These Reese’s peanut butter cookie cups are soft, chewy, rich, and packed with the ultimate chocolate peanut butter flavor. Made with a thick bakery-style peanut butter cookie dough and topped with frozen mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, these mini desserts have perfectly soft centers, lightly crisp edges, and gooey chocolate in every bite. They are easy to make, perfect for holidays and parties, and taste just like a bakery treat straight from your favorite dessert shop.

If you love classic peanut butter cookies, Reese’s desserts, and soft chewy cookie cups, this easy recipe is guaranteed to become a favorite. The combination of creamy peanut butter, brown sugar, and chocolate peanut butter cups creates the perfect balance of sweet, salty, soft, and rich flavors.

🥜 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Soft and Chewy Texture

These Reese’s peanut butter cookie cups bake up with soft centers, lightly crisp edges, and a tender bakery-style bite.

Loaded with Chocolate Peanut Butter Flavor

Each cookie cup is made with creamy peanut butter and topped with a mini Reese’s peanut butter cup for the ultimate chocolate peanut butter dessert.

Perfect for Parties and Holidays

These mini peanut butter cookie cups are easy to serve, easy to transport, and perfect for cookie trays, bake sales, Christmas desserts, birthdays, and game day treats.

Easy Make-Ahead Dessert

The cookie cups store well and freeze beautifully, making them a great make-ahead dessert for busy weeks or special occasions.

Bakery-Style Results at Home

With a rich peanut butter cookie base, gooey Reese’s center, and optional chocolate drizzle, these homemade Reese’s cookie cups taste like they came from a bakery.

🥜 Ingredient Notes

Creamy Peanut Butter

Regular creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy works best for these Reese’s peanut butter cookie cups. Processed peanut butter creates the softest texture and helps the cookie cups hold their shape properly while baking.

Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Mini Reese’s cups are the perfect size for mini muffin cookie cups. Freezing them before baking helps prevent excessive melting and keeps the centers looking smooth and defined.

Brown Sugar

Brown sugar adds moisture, chewiness, and a deeper caramel-like flavor that pairs perfectly with peanut butter and chocolate.

Cornstarch

A small amount of cornstarch helps create soft bakery-style peanut butter cookie cups with tender centers that stay chewy for days.

All-Purpose Flour

Measure the flour carefully using the spoon-and-level method to avoid dry or dense cookie cups. Proper flour measurement helps create the perfect soft and chewy texture.

Butter

Using softened unsalted butter creates a rich flavor and helps the cookie dough cream properly for light and tender cookie cups.

Vanilla Extract

Pure vanilla extract enhances the chocolate and peanut butter flavors while adding warmth and depth to the cookie dough.

Optional Toppings

Flaky sea salt and melted chocolate drizzle add extra flavor, texture, and bakery-style presentation to these homemade Reese’s cookie cups.

🥜 How to Make Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

Prepare the Muffin Pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 24-count mini muffin pan with nonstick spray. Place the mini Reese’s peanut butter cups in the freezer while you prepare the peanut butter cookie dough.

Make the Peanut Butter Cookie Dough

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, creamy peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture is light, creamy, and fluffy. This helps create soft and chewy Reese’s peanut butter cookie cups.

Add the Egg and Vanilla

Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until the dough is smooth and fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed so the peanut butter cookie dough mixes evenly.

Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not overmix, or the cookie cups may become dense.

Chill the Dough

Chill the dough for 30 minutes. This helps the cookie cups hold their shape, reduces spreading, and creates a thicker bakery-style peanut butter cookie texture.

Fill and Bake

Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough into each mini muffin cup, filling each cavity about 3/4 full. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look slightly soft and puffed.

Add the Reese’s Cups

Immediately after baking, gently press one frozen mini Reese’s peanut butter cup into the center of each warm cookie cup. Press only about halfway down so the cookie naturally settles around the chocolate peanut butter center.

Cool and Serve

Let the Reese’s peanut butter cookie cups cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing them. Finish with flaky sea salt or melted chocolate drizzle if desired, then serve once the centers are set but still soft and gooey.

🥜 Pro Tips

Freeze the Reese’s Cups

Freezing the mini Reese’s peanut butter cups before baking helps them keep their shape and prevents the chocolate from melting too quickly when pressed into the warm cookie cups.

Do Not Overbake

For soft and chewy Reese’s peanut butter cookie cups, remove them from the oven when the centers still look slightly soft and puffed. The cookies continue baking as they cool in the pan.

Use Regular Creamy Peanut Butter

Processed creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy works best for peanut butter cookie cups because it creates a smoother dough and more stable texture than natural peanut butter.

