Description
Festive holiday baking reaches new heights with peanut butter cup Christmas cookies, blending rich chocolate and creamy peanut butter in a delightful seasonal treat. Christmas gatherings become sweeter when you share these irresistible morsels that celebrate classic flavor combinations.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (128 grams) creamy peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
Sweeteners:
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110 grams) brown sugar, packed
Flavor and Binding Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 36 mini Reeses peanut butter cups, unwrapped
Instructions
- Prepare the baking environment by heating the oven to 375F (190C) and readying a mini muffin tin with protective liners or a light coating of grease.
- Create a creamy base by whisking softened butter, peanut butter, granulated and brown sugars until the mixture transforms into a light, airy consistency. Introduce the egg and vanilla extract, blending thoroughly.
- Craft the dry foundation by combining flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate vessel. Gradually incorporate these dry ingredients into the wet mixture, gently folding until a soft, cohesive dough emerges.
- Transform the dough into compact, uniform spheres approximately one inch in diameter. Delicately nestle each ball into the individual cups of the prepared mini muffin tin.
- Transfer the tin to the preheated oven, allowing the cookies to bake for 8-10 minutes. Watch for subtle golden edges signaling their readiness.
- Immediately upon removal from the oven, while the cookies remain warm and malleable, gently press a mini Reeses peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. Embrace any slight cracking as a natural characteristic.
- Allow the cookies to rest within the tin for ten minutes, enabling them to stabilize and set. Carefully transfer to a wire cooling rack to complete the cooling process.
- Optional festive enhancement: Drizzle with melted white chocolate or sprinkle holiday-themed decorative elements to elevate the visual appeal and seasonal spirit.
Notes
- Softened butter ensures a smoother, more uniform cookie dough that blends ingredients effortlessly.
- Use room temperature egg to prevent the mixture from becoming lumpy and promote even mixing.
- Gently press peanut butter cups into warm cookies to create a perfect indentation without breaking the chocolate.
- For gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend to maintain cookie texture.
- Chill dough for 30 minutes before shaping to prevent spreading and create more uniform cookie balls.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, keeping them fresh and delicious.
- Experiment with different chocolate cups like dark chocolate or caramel-filled varieties for unique flavor combinations.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg