Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookies

Soft, chewy, and absolutely irresistible, these Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookies are the perfect balance of sweet and salty. Enjoy warm from the oven with a glass of milk for the perfect peanut butter treat.

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies with Reese’s Pieces

I’m a huge fan of cookies and peanut butter, so it’s natural that I love peanut butter cookies. I’ve shared several versions of peanut butter cookies before and today I’m sharing a new family favorite – peanut butter cookies with Reese’s Pieces. Unlike traditional peanut butter cookies, these are thick, soft, and chewy. Enjoyed warm with a glass of milk, they are absolute perfection!

In addition to the generous amount of Reese’s Pieces mixed into the dough, I also love to add some extra on the top of the cookie before baking. I don’t recommend skipping this! Not only does it make the cookie more aesthetically pleasing, but it also ensures there is some gooey peanut butter goodness in every bite.

Ingredients Notes

These soft, chewy, and irresistible Reese’s Pieces cookies are made with just a handful of pantry staples, but pay important attention to these details.

• Unsalted butter – Butter should be at room temperature but not to soft. About 20-30 minutes on the counter is perfect.
• Creamy peanut butter– more about this below.
• Sugar – You’ll need both light brown sugar and granulated sugar
• Reese’s Pieces – If you find mini Reese’s Pieces, those will also work in this recipe.

What Peanut Butter is Best for Making Cookies?

When making peanut butter cookies, you want to use a shelf-stable brand of peanut butter, like Jif or Skippy. Creamy peanut butter works best as it incorporates better and makes a smooth dough.

Unfortunately, natural nut butters are not ideal for making cookies. They have a grittiness to them that affects the texture of the cookies and can even lead to cookies that fall apart.

You also want to make sure that the peanut butter is at room temperature, not refrigerated so that it incorporates smoothly with the butter and sugar.

How to Make Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies

Making these chewy peanut butter cookies is simple and takes just 10 minutes or so of prep.

1. Beat the peanut butter and sugar. Beat the butter and peanut butter until completely smooth. Add the sugar, then beat on medium for 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Add the liquid ingredients. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.

3. Add the dry ingredients. Combine the dry ingredients, except Reese’s pieces, in a separate bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the dough, mixing on low. Add the Reese’s pieces, beating just until the flour incorporates.

4. Bake. Scoop the cookie dough onto a baking sheet. Add additional Reese’s Pieces to the top of the cookies. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes.

Tips for The Best Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

The best peanut butter cookies are soft and chewy. To achieve the perfect texture every time, keep the following tips in mind!

• Line the baking sheet. Whether you use parchment paper or a silicone mat, lining the baking sheet will make it easier to remove the cookies once they’ve baked, so they don’t break.
• Use a cookie scoop. To ensure that all of the cookies bake evenly, use a cookie dough scoop for equal-sized cookies.
• Use room temperature butter. Do not soften the butter to make these cookies, as it can make the batter too soft and they’ll spread too much. The butter should be room temperature and even slightly on the cool side.
• Don’t overbake the cookies. The key to soft, chewy cookies is to not overbake them. The centers hould be slightly underbaked but not too gooey.
• Cool on the baking sheet. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 to 10 minutes on the baking sheet, before transferring to a wire rack. They’ll continue to cook for a few minutes and this also gives the gooey center a chance to set so they’re don’t fall apart when you transfer them.

Can I Make The Dough in Advance?

Yes, absolutely. You can keep the cookie dough in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. This is perfect for baking a handful of cookies at a time to enjoy them warm and fresh. You can also freeze the dough. I recommend freezing individual portions so you can just pull one or two out to bake as desired.

How to Store & Freeze

These peanut butter cookies with Reese’s pieces will last for about 5 days at room temperature, in an airtight container. They are best enjoyed within 3 days if you want the softest texture.

You can also freeze these cookies for up to 4 months. Let them cool completely before transferring to a ziplock bag or other freezer container. Thaw on the counter and enjoy.

More Peanut Butter Cookie Recipes:

• Peanut Butter Nutella Swirl Cookies
• Monster Cookies
• Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
• Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

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