Craving a sweet and satisfying treat without all the fuss? These Peanut Butter Cookie Cups are the perfect mini dessert recipes for you. You’ll love how easy they are to make and how quickly they disappear!
Key Ingredients & Substitutions:
- Creamy Peanut Butter: Use natural peanut butter, but be sure it’s well-stirred. Avoid crunchy peanut butter for this recipe.
- All-Purpose Flour: A gluten-free 1:1 baking flour blend can be used as a substitute.
- Granulated Sugar & Brown Sugar: Coconut sugar can be a 1:1 substitute for both.
- Mini Peanut Butter Cups: Mini chocolate chips or a small dollop of chocolate ganache can be used instead.
Ingredients:
For the Cookie Dough:
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Filling:
- 12-18 mini peanut butter cups, unwrapped
How Much Time Will You Need?
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Servings: 12-18 mini dessert cups
- Calories per serving: Approximately 220 calories (varies with ingredients)
- Tools Needed: Mini muffin tin, mixing bowls, electric mixer (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Prepare Your Muffin Tin
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a mini muffin tin or line it with mini paper liners. Preparing your tin now makes for easy release later.
2. Cream Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. This creates the perfect base for your mini dessert recipes. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and creamy peanut butter until well combined.
3. Mix Dry Ingredients
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. This ensures all the leavening and seasoning are evenly distributed.
4. Combine Wet and Dry
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix the dough; a few streaks of flour are okay.
5. Form the Cookie Cups
Scoop rounded tablespoons of cookie dough into each well of your prepared mini muffin tin. You’ll want to fill each well about two-thirds full.
6. Bake the Cookies
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are just set. They may look slightly underbaked in the middle, which is perfect.
7. Add Peanut Butter Cups
Immediately after removing the muffin tin from the oven, gently press one unwrapped mini peanut butter cup into the center of each warm cookie. The residual heat will slightly melt the chocolate, creating a lovely finish for these mini dessert recipes.
8. Cool and Enjoy
Allow the cookie cups to cool in the muffin tin for 5-10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy these delightful mini dessert recipes once cooled.
Variation Ideas:
- Chocolate Chip: Add a few mini chocolate chips to the cookie dough.
- White Chocolate: Press white chocolate drops into the warm cookies instead of peanut butter cups.
- Salted Caramel: Drizzle a tiny bit of salted caramel sauce over the top after adding the peanut butter cup.
Storage Instructions:
Store your Peanut Butter Cookie Cups in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
Q: Can you use crunchy peanut butter?
A: For the best texture, creamy peanut butter is recommended for these mini dessert recipes. Crunchy may alter the consistency.
Q: Why are my cookie cups spreading too much?
A: This could be due to butter being too soft or overmixing the dough. Ensure your butter is softened, not melted.
Q: Can you make the dough ahead of time?
A: Yes, you can prepare the dough and refrigerate it for up to 2 days. Let it come to room temperature slightly before baking.
Q: How do you get the cookie cups out of the tin easily?
A: Ensure your muffin tin is well-greased or use paper liners. Letting them cool slightly in the tin helps them firm up before removal.
Q: Can you make these without a mini muffin tin?
A: You could try baking them as drop cookies, but they won’t have the “cup” shape for the peanut butter candy.
Q: What if you don’t have mini peanut butter cups?
A: You can use mini chocolate bars cut into squares or press a small piece of chocolate into the warm cookie.