If you're a peanut butter fan then these Reese's pieces peanut butter cookies are a must try! They are an easy to make peanut butter cookie jam-packed with colorful, candy coated Reese's pieces. You can have these cookies ready for snacking in 30 minutes.
What are Reese's pieces peanut butter cookies?
Reese's pieces peanut butter cookies are made from an easy, no chill peanut butter cookie base that then has a generous serving of Reese's pieces added in. These cookies are chewy and jam-packed with sweet peanut butter flavor.
If you aren't familiar, Reese's pieces are a peanut butter flavored candy. They're similar in size to m&M's. They have a creamy sweet peanut butter filling that is surrounded by orange, yellow and brown colored candy shells.
This recipe is similar to our other cookie recipes that have candy add-ins such as Skittles cookies and cookies stuffed with milk duds.
These super easy to make cookies are perfect for casual snacking, baking with kids and serving at fall celebrations. They are easy to get together and only take around 30 minutes to be ready to eat.
🍪 Why To Try This Recipe
Easy to make- This recipe is super easy to make. You don't even need to chill the dough. You can have these cookies ready for eating in about 30 minutes.
Packed with peanut butter flavor- If you love peanut butter, these are the cookies for you. Not only do the Reese's pieces have a sweet creamy peanut butter flavor, but the base of the cookie dough is packed with peanut butter flavor as well.
Perfect texture- They have the perfect texture combination of chewy cookie base mixed with a little melty crunch from the Reese's pieces candy coating.
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🥄Equipment
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Hand or stand mixer
- Mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Cookie sheet
📋Ingredients
- Flour
- Butter - It should be slightly softened before using.
- Peanut butter - regular creamy peanut butter works best.
- White sugar
- Brown sugar - This helps to make the cookies more moist and chewy.
- Eggs
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Reese's pieces - You can use regular sized or mini.
See recipe card for quantities.
📖Substitutions & Variations
Here are a few ideas for ingredient substitutions and flavor variations for these cookies.
- Add some chocolate - If you love a chocolate peanut butter flavor combination you can add chocolate chips to these cookies. Cut back on the Reese's pieces to one cup and then add one cup of chocolate chips.
- Add more peanut butter - ramp up the peanut butter flavor even more by adding peanut butter chips to the batter. Simply add 1 cup of peanut butter chips and cut back the Reese's pieces to one cup.
- Replace the butter - You can substitute butter for an equal amount of Crisco or shortening.
If you don't want to make your own cookie dough from scratch, you can use these peanut butter pancake mix cookies as the base and just add your Reese's pieces to that.
⏲️Instructions
Use the following step by step directions and process shots to make the perfect Reese's pieces peanut butter cookies.
Step one: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If your cookie sheet is not non-stick, rub with butter or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Step two: Combine softened butter, white and brown sugar into a mixing bowl.
Step three: Cream butter and sugar together and mixing for a few minutes until it becomes well combined and lighter and fluffier.
Step four: Add in Vanilla, eggs and peanut butter. Then mix until well-combined.
Step five: Mix together flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Then, while mixer is running, slowly add flour mixture until it is well combined.
Step six: Add in Reese's pieces and carefully fold them into the dough.
Step seven: Using a tablespoon, scoop the dough into balls. Use heaping scoops - it will be about 1.5 tablespoons. You can roll them with your hands to make them tighter and more formed.
Place dough balls a few inches apart on the cookie sheet.
Step eight: Place baking sheet into pre-heated oven for around 12 minutes. Since oven temps and cooking times can vary, start checking about 8 minutes. Edges will be light golden and firm when they are done.
Hint: Don't overcook the cookies. They will still be slightly soft in the center when you remove them from the oven. They will continue to cook as they sit on the cookie sheet to cool.
⭐Recipe Tips for Success
- Don't overwork dough- when you're mixing your ingredients together you want to make sure that you don't overwork the dough or your cookies can become flat and hard. Make sure that you just mix things in enough so that they are thoroughly combined.
- Perfect sized cookies- well you can make these cookies is big or small as you want, make sure to measure them with a cookie scoop or a tablespoon so that they are all about the same size. This way all the cookies on the cookie sheet will cook at the same time.
Storage
How to store cookies: You can store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for around a week. Or, and an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
How to store cookie dough: You can store cookie dough in the refrigerator and an airtight container for 3 or 4 days. Or, you can freeze your cookie dough by wrapping it in cling wrap and then placing it in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 6 months.
Freezing cookies: If you won't finish your cookies in around a week, then you should freeze them for later. Simply put them into an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze them for up to a year.
💭FAQ
Regular creamy peanut butter is best for peanut butter baked cookies. Crunchy peanut butter and all-natural peanut butters don't blend as smoothly.
Yes, they do make a pre-made Reese's pieces peanut butter cookies that you can buy at the store and bake at home.
Yes, Reese's pieces are a creamy, sweet peanut butter filling surrounded by a colorful hard candy shell. Though many people think they contain chocolate they actually do not.
Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies
Equipment
- Measuring Cup
- Measuring Spoons
- Hand or Stand Mixer
- Mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- cookie sheet
Ingredients
- 2.5 Cups Flour
- 2 Cups Reese's Pieces
- 1 Cup Peanut Butter
- .25 Teaspoons Salt
- 1.25 Teaspoons Baking Soda
- 2 Eggs
- 1.25 Cups Granulated Sugar
- .75 Cups Brown Sugar
- 1 Cup Butter
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray, if needed.
- Add 1 cup of softened butter, .75 Cups brown sugar and 1.25 Cups granulated sugar to mixing bowl.Note: to soften the butter, leave it standing at room temperature for an hour. Or cut it into chunks to speed up softening. You should be able to press the center and have a slight indentation.
- Cream together the butter and sugar with the hand or stand mixer for a few minutes. It is ready when it is lighter and fluffier and thoroughly combined.
- Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 2 eggs and 1 cup of peanut butter. Then, combine well.
- In a separate bowl, mix the 2.5 cups of flour, 1.25 teaspoons of baking soda and .25 teaspoons of salt.
- Turn the mixer on slow and slowly pour the flour mixture into the creamed butter, sugar and eggs. Mix until it is well combined.
- Pour in 2 cups of Reese's Pieces and carefully fold into the dough.
- Using a tablespoon, scoop heaping scoops (about 1.5 tablespoons). Roll dough into balls with your hands.
- Place the balls of dough a few inches apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake at 350 for about 10 - 12 minutes. Since ovens and cooking times can vary, start checking around 8 minutes. Edges will be firm and light brown when ready. Centers will still be soft.
Notes
- Store Cookie Dough- you can keep the cookie dough in an airtight container for around 4 days in the refrigerator. Or, you can wrap it in cling wrap and then put in an airtight container or ziplock bag and freeze for later.
- Store Cookies - you can store cookies in the fridge or at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Freeze - you can put these in an airtight container or ziplock back and freeze them for up to a year.
- Don't overwork dough - overworked dough leads to flat cookies. Only mix at each step enough to combine the ingredients.
- Perfect sized cookies - Use a tablespoon or cookie scoop to make sure each cookie is the same size. This way the cook more evenly.
- Don't overbake - make sure to remove cookies when the centers are still soft. They will continue to cook and firm up as they cool on the baking sheet.
- Chill while waiting - since this makes multiple cookie sheets worth of cookies, keep the dough that is waiting to be baked in the refrigerator to keep it cool. This will help the cookies keep their shape and not spread too much.
Nutrition information provided is just an estimate and may vary based on specific ingredients used.
