It’s tough to be sad when you have cookies baking in your oven . I mean, who doesn’t love a warm, freshly baked cookie? Whether you are baking up some chewy chocolate chip cookies, soft sugar cookies, thin and crispy molasses cookies or something more fancy, like a canestrelli cookie, just knowing that you are minutes away from a fresh baked cookie makes everyone smile.
Now, if a good cookie would make someone smile, then these chocolate peanut butter cup cookies may make you break into some sort of a full body “I hope no one saw that” sort of dance.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you…
These cookies taste incredible, but they have an amazing texture that reminds me of a brownie and a peanut butter cookie and this texture is what I love most about them. They are soft on the inside and chewy on the outside with little bits of chocolate, peanut butter and sea salt that rounds them out perfectly.
If you love chocolate, peanut butter, brownies and Reese cups (thats pretty much all of us, right?), then you are going to love these cookies.
Lets get them started…
Begin by gathering 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup of cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 8 tablespoons of butter at room temperature, 1/3 cup of creamy peanut butter, 2/3 cup of granulated sugar, 1/3 cup of brown sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons of whole milk, 1 1/2 cups of miniature peanut butter cups, 2/3 cup of milk chocolate chips and some flaky sea salt or fleur de sel.
In a large bowl, combine 8 tablespoons of room temperature butter with 1/3 cup of creamy peanut butter, 2/3 cup of granulated sugar, 1/3 cup of brown sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of whole milk.
Using an electric hand mixer or a stiff whisk, beat the ingredients until they are creamy and fully combined.
Next, add 2 cups of all purpose flour, 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Mix until the dry ingredients are just combined.
Now, gently fold in 1 cup of roughly chopped peanut butter cups and 2/3 cup of milk chocolate chips.
Using a 1/8 cup or cookie dough scoop, drop 2 tablespoons of cookie dough onto a non-stick or parchment lined baking sheet about 3 inches apart. Press the remaining peanut butter cups onto the tops of each portion of dough.
Bake the cookies in a 350 degree oven for 12-14 minutes or until the edges feel lightly set.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring them directly onto the cooling rack. This is when you want to sprinkle each cookie with a little bit of flaky sea salt or fleur de sel.
I know that most cookies taste good, but these cookies are something else. They combine the perfect amounts of chocolate and peanut butter, they are full of peanut butter cups and chocolate chips and that sea salt should not be left out. It adds something that you didn’t know you were missing in your cookie life…
If you enjoy the timeless combination of chocolate and peanut butter, then you need to make these cookies…
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups of all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 8 tablespoons of butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup of creamy peanut butter
- 2/3 cup of granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons of whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups of miniature peanut butter cups, roughly chopped
- 2/3 cup of milk chocolate chips
- flaky sea salt or fleur de sel (garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- In a large bowl, combine 8 tablespoons of room temperature butter with 1/3 cup of creamy peanut butter, 2/3 cup of granulated sugar, 1/3 cup of brown sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of whole milk
- Using an electric hand mixer or stiff whisk, beat until smooth and fully combined
- Add 2 cups of all purpose flour, 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and mix until the dry ingredients are just combined
- Gently fold in 1 cup of roughly chopped peanut butter cups and 2/3 cup of milk chocolate chips
- Drop 2 tablespoons of dough about 3 inches apart onto a non-stick or parchment lined baking sheet and press the remaining peanut butter cups onto the tops of each portion of dough
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12-14 minutes or until the edges of the cookies feel lightly set
- Transfer the baking sheet onto a cooling rack or cutting board and sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt or fleur de sel
- Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes before transferring onto a cooling rack to cool fully
- Enjoy with cold milk
- Store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container