Measure Flour Carefully

Use the spoon-and-level method when measuring flour to avoid dry or dense cookie cups. Too much flour can make peanut butter cookies crumbly instead of soft and chewy.

Chill the Dough

Chilling the dough helps reduce spreading and creates thicker bakery-style cookie cups with better texture and flavor.

Let the Cookie Cups Cool Before Removing

Allow the Reese’s peanut butter cookie cups to cool in the muffin pan for about 15 minutes before removing them. This helps them finish setting and prevents breaking.

Add Extra Chocolate Drizzle

For an even more bakery-style dessert, drizzle melted chocolate over the cooled cookie cups and sprinkle with flaky sea salt before serving.

🥜 Variations

Double Chocolate Reese’s Cookie Cups

Replace 1/4 cup of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder for rich chocolate peanut butter cookie cups with an even deeper chocolate flavor.

Peanut Butter Chip Cookie Cups

Mix peanut butter chips into the cookie dough for extra peanut butter flavor and a bakery-style texture.

Pretzel Reese’s Cookie Cups

Top the cookie cups with crushed salted pretzels for a sweet and salty dessert with crunchy texture.

Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

Add a small frozen scoop of peanut butter inside the dough before baking for gooey peanut butter filled cookie cups.

Chocolate Drizzled Reese’s Cookie Cups

Drizzle melted milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or peanut butter over the cooled cookie cups for a bakery-style finish.

Mini Peanut Butter Cup Loaded Version

Mix chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups directly into the cookie dough for extra chocolate peanut butter flavor in every bite.

Holiday Reese’s Cookie Cups

Decorate the cookie cups with seasonal sprinkles, colored chocolate drizzle, or holiday candies for Christmas, Halloween, Easter, or birthday desserts.

Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

Use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy peanut butter for added texture and roasted peanut flavor.

🥜 Storage and Make Ahead

How to Store Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

Store the Reese’s peanut butter cookie cups in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Keeping the cookies sealed helps maintain their soft and chewy bakery-style texture.

Refrigerator Storage

For longer freshness, refrigerate the cookie cups in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Let them come to room temperature before serving for the best peanut butter flavor and texture.

How to Freeze Cookie Cups

These peanut butter cookie cups freeze very well. Place the cooled cookie cups in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag and freeze for up to 2 months.

Best Way to Reheat

Warm the cookie cups in the microwave for about 8 to 10 seconds before serving to make the chocolate centers soft and gooey again.

Make Ahead Tips

The peanut butter cookie dough can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking. Chilling the dough also helps create thicker cookie cups with better texture.

Freezing the Dough

You can freeze the unbaked cookie dough for up to 2 months. Scoop the dough into portions before freezing so the cookie cups are easy to bake straight from the freezer.

Perfect for Holidays and Parties

These Reese’s peanut butter cookie cups are great make-ahead desserts for holiday cookie trays, bake sales, birthday parties, and family gatherings because they stay soft and flavorful for days.

🥜 Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make Reese’s peanut butter cookie cups ahead of time?

Yes, Reese’s peanut butter cookie cups are great make-ahead desserts. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze them for up to 2 months.

Why should I freeze the Reese’s cups first?

Freezing the mini Reese’s peanut butter cups helps them keep their shape when pressed into the warm cookie cups. It also prevents the chocolate from melting too quickly.

Can I use natural peanut butter?

Regular creamy peanut butter works best for this recipe. Natural peanut butter can separate and may make the cookie cups oily, crumbly, or less stable.

Why are my peanut butter cookie cups dry?

Dry cookie cups are usually caused by overbaking or using too much flour. For the best soft and chewy texture, remove them from the oven when the centers still look slightly soft.

Can I make these cookie cups in a regular muffin pan?

Yes, you can use a standard muffin pan, but the cookie cups will be larger and need a longer bake time of about 12 to 14 minutes.

Can I freeze Reese’s peanut butter cookie cups?

Yes, these peanut butter cookie cups freeze well. Let them cool completely, then store them in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.

🥜 More Cookie Cup and Cookie Recipes You’ll Love

If you love these Reese’s peanut butter cookie cups, be sure to try some of our other bakery-style cookie recipes and dessert cookie cups packed with rich flavor and soft chewy texture.

• Strawberry Shortcake Mousse Cookie Cups


• Triple Chocolate Mousse Cookie Cups


• Crumbl Peanut Butter Cup Cookies


• Chewy Butterscotch Cookies


• Brown Butter Candy Corn Cookies