I was hit with a wave of nostalgia when I happened upon this recipe from Everyday Food. My mother used to make a very similar sweet treat. She took the quick and easy route, using refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough baked in mini muffin cups. Then, she would press a peanut butter cup into the center when they came out of the oven.
I, too, have made that version many times. However, it seems to be next to impossible to find refrigerated cookie dough that doesn’t have trans-fats. So, I’ll be sticking to this slightly more involved recipe from now on.
One of my favorite aspects of these cookies is the coating of sugar each cookie gets before they are baked. It really ups the sweetness and gives them a little something extra.
I shared a batch of these with my co-workers, and the quickly emptied container told me that they were a hit. Luckily, I managed to save a few for us and for photographic purposes. They are definitely a must-bake for all you chocolate and peanut butter fans.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling dough
- 36 mini peanut butter cups, chilled and unwrapped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, mix peanut butter and butter until smooth. Add brown sugar and beat until combined. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until combined. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing just until combined.
Scoop dough by tablespoons and roll into balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar to coat completely. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
Bake about 7 minutes, or until cookies begin to puff slightly. Remove from oven, and press one peanut butter cup in the center of each cookie. Bake for about 6 minutes, or until golden brown and chocolate has begun to melt.
Cool 10 minutes on pans. Then, transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
Note that cook time is per baking pan.
Recipe adapted from Everyday Food.
October 15th, 2008 at 11:11 am
I saw those in Everyday Food too and was drooling over them. Unfortunately my husband has a mis-placed palate and doesn’t like peanut butter and chocolate together! Right?! I know.
October 15th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Hi Jennifer
Is that a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup in the center of the cookie.
October 15th, 2008 at 11:27 am
I opened my google reader and All I saw was a huge peanut butter cup. This looks amazing.
October 15th, 2008 at 11:41 am
Too bad my mother-in-law just left. She would have gone wild over these. Maybe I’ll send her some… (she even bought a huge bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups while she was here!)
October 15th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
WOW – Now this is heaven….. I love this! Great post….
October 15th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I love, love, love…
It’s printed and ready to go, as soon as I find those mini pb cups.
Mmmm what Chrismas treat those are going to make!
Great pics by the way…
October 15th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Your photos are always amazing.
) and the regular size Reese’s cups. They were good, but I couldn’t believe she didn’t home make the dough! Gonna have to try these.
My sister-in-law just made these over last Christmas, but she used a pb cookie mix (
October 15th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Chocolate and PB is the ultimate combo. I grew up with the whole PB cookie and chocolate kiss combo, but the Reese’s sounds delicious!
October 15th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Love it!! I always look forward to your recipes, especially because your pictures are so great! Peanut butter and chocolate is one of the best combinations, thanks for the post!
October 15th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
so simple and yet so delicious.
October 15th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Holy crap. I think I’ll have to make these tonight!
October 15th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Oh I love these! Yummy!
October 15th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Okay, are you ready?
Use the peanut butter blossom recipe, but instead of kisses, hide a Nestle treasure inside (I use caramel). They melt inside the cookie – it is hands down my husband’s favorite cookie. At Christmas, we call them Santa’s hidden treasures, but have numerous different (and bawdy) names for them for other times of year.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
I’ve seen the refrigerated cookie dough recipe but much prefer this one, thanks!
October 15th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
MMmm…all the brown sugar surely makes ‘em good & chewy…yum!
October 16th, 2008 at 7:06 am
Love these! Anything with peanut butter is a hit with us for sure. I do remember Mama making these for us, and I have always loved them! Thanks for sharing with us. They were great!
October 16th, 2008 at 9:22 am
I saw these too and wanted to try them, now that I know that they are fabulous, I will give them a try! They look amazing!!!!
October 16th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Aw, I love these!
October 16th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Thanks, everyone!
October 16th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
reese’s are my favorite candy so of course these are gonna be my favorite cookies! i love these things-now i’m gonna have to go make some
October 16th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Good for you for staying away from trans fats! If only every consumer could be as knowledgeable as you!
October 17th, 2008 at 6:36 am
Jennifer, these look so good. I just made a batch of peanut butter buddy bars for my grandson. They got lost by UPS so had to be tossed. I am going to do a remake and send these to him this week. Your recipe will certainly more than make up for his disappointment. Thanks!
October 17th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
That looks heavenly! The “cookie” part so nice and soft! Funny thing is that I don’t really like either one, peanut butter or chocolate on its own but put them together and something wonderul happens, YUM!
October 18th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
YUM!
This gives me the warm fuzzy’s. My mom never made them but it is what I imagine childhood is like in a perfect world.
October 18th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Oh goodness I feel like an 8 year old all over again! My mom would make these with a Hershey’s Kiss instead of a peanut butter cup. I’ll just have to make a batch of each to see which my husband and I prefer! =)
October 20th, 2008 at 1:26 am
what an utterly enticing photo! It borders on cruel!
October 20th, 2008 at 1:56 am
Delicious! I would like to try but it is quite difficult to find reesies here in Spain. I’m thinking about using something different instead, maybe some “typical spanish” sweet but I don’t what
October 20th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Now these are right up my alley! The sugar coating makes all the difference. I’m convinced that if you took 2T of sugar out of any cookie recipe and sprinkled it on top of the cookies instead, it always ends up tasting sweeter.
October 22nd, 2008 at 8:08 am
This is one of my favorite recipes to make.
November 21st, 2008 at 10:56 am
This happens to be one of my favorite to make now as well….too bad those little peanut butter cups are so expensive!!! You are my new best friend, I am SO happy that I stumbled across your blog while looking for a recipe for garlic knots! Thanks for sharing
January 4th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
these look so GOOD!
im going to try them, as soon as i can get my hands on some reese cups. xD
February 18th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
I think my mom made these cookies every year for the holidays. I continued the tradition with my own family and they always disappeared very quickly. They are delicious just out of the oven when they are still warm and the chocolate and peanut butter are soft and melted…delicious with a glass of milk!
December 9th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Ooh…I’m making these Christmas week. I can’t wait.
I’m linking, too…I love your blog!
November 7th, 2011 at 2:39 pm
OOOh…these take me back to my childhood! I loved these cookies…thank you so much for the recipe. I’m going to make these for my friends and give as Christmas gifts. Can’t wait to start baking