This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy.
Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies are soft-baked, thick peanut butter cookies stuffed with a surprise – a Reese’s miniature peanut butter cup! These are the best cookies if you’re craving that chocolate + peanut butter.
Peanut Butter Cookies (With A Reese’s Surprise In The Center)
These cookies may go by different names – but I have been making these since my kids were just little – and they named them ‘peanut butter surprise cookies’. So that’s what we have always called them ♥
This is one of those cookie recipes that have been made so many times in my own kitchen. No matter where we live, what house, these cookies have been made more times than I can count.
Soft baked, thick, puffy, peanut butter loaded cookies are stuffed with a delicious surprise in the center – a miniature Reese’s peanut butter cup.
When I tell you that eating one of these peanut butter cookies warm is life-changing; I am not exaggerating. The soft, warm cookie combined with the melty surprise in the center is unbelievably yummy.
So get the kids involved, they are great at unwrapping the Reese’s, and let’s make these peanut butter surprise cookies 🍪
Why You’ll Love This Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
- 🍪 Loaded with peanut butter flavor
- 🍪 Stuffed with a Reese’s cup inside!
- 🍪 Fun to make cookie recipe with the kids
- 🍪 They always disappear fast
Ingredients Needed
- Butter : I use salted butter but unsalted butter can be used if that’s what you prefer. Make sure the butter is well softened so it blends easily without any lumps in the cookie dough.
- Granulated Sugar
- Light Brown Sugar
- Creamy Peanut Butter : Regular, classic creamy peanut butter is the best thing to use. Nothing that has a thick oil layer on top that needs to be stirred in, and nothing that says ‘all-natural’ or ‘no-stir’. Those peanut butters tend to lead to dry and denser cookies.
- Large Eggs
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda
- Sea Salt
- Miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups : Use any variety you want! There are lots of different versions like dark chocolate, classic, white chocolate, Reese’s Pieces, cookie crunch, Oreo, etc.
How To Make Peanut Butter Cookies Stuffed With Reese’s (Printable Recipe Card)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare cookie sheet(s) by lining with parchment paper. Set aside.
Unwrap the miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups and place them into a bowl. Refrigerate until you are ready to use them.
In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer, or use a stand mixer, beat the butter, granulate sugar, and light brown sugar for 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed until it’s fluffy and light in color.
Add in the large eggs and vanilla extract. Continue beating just until combined.
Add the dry ingredients; all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat on low speed just until combined and no flour streaks or pockets remain in the dough.
Use a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons) to scoop the cookie dough out and roll it into a ball. Similar to the size of a golf ball. Flatten the ball in the palm of your hand, and place a miniature Reese’s cup in the center, bring up the sides and roll it into a ball.
Roll the cookie dough ball in the granulated sugar until it’s coated all around. Place 12 cookie dough balls per cookie sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes. The cookies will still be puffy, lighter in color, but should not be browned at all.
Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the warm cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes, before removing them to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.
Enjoy these cookies warm or at room temperature.
How To Store Leftover Peanut Butter Cookies
Keep leftover cookies stored at room temperature, in an airtight container or bag, for up to 2 days. Peanut butter cookies tend to dry out the longer they are stored; so I recommend serving these fresh, warm, the day you make them.
Reheat individual cookies in the microwave for 5-10 seconds until warmed, is the best way to enjoy a leftover peanut butter cookie.
To freeze baked cookies, allow them to cool completely, and then wrap each cookie in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped cookies inside a freezer-safe container or bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. Allow the cookie(s) to thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.
Pro Tips From The Test Kitchen
- Use classic smooth creamy peanut butter. I love the Peter Pan brand but Jif or Skippy are also great too. I don’t recommend using the all-natural peanut butter or any peanut butter that has a thick oil layer on top. These tend to produce drier and denser cookies.
- To make all the cookies the same size, and it makes scooping the dough easy, use a medium cookie scoop.
- Have fun with the recipe by using different miniature peanut butter cups. Reese’s makes so many now; dark chocolate, white chocolate, Reese’s Pieces, Cookie Crunch, Oreo, etc. Any miniature Reese’s will work just make sure they’re the ones individually wrapped in the foil paper.
- Make sure you are beating the butter, peanut butter, and sugar for at least 2-3 minutes. You really want it whipped, fluffy, and lots of air whipped into it. This is what produces the best cookies!
More Peanut Butter Cookies You Will Love
- 4-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter M&M Cookies
- Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Triple Peanut Butter Monster Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookie Cups
- Best Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 bag (12 oz) miniature Reese's peanut butter cups
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare cookie sheet(s) by lining with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Unwrap the miniature Reese's peanut butter cups and place them into a bowl. Refrigerate until you are ready to use them.1 bag (12 oz) miniature Reese's peanut butter cups
- In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer, or use a stand mixer, beat the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar for 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed until it's fluffy and light in color.1 cup (2 sticks) butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- Add in the large eggs and vanilla extract. Continue beating just until combined.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredients; all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat on low speed just until combined and no flour streaks or pockets remain in the dough.4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Place the granulate sugar (for rolling the dough balls in) in a small bowl.1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Use a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons) to scoop the cookie dough out and roll it into a ball. Similar to the size of a golf ball. Flatten the ball in the palm of your hand, and place a miniature Reese's cup in the center, bring up the sides and roll it into a ball.
- Roll the cookie dough ball in the granulated sugar until it's coated all around. Place 12 cookie dough balls per cookie sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. The cookies will still be puffy, lighter in color, but should not be browned at all. *Don't overbake these! They should still be pale and soft looking, but not like wet raw looking, when you pull them from the oven. They will continue baking and setting as they're cooling.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the warm cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes, before removing them to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.
- Enjoy these cookies warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love to see it! You can share it with me on @togetherasfamilyblog and follow on Pinterest @together-as-family-blog-recipes or Facebook @togetherasfamilyblog for more!
Did you love this recipe?
Make sure to comment below so we can chat about it! Or follow on your favorite social network for even more family recipes.
One Comment