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Close-up of Reese’s peanut butter cookie cups topped with mini peanut butter cups, chocolate drizzle, and flaky sea salt on a cream ceramic plate.
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🥜 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

Soft, chewy, bakery-style peanut butter cookie cups topped with frozen mini Reese’s peanut butter cups for the ultimate chocolate peanut butter dessert. These mini cookie cups have rich peanut butter flavor, lightly crisp edges, and soft centers that stay tender for days.
Course Cookies, Dessert, Holiday Desserts
Cuisine American
Keyword bakery style peanut butter cookies, chewy peanut butter cookies, chocolate peanut butter desserts, easy peanut butter desserts, mini cookie cups, mini muffin cookie cups, mini peanut butter cup cookies, peanut butter cookie cups, peanut butter cookies, Reese’s cup desserts, Reese’s dessert recipe, Reese’s peanut butter cookie cups
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chill time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 24 mini cookie cups
Calories 220kcal
Cost $12 for entire recipe

Equipment

  • 24-count mini muffin pan
  • Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Rubber spatula
  • cookie scoop or tablespoon
  • Cooling rack

Ingredients

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

Topping

  • 24 mini Reese’s peanut butter cups frozen
  • Flaky sea salt optional
  • Melted chocolate drizzle optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 24-count mini muffin pan. Freeze the Reese’s cups while preparing the dough.
  • In a large bowl, beat together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
  • Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth and fully combined.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
  • Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. Do not overmix.
  • Chill the dough for 30 minutes.
  • Scoop approximately 1 tablespoon of dough into each muffin cavity, filling each about 3/4 full.
  • Bake for 9–10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still appear slightly soft.
  • Immediately press one frozen Reese’s cup gently into the center of each cookie cup.
  • Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
  • Top with flaky sea salt or melted chocolate drizzle if desired.

Notes

Freeze the Reese’s Cups First

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

Do Not Overbake

For the best soft and chewy texture, remove the cookie cups when the centers still look slightly soft and puffed. The cookies continue setting as they cool in the muffin pan.
Overbaking can make peanut butter cookies dry or crumbly.

Use Regular Creamy Peanut Butter

Standard creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy works best for bakery-style peanut butter cookie cups. Natural peanut butter may separate and create oily or fragile cookies.

Measure Flour Carefully

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

Best Texture & Flavor

These Reese’s peanut butter cookie cups have:
  • soft chewy centers
  • lightly crisp edges
  • rich peanut butter flavor
  • balanced sweetness
  • gooey chocolate peanut butter centers
They taste even better after cooling completely because the peanut butter flavor becomes deeper and more developed.

Perfect for Make-Ahead Desserts

These mini peanut butter cookie cups freeze very well and are great for:
  • holiday dessert trays
  • bake sales
  • party desserts
  • game day treats
  • easy make-ahead cookies
Warm them for a few seconds before serving for extra gooey centers.