4-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
These 4-ingredient peanut butter cup cookies are the easiest way to get that chocolate-peanut butter fix with almost no effort.
Soft, chewy peanut butter cookies with a mini Reese’s cup melted right into the center. They come together in one bowl and bake in under 10 minutes.
Why These Cookies Are a Weeknight Favorite
The dough has only four ingredients you probably already have, and the peanut butter flavor shines through without flour diluting it. The edges set with a little crispness while the middle stays fudgy.
The real reason I come back to this recipe is the moment you press the candy into the hot cookie. The chocolate softens just enough to cling to the peanut butter cookie, and the whole thing cools into a glossy, two-bite treat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter: stick with the regular kind, not natural, so the dough holds its shape
- 1 cup granulated sugar: keeps the cookies chewy and sweet without any brown sugar
- 1 large egg: binds the simple dough and adds tenderness
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract: rounds out the peanut flavor
- Pinch of salt: skip it if your peanut butter is already salted
- 24 mini peanut butter cups, unwrapped: the classic size tucks right into the center
Variations / Substitutions
- Crunchy peanut butter: adds a little peanut crunch through the cookie, just make sure it is not a natural oil-stir brand
- Dark chocolate peanut butter cups: deepens the chocolate contrast if you like a less sweet finish
- Sugar swap: you can use an equal amount of coconut sugar for a deeper, caramel-like note, though the cookies will spread a touch more
- For an even simpler cookie with no topping, my plain 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies hit the same soft, salty-sweet spot.
How To Make 4-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Step 1: Mix the Dough
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, stir together the 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and pinch of salt until the mixture is smooth and pulls into a thick, slightly sticky dough.
Step 2: Shape and Bake
Roll the dough into 24 one-inch balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each one. Use the tines of a fork to press a crosshatch pattern into the top of each ball, flattening them to roughly half an inch thick. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, just until the edges look set and the tops are still a little soft.
Step 3: Press the Peanut Butter Cups and Cool
Pull the baking sheet from the oven and immediately press one unwrapped mini peanut butter cup into the center of each hot cookie. You will see the chocolate start to soften against the warm dough. Leave the cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes so the candy can settle, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Tips for the Best Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- If your kitchen is warm and the dough feels sticky, pop the bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes before rolling. It will be much easier to handle.
- The cookies will seem underdone when you pull them out, but they firm up as they cool. Baking past the 10-minute mark will make them dry.
- Using a thin spatula to lift the cookies after cooling helps keep the peanut butter cups intact.
Storing Leftover Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- Refrigerate: store cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The chocolate firms up nicely cold.
- Reheating: a quick 10-second zap in the microwave makes the chocolate melty again without ruining the cookie texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use natural peanut butter?
No, natural peanut butter is too oily and the cookies will spread and turn crumbly. Stick with a creamy, no-stir brand.
Can I freeze the dough?
Yes. Roll the dough into balls and freeze them on a tray. Once solid, transfer to a zip-top bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the time.
I only have regular size peanut butter cups. Can I use those?
Yes. Cut each regular cup into quarters, then press one quarter into the center of each cookie right after baking.
My cookies spread too much. What went wrong?
The dough likely got too warm. If you notice the balls flattening before they go in the oven, chill the shaped cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then bake.
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix the peanut butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, and salt until a thick dough forms.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them on the baking sheet. Press each one with a fork to make a crosshatch pattern, flattening slightly. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are set.
- Remove the sheet from the oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into the middle of each hot cookie. Let them cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Notes
