Description
These Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with rich peanut butter flavor, topped with mini peanut butter cups for an irresistible treat. Perfectly portioned in a mini muffin pan, these cookies stay moist and flavorful for days, making them a delightful snack or dessert to share.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Wet Ingredients
- 2/3 cup (180g) creamy peanut butter, such as Skippy or Jif
- 6 tablespoons (84g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2/3 cup (150g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (70g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Toppings
- 24 to 30 mini peanut butter cups, unwrapped
Other
- Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the pan
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it. Lightly spray the cavities of a nonstick mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, kosher salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside for later incorporation.
- Cream Peanut Butter and Butter: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the peanut butter and unsalted butter on medium speed until fully combined and creamy, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl as needed. The mixture will be loose and thin.
- Add Sugars: Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the bowl and continue beating on medium speed until the mixture is thickened and fluffy, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Scrape the bowl as necessary to ensure even mixing.
- Incorporate Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract on medium speed until fully incorporated and the mixture is lightened and creamy, about 15 seconds. Scrape the bowl again if needed.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on low speed just until combined with no dry flour visible, about 20 seconds. Finish by stirring gently with a rubber spatula to ensure even mixing without overworking the dough.
- Portion the Dough: Using a 1 1/2-inch scoop or tablespoon, portion the dough into 24 larger or up to 30 smaller portions. Roll each into a ball with your hands and place one ball into each cavity of the prepared mini muffin pan. Do not press down the dough.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. The cookies should be golden, slightly puffed, and the tops dry and matte. Edges may start to brown lightly but tops should not be dark brown to avoid overbaking.
- Add Peanut Butter Cups: Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Immediately press an unwrapped mini peanut butter cup into the center of each hot cookie. Let cool in the pan until cookies are slightly set and cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes.
- Cool and Remove Cookies: Carefully twist the top of each cookie to release it from the pan and transfer to a cooling rack. If the cookies feel delicate or the chocolate cups shift, allow them to cool an additional 5 minutes in the pan. Serve cookies warm or cooled completely.
- Storage: Store leftover cookies at room temperature in an airtight container, either in a single layer or stacked with wax or parchment paper between them, for up to 4 days.
Notes
- These cookies are delightfully soft and chewy, making them a perfect combination with the creamy peanut butter and chocolate cups.
- They remain moist for several days when stored properly, ideal for making ahead or enjoying over time.
- Press the peanut butter cups into the cookies while still hot to allow them to slightly melt and adhere nicely.
- If the cookies feel fragile when removing from the pan, allowing additional cooling time helps them set firmly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 279 kcal
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 139 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 53 mg
