Big Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

These Big Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are thick, chewy, and bursting with silky peanut butter, chocolate chips and mini peanut butter cups! Yum!

Ask anyone who knows me and there probably isn’t a cookie I’ve made that they haven’t liked. Throughout the years, I’ve become quite the cookie aficionado! Just try some of my favorites like Sensational Chocolate Chip Cookies, Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies, Salted Double Dark Chocolate Cookies and Iced Oatmeal Cookies. Today, I’m introducing these Big Peanut Butter Cup Cookies and I think you are going to love them!

To be honest, I’ve never post a cookie recipe that is just “so so”. I’ve got to LOVE it, in order for it to go up on our site. I mean really, who wants to indulge in a cookie that is just “okay”. If I’m going to eat those extra calories then it better be amazing!

Recently, while at the store, I came across these Reece’s minis unwrapped (aka mini peanut butter cups). It was the first time I have ever seen them, but I knew instantly that I wanted to make a BIG, bold cookie, loaded with them! These Big Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are everything you’d want in a cookie. They are thick, chewy and bursting with peanut butter and chocolate. Who doesn’t love peanut butter and chocolate? It’s the perfect combination!

How to make Big Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

With just a few tweaks to ingredients, you’ll get a caramelized cookie with a soft and chewy inside. The addition of the mini peanut butter cups and chocolate chips give these cookies serious flavor! Here’s a few tips and tricks that will make these cookies irresistible!

Butter vs. Vegetable Shortening

Butter is a very familiar ingredient found in many cookie recipes. It is made up of about 80% butterfat, 18% water and about 2% milk solids. Cookies made with all butter, especially those with a high sugar content, tend to be flatter and crunchier. During the baking process, the dough tends to spread out more quickly because of butter’s lower melting point. However, cookies made with all butter tend to have a richer and ultimately, a more buttery flavor.

Vegetable shortening (Crisco) on the other hand, is 100% fat, and has a higher melting point. During baking, the dough will remain slightly rounded and will spread out less. Thus, yielding a thicker cookie. 

In the following recipe, I used 1/2 butter, 1/2 shortening. The best of both! Great flavor while yielding a thicker, bigger cookie.

Brown Sugar vs. Granulated Sugar

Sugar plays a significant role in baking cookies besides the obvious, providing sweet flavor. It also helps to caramelize the cookie and make it crispy on the outside. In addition, it also helps the dough too spread out into a round disc. In this recipe, I added more brown sugar to give the cookie a more rich, molasses flavor.

Baking Soda vs. Baking Powder

Both baking soda and baking powder are common leaveners in baking. However, baking soda encourages more spreading while baking powder encourages more lift. In this recipe, I boosted the amount of baking powder and only used a small amount of soda to ensure that these cookies are really thick!

Creamy Peanut Butter vs. Chunky Peanut Butter

This recipe calls for one cup of peanut butter. I used creamy peanut butter in this recipe because my kids and I like a smoother, creamier, less chunky cookie. However, if you like peanut chunks and texture in your cookies, then go ahead and use chunky peanut butter.

Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups and Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

This cookie is loaded with both the mini peanut butter cups (Reece’s minis unwrapped) and chocolate chips for a reason. Adding both adds volume to the cookie, lots of chocolate and additional peanut butter flavor. In this recipe, I used 1 1/2 cups of the mini peanut butter cups and 1 cup of semi-sweet chips. However, mix it up! Use milk, semi-sweet, chocolate chunks, etc. If you like texture and are a little bit nuts, add in some toasted pecans, walnuts or peanuts.

Chill the Dough

Don’t skip this step, it’s important. Chilling the dough for 2 hours will help to ensure that your cookies will be THICK and won’t become flat pancakes!

1/4 Cup Dough Balls!

Yes, you heard right! 1/4 cup of dough per cookie. These cookies are pretty big! Use a measuring cup, pack the dough in and drop onto the cookie sheet. Place only 9 dough mounds on the baking sheet (depending on sheet size) to allow these cookies to spread out and bake evenly. Invest in the best baking sheet and use the Doughmakers Baking Sheet (that I use for all my drop cookies) and you will never need to use parchment paper again!  If not using this baking sheet, line your baking sheet with parchment paper.

Higher Baking Temperature and Shorter Baking Time

By cranking up the temperature, it not only allows for a shorter baking time but also helps reduce cookie spreading. In addition, raising the temperature allows the cookie to puff up and cook to a wonderful golden brown, rendering a crunchier cookie. The inside however, remains moist, soft and unbelievably chewy. The perfect combination all around. 

This is one seriously DELICIOUS cookie! Make sure you have some napkins on hand if you like them warm and straight out of the oven. My favorite way to eat fresh baked cookies! Oh, and don’t forget that glass of milk.

Big Peanut Butter Cup Cookies-Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter (softened)
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco)
• 1 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
• 1 1/2 cups Reece’s minis (unwrapped, about 1/2 inch in size)
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.
• Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat butter until creamy, about 30 seconds. Add vegetable shortening and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Add dark brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Drop in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour in pure vanilla extract and beat until incorporated. 
• Drop in the peanut butter and beat until combined.
• Add the flour mixture and beat on medium-low speed until combined. Stir in the Reece’s minis and chocolate chips. Cover dough and chill for 2 hours.
• Pack dough into a 1/4 cup measuring cup and drop 9 dough mounds onto a cookie sheet. Spread evenly on the sheet. If not using the Doughmakers Baking Sheet, line baking sheet with parchment paper. 
• Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are golden brown and appear set. Once done, remove from the oven and let cookies sit on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. Then move to a wire rack and cool completely. 
• Serve with a glass of milk.
• Enjoy!
• Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days. To freeze, place in an airtight container, placing wax paper between layers for up to 3 months.

For other great cookies try:

Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies

Halloween Monster Cookies

Salted Double Dark Chocolate Cookies

Simple Lemon Crisscross Cookies