Pioneer Woman Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Butter Cups Recipe

Pioneer Woman Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Butter Cups Recipe

This Pioneer Woman Peanut Butter Cup Cookies recipe is a soft and chewy recipe, which is made with creamy peanut butter and a whole miniature peanut butter cup pressed into the center. It’s the perfect holiday cookie, a great choice for bake sales and ready in about 30 minutes.

Pioneer Woman Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Butter Cups Ingredients

A classic combination for the ultimate bite-sized treat.

  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 40 miniature chocolate-covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped

How To Make Pioneer Woman Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Butter Cups

A step-by-step guide to these easy and impressive cookie cups.

  1. Prep Oven and Mix Dough: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. In a separate large bowl, cream the softened butter, white sugar, peanut butter, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
  2. Combine the Dough: Beat the egg, vanilla, and milk into the creamed butter mixture. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until a soft dough forms.
  3. Shape and Bake: Shape the dough into 40 small balls (about 1-inch each) and place each one into an ungreased mini muffin pan cup.
  4. Add the Peanut Butter Cup: Bake for 8 minutes. The cookies will be puffy and soft. Immediately remove the pan from the oven and press one unwrapped mini peanut butter cup into the center of each hot cookie.
  5. Cool and Serve: Let the cookies cool completely in the pan before carefully removing them. This is an important step, as they need to firm up.
Pioneer Woman Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Butter Cups Recipe
Pioneer Woman Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Butter Cups Recipe

Recipe Tips

For the perfect, soft, and chewy peanut butter cup cookie.

  • How to get the perfect soft and chewy texture? The key is to not overbake the cookies before you add the candy. They should be puffy and look slightly underdone when you pull them from the oven. The residual heat will finish cooking them as they cool.
  • Why bake these in a mini muffin pan? Baking the dough in a mini muffin pan is a brilliant trick that creates the perfect “cup” shape. This prevents the cookie from spreading and ensures it perfectly hugs the peanut butter cup candy.
  • Can I make these without a mini muffin pan? Yes. You can roll the dough into balls, place them on a regular cookie sheet, and press them down slightly with a fork in a criss-cross pattern. Bake as directed, then press the peanut butter cup into the center of the warm cookie. They will be flatter, more like a traditional blossom cookie.
  • Can I make the dough ahead of time? Yes, this cookie dough is great for making ahead. You can cover and refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days. Let it soften slightly at room temperature before rolling it into balls.

What To Serve With Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

The perfect accompaniment for this classic, comforting cookie.

These rich and chewy cookies are a perfect treat on their own. They are a classic pairing with:

  • A tall, cold glass of milk
  • A hot cup of coffee
  • A scoop of vanilla or chocolate ice cream

How To Store Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Keeping your cookies soft and fresh.

  • Room Temperature: Once completely cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay soft and delicious for up to a week.

Pioneer Woman Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Butter Cups Nutrition Facts

An estimated guide per cookie.

  • Calories: 150 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: 18 g
  • Protein: 3 g
  • Fat: 8 g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

FAQs

Do I have to unwrap all the peanut butter cups first?

Yes! This is a key prep step. The cookies bake very quickly, so you need to have all the candies unwrapped and ready to press into them the moment they come out of the oven.

Can I use a different candy in the center?

Absolutely! This recipe is famous for being versatile. A Hershey’s Kiss is the classic u0022blossomu0022 choice. You could also use a Rolo for a caramel-filled version or a small chocolate truffle.

My cookies are crumbly. Why did that happen?

Crumbly cookies are usually a sign of being over-baked. Remember to pull them from the oven when they still look very soft and puffy. They will set up perfectly as they cool. Over-mixing the dough after the flour is added can also lead to a tougher cookie.

Try More Pioneer Woman Recipes:

Pioneer Woman Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Butter Cups Recipe

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 20 minutesCook time: 8 minutesRest time: 20 minutesTotal time: 48 minutesCooking Temp:100 CServings:40 servingsEstimated Cost:25 $Calories:150 kcal Best Season:Available

Description

Classic, soft, and chewy peanut butter cookie cups baked in a mini muffin tin with a whole miniature peanut butter cup pressed into the center for the ultimate easy treat.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
  3. In a large bowl, cream the butter, both sugars, and peanut butter until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and milk.
  4. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until a soft dough forms.
  5. Roll the dough into 40 small balls and place each one into an ungreased mini muffin pan cup.
  6. Bake for 8 minutes. The cookies will be puffy and soft.
  7. Immediately remove from the oven and press one unwrapped peanut butter cup into the center of each hot cookie.
  8. Let the cookies cool completely in the pan before removing them.

Notes

    u003cliu003eIt is crucial to let the cookies cool completely in the muffin tin. This allows them to set up and hold their cup shape.u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eHave all your peanut butter cups unwrapped and ready to go before the cookies come out of the oven.u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eFor a classic peanut butter cookie look on a flat cookie sheet, you can skip the muffin tin and press a criss-cross pattern with a fork before baking.u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eDo not over-bake! The cookies should look soft and puffy when you pull them from the oven.u003c/liu003e
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Hamdi Saidani

Hamdi Saidani has been a food and recipe blogger for more than 5 years years. He specializes in creating and recreating recipes from top chefs, making them easy to follow and accessible for home cooks.