Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

Here is what you will need to make approximately 20 to 22 cookies:

For the Cookie Dough

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup coarsely chopped peanut butter cup candies (about 8 to 10 full-size Reese’s cups)

For the Topping

• ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil or shortening
• 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps for perfectly baked cookies every time:

1. Prepare the Baking Equipment
   Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
2. Mix the Sugars and Butters
   In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to beat together the creamy peanut butter, softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Continue mixing for 2 minutes until smooth, fluffy, and fully combined.
3. Add Wet Ingredients
   Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix again until everything is well incorporated and creamy in texture.
4. Combine Dry Ingredients
   In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
5. Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures
   Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed only until the flour is no longer visible. Avoid overmixing, as this can lead to dense and tough cookies.
6. Fold in the Reese’s Pieces
   Use a spatula to gently fold in the chopped peanut butter cups. Try to keep some of the pieces chunky so they create gooey pockets of chocolate and peanut butter during baking.
7. Shape the Cookies
   Use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon to portion out dough balls, about 1.5 tablespoons each. Place them at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Gently press each dough ball down slightly with your palm to help them spread evenly.
8. Bake
   Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes. The edges should be lightly golden and set, while the centers will still appear soft. Removing them while slightly underbaked ensures a perfectly soft texture when cooled.
9. Cool the Cookies
   Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for approximately 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This lets them firm up without drying out.
10. Prepare the Toppings
    In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips with the coconut oil in 15-second intervals, stirring between each until smooth.
    In a separate bowl, microwave the peanut butter for about 15 to 20 seconds to loosen the texture.
11. Decorate the Cookies
    Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cooled cookies using a spoon or a piping bag with a small opening. Then drizzle the warm peanut butter in parallel or crisscross lines. Allow the cookies to sit so the drizzles can set.

Baking Tips From The Kitchen

These simple tips can help ensure your cookies are the best they can be:

• Use room temperature butter and egg for smooth mixing and even baking.
• Do not overmix after adding the dry ingredients. This prevents cookies from becoming too dense.
• Underbake slightly. Cookies continue to cook on the hot baking sheet after leaving the oven.
• Make sure the cookies are cooled before adding toppings so the drizzles do not melt into the cookie.
• Parchment paper helps cookies keep their shape and prevents burning.

Ingredient Substitution Tips

• If you love a bit of texture in your cookies, you can substitute chunky peanut butter.
• You can replace full-size Reese’s cups with mini cups, holiday-shaped cups, or Reese’s Pieces.
• All-purpose flour can be swapped with gluten-free flour blend if needed (but texture may vary).
• Natural peanut butter is not recommended because the oil separation results in dry or crumbly cookies unless adjustments are made.

Add-In Variations

If you want to get creative, here are some fun ideas:

• Add chocolate chips to increase the chocolate factor.
• Stuff each dough ball with a whole mini peanut butter cup for a surprise-filled center.
• Dip half the baked cookie into melted chocolate for a bold presentation.
• Sprinkle a tiny pinch of sea salt on top to enhance sweet-salty contrast.
• Use white chocolate chips for a sweeter flavor variation.

These variations can make the recipe feel unique every time you bake it.

Size and Yield Guide

Cookie Size	Scoop Quantity	Bake Time	Yield
Small	1 tablespoon	8 to 9 minutes	26 to 28 cookies
Standard (recommended)	1.5 tablespoon	9 to 11 minutes	20 to 22 cookies
Jumbo	3 tablespoons	12 to 14 minutes	10 to 12 cookies

Bake times vary slightly depending on your oven, altitude, and baking sheets.

Storage and Freezer Instructions

These cookies store very well, which means you can bake ahead and enjoy later without any loss in texture or flavor.

Room Temperature Storage

• Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• To keep cookies soft, place a slice of bread in the container. The bread will dry out as the cookies remain soft.

Freezing Baked Cookies

• Store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
• Thaw at room temperature when ready to serve.

Freezing Cookie Dough

You can freeze cookie dough balls for fresh-baked cookies anytime.

1. Scoop cookie dough and place the dough balls on a baking sheet.
2. Freeze them for 1 hour.
3. Transfer frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe bag and label with the date.
4. When ready to bake, add 1 to 2 minutes to the original bake time.

This trick is perfect for baking only a few cookies whenever a craving strikes.

Troubleshooting Guide

Even experienced bakers sometimes encounter issues. Here are the most common ones and their solutions:

Issue	Cause	Solution
Cookies spread too much	Butter was too soft or dough too warm	Refrigerate dough 15 to 20 minutes before baking
Cookies are dry or crumbly	Too much flour added	Use the spoon-and-level method to measure flour accurately
Cookies are too puffy and do not spread	Too much flour or toppings added	Reduce flour or add a tiny splash of milk
Candies melted too much inside cookies	Pieces chopped too small	Leave some large chocolate chunks
Cookies come out tough	Overmixed dough	Mix only until flour disappears

Following these tips will keep your cookies consistently delicious.

Nutrition Information (Estimated per Cookie)

Values may vary depending on variations and drizzle amount:

• Calories: 225
• Total Fat: 14 g
• Carbohydrates: 22 g
• Sugar: 16 g
• Protein: 5 g