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These fun Holiday Peanut Butter Cookies are baked in a mini muffin pan and then stuffed with mini Reese’s peanut butter cups and decorated with Holly Sprinkles for a festive Christmas treat!

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Growing up my Mom was known for her beautiful cookie platters filled with every possible delectable Santa worthy Christmas cookie known to humankind! (Those cookie platters were like treasure chests filled with gleaming gemstones!)

The kitchen was always warm and filled with the aroma of sugar and spice! It was the best place to be during the Holidays.

I had several favorites, too many to actually mention, but one of my favorites, year-after-year, were these Mini Cups stuffed with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. What’s not to love about a warm gooey peanut buttercup wrapped in a soft chewy peanut butter cookie?! It’s a stressed Mrs. Claus Dream cookie!

Mom didn’t get too fancy with her version of this cookie. She went with the classic presentation. I, however, wanted to “gussy” them up a tad for the Holidays. So… I rolled mine in chopped peanuts and placed small Holly Sprinkles on the tops.

A few small adjustments to the classic Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookie, and they’re ready to shine on your Holiday Cookie Trays! You’ll want to add these to your cookie baking list this year!

What You’ll Need to Make Easy Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup peanut butter – any brand will work. You could use crunchy too if you like nuts!
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 40 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped (highly recommend you unwrap them) I use the original Reese’s miniature peanut butter cups. Better quality of chocolate than an off brand.
• ½ cup chopped peanuts
• Holly Sprinkles – or any holiday sprinkle you prefer

How To Make Peanut Butter Reese’s Cookie Dough

Preheat oven to 375 °F.

One of the things I love about this recipe is how easy these cookies come together. If you need a last minute treat…these work beautifully in a pinch! Just delegate the unwrapping of the peanut cups to the kids!

Place 1¾ cups of all-purpose flour in a large mixing bowl. Add ½ teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Stir with wire whisk until well incorporated. If you do not have a wire whisk you will need to sift these ingredients together.

TIP: Whisking dry ingredients replaces the need to “sift” in a recipe that calls for sifting.

In the bowl of your mixer add ½ cup softened butter, ½ cup of granulated sugar, ½ cup of peanut butter, and ½ cup of brown sugar. Cream together until fluffy!

Beat in the egg, vanilla, and milk. Mix until incorporated.

Adding Dry Ingredients into Cookie Batter

Add the flour mixture into the creamed sugar and butter mixture. I highly recommend the mixer be turned off during this addition…unless your big into flour facials!

Beat on low speed until dry and wet ingredients are well combined.

Shaping Cookies with Mini Peanut Butter Cups

Shaping these Peanut Butter Reese’s Cookies couldn’t be any easier! Simply shape the dough into about 40 balls. (Yes! You get to play with your food for this recipe and no one will scold you!)

I used a 1-inch cookie scoop. Place the scoop of dough into the palm of your hand and roll it back and forth until you have a perfectly shaped…or not so perfectly shaped, ball. There will be no judging of how well you can roll a cookie ball.

Roll each ball in the chopped peanuts, if desired. This step can be skipped if you’re not a fan of chopped peanuts. You can also roll them in sugar for a little “sparkle” for the Holidays.

Place each ball into an ungreased mini muffin pan. I used a 24 cup mini non-stick muffin pan, and it worked beautifully for this recipe.

Baking Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Bake in preheated 375 °F oven for about 8 minutes.

TIP: I recommend only doing one tray at a time, or switching muffin tins on baking racks halfway through the bake time.

Remove the cookies from the oven and carefully, but immediately press a mini peanut buttercup into each baked cookie ball.

*Note the pan is very hot so be careful!

Cool and place Holly Sprinkles on top of each melted Reese’s cup using small tweezers. Allow the cookies to completely cool and carefully remove from baking pan.

TIP: I remove the cookies by carefully sliding a butter knife down the side of each muffin cup and gently lifting under the cookie.

Finished Holiday Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

These are seriously the BEST Peanut Butter Cup Cookies I’ve ever had! Even better than Mom’s! The peanut butter cookie cup is soft and chewy and each bite is filled with hints of chocolate and peanut butter filling!

I love how pretty these cookies turned out with the touch of Holiday sprinkles on top. You can use any Holiday Sprinkle you like. The Holly takes a little time, but I think it’s worth the extra effort.

This fun easy Peanut Butter Cup cookie is sure to shine on your Holiday Cookie Exchange Platters or on your Christmas Party Dessert Table! They’re a classic!

Questions and Answers about Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

• Why are my peanut butter cookies dry? You may have over baked them! Peanut Butter Cookies can be deceiving! They can look undercooked when in fact they are perfectly baked. These cookies are actually better slightly undercooked. If they are puffy and soft looking take them out of the oven. They will continue to cook as they cool down.
• Can I make the dough ahead of time? Yes! You can make the dough up to four days ahead of time. Cover in plastic wrap and keep chilled in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Remove the dough 30 minutes prior to baking.
• Can I double this recipe? Yes! This recipe can be doubled and even tripled!
• Can I freeze these cookies after baking? Yes! Note the chocolate may get a little “white” glaze on top from freezing, chocolate can be temperamental, but they freeze well. I recommend placing parchment paper between each layer of cookie, so the chocolate tops don’t stick the bottom of the cookie on top of it. Store in airtight freezer container for up to one month.

Other Favorite Holiday Cookie Recipes

• Cardamom Print Sandwich Cookies
• Easy White Chocolate Raspberry Bar Cookies
• Raspberry Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies
• Easy Salted Peanut Chews
• Christmas Sandwich Creme Cookies
• Gingersnap Molasses Cookies
• Shortbread Cookies with Pecans from Julia’s Simply Southern

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you enjoy this Classic Favorite as much as we do at this Nest! Cookies are one of my Holiday Favorites!

Happy Nesting!

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