Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
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These Peanut Butter Cup Cookies have a soft, chewy texture with a strong peanut butter flavor. Each cookie is topped with a mini peanut butter cup that melts slightly into the center, adding a smooth chocolate contrast. The cake mix base keeps the dough easy to work with while still baking up with a homemade feel.
Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Butter Cups
I use this Cake Mix Peanut Butter Cookie base a lot because it’s reliable and easy to work with. It’s the same base I’ve used in more than 5 cookie recipes on the blog, including my Spider Peanut Butter Cookies, and it holds up well when you add toppings or shape the dough.
For these, I bake the dough in a mini muffin pan like my Reindeer Cookie Cups and press a Reese’s peanut butter cup into the center right after baking. Chocolate and peanut butter are one of my favorite combinations, and this is a simple way to bring those flavors together in a soft cookie.
Ingredients
- Creamy peanut butter – Adds the main peanut butter flavor and helps create a soft texture.
- Eggs – Help bind the dough and give the cookies structure.
- Vegetable or canola oil – Keeps the cookies moist and tender as they bake.
- Yellow cake mix – Provides sweetness and forms the base of the dough. I used Duncan Hines.
- Miniature peanut butter cups – Add a chocolate center that pairs with the peanut butter cookie base.
How to Make Mini Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- Prep – Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a mini muffin pan.
- Mix wet ingredients – In a large bowl, stir together the peanut butter, eggs, and oil until smooth.
- Add cake mix – Mix in the yellow cake mix until a thick dough forms.
- Shape – Use a 1 tablespoon scoop to portion the dough, roll into balls, and place each one into the prepared mini muffin pan.
- Bake – Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are set.
- Add peanut butter cups – Immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie.
- Cool – Let the cookies cool completely in the pan before removing.
Variations and Substitutions
- Chocolate cake mix – Swap the yellow cake mix for chocolate cake mix for a deeper chocolate flavor.
- Crunchy peanut butter – Use in place of creamy peanut butter to add texture.
- Different candy centers – Try chocolate kisses or caramel-filled chocolates instead of peanut butter cups.
- Pre-made refrigerated dough – Use store-bought peanut butter cookie dough instead of the cake mix base to save time.
Tips for Success
- No-stir peanut butter – Keeps the dough consistent and prevents excess oil from affecting the texture.
- Mix wet ingredients first – Blending the peanut butter, eggs, and oil until smooth makes it easier to incorporate the cake mix evenly.
- Use a 1 tablespoon scoop – Keeps the cookies uniform so they bake at the same rate.
- Press immediately after baking – Add the peanut butter cups while the cookies are still warm, so they settle into the center.
- Cool completely in the pan – Allows the cookies to set fully so they don’t fall apart when removed.
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Easy Peanut Butter Cookie Variations
If you’re looking for more peanut butter cookie ideas, this section can highlight different ways to use peanut butter in soft, chewy, and filled cookies.
Did you love mini peanut butter cup cookies? Please leave a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments below.
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy no-stir peanut butter like Jif or Skippy
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix I used Duncan Hines
- 48 miniature peanut butter cups unwrapped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease two mini muffin pans.
- In a large bowl, mix peanut butter, eggs, and oil until smooth.
- Add the cake mix and stir until a thick dough forms.
- Use a 1-tablespoon scoop to portion dough, roll into balls, and place in the mini muffin pan.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until set.
- Immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie.
- Let cool completely in the pan before removing.
Notes
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Place parchment paper between layers if stacking to prevent sticking.
- To freeze, place the cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutrition information is estimated based on automated calculations and should be considered as an approximation. These estimates are provided as a courtesy. Please use your own brand’s nutritional values to verify accuracy.