect for the job!
Method
Mixing the Wet Ingredients
Start by grabbing a large mixing bowl to make sure it’s big enough for all your ingredients. Into the bowl, add 1 cup of creamy peanut butter, 1 cup of sugar (you can use brown sugar or coconut sugar if you prefer), 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, and 1 large egg at room temperature. Using a sturdy spoon or a spatula, mix everything together until the mixture becomes smooth, creamy, and well combined. It should look thick and shiny, kind of like frosting. This step sets the base flavor of the cookies, so make sure all the ingredients are fully blended and no streaks of egg remain.
Adding the Dry Ingredients
Once your wet ingredients are well mixed, it’s time to add in the dry components. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour (gluten-free all-purpose or almond flour works great) and 1 teaspoon of baking soda over the peanut butter mixture. Stir gently but thoroughly, folding the flour into the dough. Try not to overmix just stir until the flour disappears and the dough looks even. The dough will thicken up at this point and become a bit stiffer, which is exactly what we want.
Folding in the Peanut Butter Cups
Now for the extra fun part! Grab your crushed peanut butter cups about 1/2 cup and fold them gently into the cookie dough. You don’t want to crush them too finely; a mix of big and small chunks adds great texture. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to incorporate them evenly throughout the dough, making sure each scoop will have some delicious candy bits.
Scooping and Shaping the Cookies
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to keep the cookies from sticking. Using an ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, scoop out balls of dough that are roughly 1 inch wide. Space them about 2 inches apart on the sheet, as they will spread slightly while baking. Once all your dough is portioned out, gently press each ball down with your fingers or the back of a spoon. They should be flattened just a bit not too thin, just enough to give them a cookie shape. If you like that salty-sweet combo, sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt on top of each cookie.
Baking
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake the cookies for 8 to 9 minutes. Keep a close eye on them. These cookies bake quickly and can overbake in a flash. You’ll know they’re ready when the edges are set and lightly golden, but the centers still look soft. That softness is what gives them their chewy texture!
Cooling
Once out of the oven, let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. They’ll continue to firm up a little as they cool. After that, transfer them to a wire cooling rack if you have one (or just leave them on the tray) to finish cooling completely or dig in while they’re still warm and gooey. Just be careful, because the melted peanut butter cups inside will be hot!
Necessary Tools
- Mixing bowl
- Mixing spoon or spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Ice cream scoop (or just a tablespoon)
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper (or a silicone baking mat)
- Oven mitts
- Cooling rack (optional, but helps cool faster)
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies The Ultimate Sweet Treat!
Cuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy12
servings10
minutes10
minutes20
minutesIngredients
1 cup granulated sugar (brown sugar or coconut sugar works great!)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg (room temperature)
1/4 cup flour (I use gluten-free all-purpose or almond flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup crushed peanut butter cups
Flaky sea salt (for topping – optional but SO good)
Directions
- First, grab a big bowl. Mix together the peanut butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg until it’s all smooth and creamy.
- Now, sprinkle in the flour and baking soda. Stir it all up until the dough is thick and well mixed.
- Time for the fun part folded in those crushed peanut butter cups! Yum!
- Use an ice cream scoop or spoon to make cookie balls about 1 inch wide. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Gently press down the cookie balls to flatten them just a bit. Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top for that fancy finish.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for 8-9 minutes. Keep an eye on them! They should look just set and a little golden around the edges.
- Let them cool (if you can wait!) before digging in.
Notes
- Don’t overmix after adding flour, or the cookies might get too dense.
- Let the egg come to room temperature this helps it blend better into the dough.
- If you press the cookies down too much, they can get thin and overbake quickly. Just a gentle press is perfect.
- Don’t skip the sea salt on top, it balances the sweetness beautifully!
Serving Suggestions
- Enjoy them warm with a cold glass of milk
- Crumble over vanilla ice cream
- Stack a couple of cookies with peanut butter in between for a cookie sandwich
- Pack them in a lunchbox for a sweet surprise
Fun Fact
Did you know peanut butter cups were first made in the 1920s? Harry Burnett Reese invented them after working on a dairy farm owned by the Hershey family. So technically, we have cows to thank for these cookies. Moo!
Conclusion
There you have it: simple, dreamy Peanut Butter Cup Cookies made with love (and lots of peanut butter). They’re soft, chewy, chocolatey, and just the right amount of salty-sweet. I hope you enjoy baking (and eating) these as much as I do. Happy cookie making!
