Description
Delight in these Peanut Butter Cup Stuffed Cookies, a deliciously soft-baked treat that combines creamy peanut butter cookie dough with a hidden mini peanut butter cup center. These American-style cookies offer the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and nutty flavors, making them a crowd-pleasing dessert for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
Filling & Topping
- 24 mini peanut butter cups, unwrapped
- Optional: extra chocolate chips or flaky salt for topping
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which usually takes a few minutes. This creates a smooth base for your cookie dough.
- Add Eggs, Vanilla, and Peanut Butter: Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Then mix in the vanilla extract and creamy peanut butter until the mixture is smooth and uniform.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and seasoning throughout the dough.
- Mix Dry Ingredients into Wet Mixture: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet peanut butter mixture, mixing until just combined to avoid overworking the dough, which can make the cookies tough.
- Shape Cookies with Peanut Butter Cups: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough and flatten it slightly in your hand. Place one mini peanut butter cup in the center, then wrap the dough around it completely and roll into a ball, making sure the candy is fully enclosed to prevent melting out during baking.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet: Place the stuffed cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading during baking.
- Bake: Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the centers remain soft. Avoid overbaking to keep the cookies tender.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- If the dough is too soft to handle, chill it for 30 minutes to make shaping easier.
- The stuffed cookie dough balls can be frozen and baked directly from frozen; just add 1–2 minutes to the baking time.
- For extra flavor and texture, sprinkle some chocolate chips or flaky sea salt on top before baking.
