Thick, extra-soft, peanut butter cup cookies. They're everything you love about peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, WITH a peanut butter cup stuffed in the middle. If there was ever a cookie to eat with a cold glass of milk, this is it. These are perfect for peanut butter lovers, and they can be made gluten-free!
Unpopular opinion: Peanut butter and chocolate make a good combo, but more often than not, I'd choose to skip the peanut butter if given the choice. I like peanut butter, and I love chocolate, but combining the two is just never my first pick. But there's an exception to every rule, and I have at least two: Reese's stuffed brownies and these peanut butter cup cookies.
They're everything I want in a cookie - super thick, extra-soft, and loaded with chocolate - AND they have an extra surprise in the center: a peanut butter cup! I figure if I can stuff brownies with Oreos and peanut butter cups, I can do the same with cookies! And let's be real; a peanut butter cup inside of a chocolate chip cookie > a single peanut butter cup, always.
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How to stuff cookies with peanut butter cups
The good news is that stuffing a peanut butter cup into a cookie is super easy. You'll start out with a (pretty straightforward) peanut butter chocolate chip cookie dough. You can mix up the dough using a stand mixer or a handheld electric mixer. Once it's ready, chill it briefly so it's easier to work with.
To shape the cookies, grab a 2 ounce portion of dough (about 3 tablespoons worth) and press it into a disc in the palm of your hand. Place a mini peanut butter cup in the center, and then wrap the outer border of dough around the peanut butter cup to cover and seal it. Next, place it on a baking sheet and press it down to flatten slightly (these won't spread much in the oven). And that's it! Your cookies will bake up with a luscious, melty peanut butter cup in the center.
What type of peanut butter to use
The best peanut butter to use for this recipe is conventional, creamy peanut butter. Some brands carry "natural" peanut butter that still contains oil and sugar, and those will work fine here too for a slightly healthier option. However, I don't recommend using truly natural peanut butter, which is made with just peanuts (and sometimes salt). It's never quite as smooth and will affect the texture of your cookies. Plus, this recipe relies on the extra sugar in peanut butter to contribute to the overall sweetness.
Do you have to refrigerate this dough?
Technically you don't *have* to refrigerate this dough before shaping and baking the cookies, but it does make the process much easier! The dough will start out sticky, which will make it difficult to work with. After just an hour or so in the fridge, it firms up enough to shape the cookies with less hassle. You can also refrigerate the dough for a longer period of time, but you may need to let it sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes or so before using it. You want to work with it while it's still soft and pliable, but not super sticky.
Storing
Once baked and cooled, store these cookies in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature. They should keep well and stay soft for at least 5 days.
Can I make these cookies gluten-free?
Yes! While this recipe was originally published using all-purpose flour, I have since tested it with gluten-free all-purpose flour, which works just as well. Be sure to use a gluten-free flour that contains xanthan gum (most do!).
More cookie recipes
If you like this recipe, here are a few more of my favorites that I think you'll love!
Peanut butter cookies with salted chocolate ganache - These are made from a nearly identical dough to the ones you see here. The difference is that they're shaped into much thinner cookies, baked, and topped with chocolate ganache and a sprinkle of sea salt. If you're a fan of dark chocolate or salted desserts, these will be right up your alley!
Soft-baked M&M's chocolate chip cookies - If you're all about the idea of baking with candy, try these. They're extra-soft, chewy chocolate chip cookies that are ALSO loaded with M&M's. They're fun to make and to eat!
Fudgy flourless nutella chocolate chip cookies - Like Nutella even more than peanut butter? Me too! These are mixed with a whole lot of Nutella to make an extra-rich, fudgy, and naturally gluten-free double chocolate cookie.
Ready for a peanut butter cookie that will blow your mind? Here's the recipe!
PrintPeanut Butter Cup Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Thick, extra-soft, peanut butter cup cookies. They're everything you love about peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, WITH a peanut butter cup stuffed in the middle. If there was ever a cookie to eat with a cold glass of milk, this is it. These are perfect for peanut butter lovers, and they can be made gluten-free!
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-9 minutes
- Total Time: 43-44 minutes
- Yield: 22 cookies
- Category: cookies
- Method: baking
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups, spoon and level (9 ½ ounces) all-purpose flour (gluten-free or regular)*
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (6 ounces) butter**, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup, packed (7 ½ ounces) brown sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature***
- 1 ¼ cups (11 ¼ ounces) creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ⅔ cups (10 ounces) chocolate chips, plus extra for sprinkling on top****
- 22 mini peanut butter cups
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a bowl and handheld electric mixer), cream together the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed, until well-combined. Wiping down the bowl and beater as needed, add the eggs one at a time, beating each in until fully and smoothly incorporated, and until the mixture is slightly paler in color. Beat in the peanut butter and vanilla extract until smoothly combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the batter and fold in with a rubber spatula until mostly combined. Add chocolate chips and fold into dough just until all ingredients are evenly combined and no streaks of flour remain.
- Transfer dough to an airtight container and refrigerate for about 1 hour before baking cookies*****.
- When ready to bake cookies, preheat oven to 350ºF and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop chilled dough by 2 oz portions (about 3 tablespoons each). With each portion, flatten out slightly in the palm of your hand. Put a mini peanut butter cup in the center and wrap the dough around the peanut butter cup to cover entirely, sealing the dough together as you do so. With the palm of your hand, gently flatten cookie down on baking sheet, keeping in mind that the cookies won't spread or flatten much in the oven. Repeat with remaining cookies, dividing the cookies evenly between the two baking sheets. Press a few extra chocolate chips into the top of each cookie before baking.
