These cookies take Reese's Mini Peanut Butter cups and surround them in a peanut-buttery cookie dough, similar to that of a peanut butter blossom, to create, in my sister's own words, "the best cookie I have ever had… ever!" I mean it, these are good. But beware, the cookie dough is pretty tasty by itself (not that I know that from experience or anything).
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 42 miniature Reese's peanut butter cups, unwrapped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 4 miniature muffin pans with baking spray and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat together the butter, peanut butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg and vanilla and mix for another minute or so to combine. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. Give the dough a final mix with a rubber spatula to ensure all of the flour is incorporated.
Shape the dough into 1-inch balls (about 2 teaspoons worth of dough) and place in the cups of a miniature muffin pan (keep the dough in balls - do not press into the pan). Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until light golden brown and slightly puffy.
While the cookies are baking, remove the wrappers from the 42 Reese's cups and place them in a bowl in the freezer until the cookies are ready; this helps when you are pushing them into the cookie cups.
Remove from the oven and immediately press a miniature peanut butter cup in the middle of each cookie, pressing down so that the top of the peanut butter cup is even with the top of the cookie. Cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pans, and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.