Peanut Butter Cookie Cups – An Easy Small Batch Cookie Recipe

If you are looking for an easy to make, small batch cookie recipe then you are going to love this Peanut Butter Cookie Cups recipe. Although technically made in a mini muffin pan, these chocolate and peanut butter treats are both delicious and addicting.

Best of all, they are easy to make with just a few basic baking ingredients. Then once they come out of the oven, simply add a chocolate peanut butter cup in the center of each one.

Although they make for a great treat any time of the year, they also are simple and easy enough to make to add to any Christmas cookie tray as well.

Tips For Making This Recipe

However, before you jump to the recipe below, there are a few tips to follow to make sure that the cookies turn out perfect every time.

1. Room Temperature Butter

As with most baking recipes, you must make sure that the butter is at room temperature before creaming it with the brown and granulated sugar. On average, it takes butter an hour to come to soften on the counter.

However, you can speed up the process if you forgot to set it out. Start by filling a microwaveable glass with water.

Then place it in the microwave on high power for 1 minute. Carefully remove the glass and dump out the water.

Invert the glass and place it over the butter. Let it sit under the glass for 5 minutes. Then remove the glass and let it sit for an additional 10 minutes to soften completely, but not melt.

2. Egg Yolk Only

When you make a small batch cookie recipe, including this Peanut Butter Cookie Cups recipe, one whole egg would be too much. Instead, use the egg yolk only.

However, be sure to safe the egg white for your breakfast in the morning!

3. The Cookie Batter Will Be Crumbly

When you make the cookie dough you might be concerned that it may be too crumbly. This is normal.

Once you use the cookie scoop to gather the batter place the dough in your hands. Squeeze it together and then roll the dough in the palm of your hands.

You will then have a solid cookie dough ball that will cook up perfectly.

4. Unwrap the Peanut Butter Cups While The Cookies Are In The Oven

When the cookies are in the oven, unwrap the mini peanut butter cups. You will want to place them in the center of each cookie cup as soon as they come out of the oven so they can become part of the cookie.

Of course, if you want to unwrap a couple extra to enjoy, that is okay too!

Peanut Butter Cookie Cups Recipe

*A printable recipe card is located at the bottom of this article which contains the specific measurements, temperatures and cook times. However, continue reading below to learn about more helpful tips about this specific recipe.

EQUIPMENT REQUIRED

• Mini Muffin Pan

Because you will only be using 8 mini muffin cups for this recipe you will need a 12 cup or larger mini muffin pan. It is best to use either a non-stick or silicone pan so that the cookie cups can easily be removed.

• Hand or Stand Mixer

When making small batch dessert recipes like Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, I prefer to use my hand mixer. This way I can make sure that all the of the ingredients get mixed together in the bottom of the bowl.

• Silicone Spatula

A stiff silicone spatula will help you scrape down the mixing bowl to ensure that everything gets incorporated into the cookie dough.

• Cookie Scoop

Although not required, a small cookie scoop makes dividing the cookie dough into even portions a breeze. However, be sure not to fill the entire scoop full of the batter.

Instead, fill it 3/4ths full so you can get a total of 8 Peanut Butter Cookie Cups.

INGREDIENT LIST

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 mini peanut butter cups

INSTRUCTIONS

Start by preheating the oven to 350°F (177°C). Then grease the 8 center cups in a mini muffin pan. Set the pan aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisking will help remove any clumps that are in the flour and will distribute the ingredients. Set the dry ingredients aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Don’t just stop when the butter is no longer in pads.

You don’t want to see any butter crumbs at all. This will typically take about 2-3 minutes to mix until the butter and sugar becomes creamy.

Next beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract just until incorporated. Then gradually add the dry mixture into the wet mixture until no flour is visible, being sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl while mixing the ingredients.

The cookie dough will still be a little crumbly. However, once you form the dough with your hands, it will all come together.

Use a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon to scoop the dough and place it in your hand. Squeeze the dough so that crumbs are no longer visible.

Then roll the dough in the palm of your hands to make 1 tablespoon cookie dough balls. Place one ball in each of the greased mini muffin tins.

Bake Time Required

Place the mini muffin pan in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or the dough becomes golden brown and the center puffs up.

While the cookies are in the oven, unwrap the peanut butter cups from the foil liners. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven Immediately place a peanut butter cup in the center of each one, gently pushing down.

Allow them to cool for 30 minutes in the pan. Then carefully remove each one from the pan and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7-10 days. *Bonus Tip – Add a slice of white bread to the container so that the cookies remain nice and soft.

Other Small Batch Dessert Recipes

• Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
• Easy Apple Crisp
• Pumpkin Mini Muffin Bites
• Coffee Mug Coffee Cake
• Molten Lava Cake
• Carrot Cake Cupcakes
• Apple Dumplings
• Baked Apple Hand Pies
• Pull Apart Cinnamon Roll Bread
• Ramekin Pineapple Upside Down Cake
• Snickers Cheesecake Bars
• Strawberry Pretzel Dessert

Enjoy! Mary

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