You bite into a cookie and receive the best surprise, a bite full of soft peanut butter cookie with melted chocolate and peanut butter filling in the center. Hello, surprise cookies with Reese’s peanut butter cups tucked inside! These cookies have been a long time favorite of mine to make for the holidays along with peanut butter blossoms, peanut butter blossom bars and peanut butter cookies with Reese’s peanut butter cups. Basically, anything with peanut butter and chocolate is my favorite thing, especially if the cookie is fresh out of the oven!
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Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie sheets (linked below)
- Mixing bowl (linked below)
- Stainless steel measuring cups (linked below)
- Parchment paper (linked below)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 large egg *see note
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose unbleached flour *see note
- 24 miniature Reese's peanut butter cups (with foil)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees:
- Cream the butter and sugars together, then mix in peanut butter until well combined and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract, then mix again until smooth.
- Add flour, baking soda and salt to the wet ingredients, then mix well with a spatula until the dough is well combined and stiff enough to roll.
- Unwrap the Reese's peanut butter cups and then wrap dough around each peanut butter cup. Roll the dough into balls with the candy tucked inside, then roll the dough balls in additional sugar (optional).
- Place the cookie balls onto parchment lined or greased cookie sheets, several inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-12 minutes until golden on bottoms and edges (the centers should be soft-set). Allow the cookies to rest on the cookie sheets for 5-10 minutes, then place onto cooling racks and enjoy! Storage notes below.
Notes
Equipment needed for these Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies:
- Cookie sheets I have found Nordic ware baking sheets are the best for getting an even bake on cookies, biscuits and more.
- Mixing bowls Stainless steel mixing bowls are my preference for mixing up cookie dough and more.
- Measuring cups I prefer to measure out the ingredients for these cookies using stainless steel measuring cups and spoons.
- Parchment paper parchment paper makes removing the cookies from the cookie sheets much easier, but you can also grease the cookie sheets with cooking spray or butter.
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Step 1: Cream the butter and sugars together, then mix in peanut butter until well combined and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract, then mix again until smooth.
Step 2: Add flour, baking soda and salt to the wet ingredients, then mix well with a spatula until the dough is well combined and stiff enough to roll.
Step 3: Unwrap the Reese’s peanut butter cups and then wrap dough around each peanut butter cup. Roll the dough into balls with the candy tucked inside, then roll the dough balls in additional sugar (optional).
Step 4: Place the cookie balls onto parchment lined or greased cookie sheets, several inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-12 minutes until golden on bottoms and edges (the centers should still be soft-set). Allow the cookies to rest on the cookie sheets for 5-10 minutes, then place onto cooling racks and enjoy!
Baking tips for the softest peanut butter cookies:
- Flour can make or break a cookie. Add too much and you have a dry cookie. Add too little flour and your cookies will fall apart or be gooey. The best way to tell if you have enough flour for these peanut butter cookies, is by testing the dough for rolling. The dough should feel soft, but also roll into a ball without sticking to your palms.
- Overbaking or underbaking the cookies can also ruin the cookies. The best way to tell if peanut butter cookies are done is by checking the sides and bottoms. The bottoms should be lightly browned and the edges set. The centers can be checked by doing the touch test (with caution as the cookies will be hot). To do the touch test, lightly (emphasis on lightly) press your finger on top of the cookie, if the center collapses the cookie needs a few more minutes, but if the cookie holds its shape, it is ready to be removed from the oven.
- Fresh ingredients make the best baked goods! Especially fresh baking soda and baking powder, because using rising agents that are more than 6 months old can lead to flat cookies without a nice puff to them.
Storage notes for these peanut butter surprise cookies:
These peanut butter cookies with Reese’s cups freeze well. To freeze the cookies, be sure to allow them to cool completely, then store them in an airtight container or in airtight zip-lock bags. The cookies can be frozen for several months. These cookies can also be stored at room temperature for 3-4 days, but are definitely best when fresh out of the oven! If you wish to prep the cookies ahead of time and then serve them fresh to family or friends, you can also freeze the cookie dough. Allow the dough to thaw at room temperature before rolling it around the Reese’s peanut butter cups.
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