- Bake cookies in preheated oven for 8-9 minutes, just until tops no longer look wet or glossy, flipping and rotating trays halfway through the baking time. They will not brown much, so be careful not to overbake them!
- Once cookies have cooled, transfer to an airtight container or zip-top bag to store. These are best stored at room temperature.
Notes
*This recipe was originally posted using all-purpose flour, but I have since tested it with gluten-free all-purpose flour as well; either option works! If using gluten-free flour, make sure your blend contains xanthan gum.
**Both salted and unsalted butter will work.
***To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place in a small bowl and cover with warm water. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before using.
****Chopped chocolate can also be used in place of the chocolate chips. Feel free to use semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, and likewise milk or dark chocolate peanut butter cups, as desired.
*****Technically the cookies can be baked immediately, but the dough is much less sticky and easier to work with after chilling for an hour. You can also chill the dough for longer periods, but if you do so, you may need to let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to soften slightly before shaping cookies.
This is an updated version of a post that originally appeared on Bright-Eyed Baker in 2015. I've updated the photos and text, and modified the recipe based on readers' suggestions. The dough is now easier to work with (less crumbly) and the cookies are softer and less dense.
Sandra
These were to die for! Absolutely scrumptious! Thank you.
Ellie
After reading some of the comments I was very nervous making these, but I did not have any issues with the texture at all. The only variation I made from the recipe was substituting cake flour for one of the cups of flour, otherwise I followed it exactly. I didn't even have to chill it, the dough was super easy to work with. I ate a lot of these, and the people I worked with loved them too. Nice job!
alexandra
Yay! I'm so glad they turned out well for you. I updated the recipe earlier this year based on many of the comments about the dough being too dry, so that shouldn't be a problem for anyone anymore. Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Mihaela
Omg, these look so good
Roger
You must be kidding me! I looked at the pictures several times and each time, they look more delicious. I prefer if I could just buy them off of you but I doubt that is an option, or is it? :-)
Alex
They look So Yummy, I love Peanut Butter and looking at this recipe with Chocolate, as cookies, WOW! I can not wait until I get some of them for desert soon.
Melody
I certainly hope people read these comments before making this recipe. I suggest changing the recipe to use 3/4 c butter and 2 whole eggs.
With the original recipe, even though I measured carefully, the dough was dry and crumbling after refrigerating. In desperaration, I added an extra 4 Tablespoons butter AND the rest of the egg white.
With baking them 8 minutes they are very, very good.
alexandra
Hey there! It is a crumbly dough in general, and if you aren't super precise about measuring your flour correctly in particular, the dough might be too dry. I'm glad you were able to work with it and tweak to your satisfaction though, because all kinds of factors can impact how well a recipe works. :)
amy
these are the driest cookies I have ever made. So upsetting to have wasted all these ingredients!!!!!! So disappointing.
alexandra
I'm sorry you didn't have success with the recipe. As I mentioned to another reader, it could be that you used too much flour (if you're not measuring your ingredients by weight). I've made the recipe multiple times and have heard from others who have made it succesfully as well, so that's the most logical thing I can come up with as far as why your cookies didn't turn out well.
Star
Would this recipe work the same I'd I use chocolate instead of peanut butter? My sons and husband eat peanut butter but I dont.
alexandra
I'm so sorry I didn't respond earlier! Nutella should work, and you could put a different candy in the center.
Zaina
Hello! I tried making these cookies and the batter turned out dry. I followed the directions to its entirety.
alexandra
It is a very thick batter, but did your cookies turn out dry as well? It could be that you added too much flour if you didn't measure it by weight. I'd suggest making sure you're measuring your flour correctly since that's an easy mistake to make.
amy
I had the same results!!!!! I feel refrigerating the dough made them even drier. UGH!!!!
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts
I agree, I often think I sound loopy too!
I also find some blog posts are far more me that others.
Sometimes I have loads to say and sometimes it is just a few sentences that sound very blur blur blur. Those are the posts I want to hide from the world. But then I suppose we all have days when everything is a bit blur, so why can't a blog have blur days too. I have blur days so I am bound to have the odd blur post too? Maybe? Yes? Or am I just being loopy again? I have definitely used the word blur too much!!!?!?!?!
Anyway....Oh my goodness....these cookies! I am almost scared to pin this recipe as I smuggle peanut butter cups out of the petrol station and then scoff them when everyone has gone to bed! This recipe could be my downfall and the reason that I have to hide another pair of skinny jeans in the deepest darkest part of my wardrobe, and then 'forget' to try and wear them!
Love it!
alexandra
Completely agree! Some days the words come and some days it's like pulling teeth and I'm happy to have anything written at all. Blur days are totally a thing so it makes sense that blur posts are too. ;)
And the best desserts should be a little forbidden, right?!
Thalia @ butter and brioche
You've combined my two great loves here.. Reese's and cookies! These look SO delicious.
alexandra
Thanks Thalia!
Elizabeth @ SugarHero.com
That was a great read about food blogging--thank you! It's funny because I'll read comments by some people saying, "Enough chit-chat, I don't care about your life, I just want the recipe!" while others say, "Show some personality, tell me who you are, inject something different into your blog!" I think at the end of the day, people want different things, and it's up to us to put out what feels right, and hopefully the content will be found by people who enjoy it.
On another note, these cookies are INSANE. In the best way!
alexandra
Aww thank you! So glad there are others who relate to this total confusion! I agree that different readers probably just want different things, and the best thing you can do is just be true to what feels right for you.