These six-ingredient peanut butter cup cookies feature mini dark chocolate peanut butter cups enveloped in a chewy peanut butter cookie. It is the perfect pairing! This is a simple recipe that only requires a few ingredients. I bring these cookies to parties or events frequently because not only does everyone love them, but they are also very easy to bake in a pinch!
Growing up, our mom made a similar peanut butter cookie topped with a peanut butter cup. Our family always devoured them in minutes! That is where the inspiration for this recipe came from. Instead of using a premade mix, we use a few simple ingredients to create a homemade chewy peanut butter dough.
Ingredients you'll need
There are only 6 ingredients you’ll need for these cookies! Natural peanut butter, coconut sugar, an egg, vanilla extract, salt, and dark chocolate peanut butter cups. Natural peanut butter is a must. The consistency is much runnier than other peanut butter, and we can’t guarantee you will have the same consistency using a different type of peanut butter.
Equipment you'll need
These cookies can be made with very little equipment. All you need is a mixing bowl, spoon, measuring cups, and cookie sheets. I also prefer to line my cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
How it's done
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Begin by measuring and adding the peanut butter and coconut sugar to a large bowl. Mix until combined. Add the egg, vanilla, and salt, and mix well.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Next, use a standard-sized cookie scoop to form 14 cookie dough balls. Place 7 cookie dough balls evenly on each baking sheet. Use your fingers to slightly flatten the dough balls on the baking sheet.
Pop the cookies in the oven and bake them for 8 minutes or until golden brown. While the cookies are baking, unwrap 14 peanut butter cups. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place a peanut butter cup on the center of each cookie. Once each cookie has a peanut butter cup, place the baking sheet back in the oven for 1 minute or until the peanut butter cups are slightly melted. Remove the cookies from the oven for the final time and sprinkle each cookie with a small amount of flaky sea salt. Let the cookies cool until the peanut butter cups are set.
Which peanut butter cups should you use?
These cookies are sweet, hence why we suggest dark chocolate peanut butter cups. If milk chocolate typically steals your heart, trust us on this one! Dark chocolate provides a great contrast to the sweeter base of the cookie. We like to use the dark chocolate peanut butter cups from Trader Joe's (in our opinion, one of the best Trader Joe's items out there!). Every time I snag groceries there, I never leave without them. If you don’t live close to Trader Joe's or are looking for another brand, similar options would be the Unreal or Justin’s brands. If you have an allergen concern, you should always find the most up-to-date allergen statements for a product before using it.
Is it GF/DF/V/VEG?
It may be surprising, but these cookies aren't like your typical cookie–they actually don't require any flour! This recipe is gluten-free as long as you ensure the brand of ingredients you’re using is gluten-free, including the peanut butter cups. This recipe can be made dairy-free if you choose a peanut butter cup brand that is dairy-free. It is also vegetarian, but it is not vegan due to the inclusion of an egg.
How long will the cookies last?
At our house, not long! However, I prefer to keep the cookies in the fridge or freezer. Once the cookies have completely cooled and the peanut butter cup has set up, I transfer them to the freezer. Before I eat a cookie, I let it thaw on the counter for about 10 minutes. I have found this method keeps the cookies tasting fresh for the longest.
If you make these peanut butter cup cookies, please let us know how they turn out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!
Easy, Six-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup natural peanut butter
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 14 dark chocolate peanut butter cups (to make dairy-free, ensure peanut butter cups are dairy-free)
- Flaky sea salt, for topping the cookies if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add the peanut butter and coconut sugar to a large bowl and mix until combined.
- Next, add the egg, vanilla, and salt and mix well.
- Use a standard-size cookie scoop to make 14 dough balls.
- Add 7 dough balls at a time to a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
- Press the dough down slightly with your fingers to flatten the dough balls.
- Bake the cookies for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Unwrap the peanut butter cups while the cookies are baking.
- Once you remove the cookies from the oven, immediately press a peanut butter cup onto each cookie.
- Once all of the cookies have a peanut butter cup, put the cookies back in the oven for 1 minute or until the peanut butter cups are partially melted.
- Let the cookies cool, sprinkle the flaky sea salt on top and enjoy! I prefer to let the cookies harden in the fridge before serving.
Notes
The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "Begin With Balance PB Cup Cookies."
The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
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