I’m still amazed my Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookie bites use only mini peanut butter cups and pre-made cookie dough and are ready in 15 minutes.

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I stumbled onto a stupidly simple idea that tastes like a food trick. The pairing of pre made chocolate chip cookie dough and mini Reese’s peanut butter cups makes something wild: salty peanut butter meeting warm cookie, you won’t stop at one.

It’s messy, kind of reckless and perfect for anyone who loves a surprise. I call it my guilty Cookie Cups Recipe, more riff than polished bake, kinda like reinvented Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip but way smaller.

If you like bold tiny desserts that make you grin, this one will make you do that little food gasp.

Ingredients

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Soft sweet dough, full of carbs, adds chewy texture and gooey pockets
Little bursts of chocolate, mostly sugar and fat, make it richer and sweeter
Refined sugars give quick energy, not much fiber, can spike blood sugar
Butter adds flavor and moisture, high in calories and saturated fat though
Salty peanut butter inside, chocolate outside, lots of sugar and tasty contrast
Peanut protein gives some satiety, but candies still mostly carbs and fat
Indulgent party bite, not health food, perfect for sharing or after school snack
Saves time, consistent results, watch for preservatives and extra sodium
Chewy cookie with melty peanut center creates an addictive little bite

Ingredient Quantities

1 (16 ounce) tub or tube pre-made chocolate chip cookie dough, refrigerated, about enough for 24 bites

24 mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, unwrapped

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Unwrap the 24 mini Reese’s peanut butter cups and open the tub or tube of chocolate chip cookie dough.

3. Scoop 24 even portions of dough, about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons each, using a cookie scoop or tablespoon. if the dough is super soft chill it 5 minutes so it’s easier to handle.

4. Flatten each dough portion into a small disk with your fingers, about 2 inches across. place a mini Reese’s in the center and press down slightly.

5. Fold the dough up and around the candy, pinching the seams tightly so the peanut butter cup is fully enclosed, then roll gently into a smooth ball. put each seam side down on the prepared sheet, leaving space between.

6. Use cold hands or lightly flour your fingers if the dough sticks, and work quickly so the candy doesn’t melt in your hands.

7. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the cookie edges are light golden and centers look set but still soft. don’t overbake or the peanut butter cup may leak.

8. Let the bites cool on the baking sheet 2 to 3 minutes so they firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling a bit before eating.

9. Serve warm for melty centers or at room temp. store leftovers in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.

Equipment Needed

1. oven preheated to 350 F (175 C)
2. baking sheet (lined with parchment paper)
3. parchment paper sheet
4. cookie scoop or tablespoon for even portions
5. small bowl or plate for a little flour if dough sticks
6. your hands or finger tips for flattening and sealing (use cold hands)
7. oven mitts or pot holders for hot trays
8. wire cooling rack and an airtight container for storing leftovers

FAQ

How long and at what temperature do I bake these? Preheat oven to 350°F. Place each mini Reese's inside a ball of dough on a parchment lined sheet and bake about 11 to 13 minutes or until edges are golden. Let cool a few minutes on the pan before moving, they continue to set.

Can I use frozen peanut butter cups or freeze the bites for later? Yes to both. You can use frozen cups but let them soften a couple minutes so the dough wraps around them. For storage, baked bites freeze well up to 3 months in an airtight bag. For best shape, freeze assembled unbaked bites on a tray, then transfer to a bag and bake from frozen adding 2 to 4 minutes.

What if I only have full size Reese's or different cookie dough? You can swap, just adjust size and bake time. Full size cups need more dough and will take longer to bake, usually 14 to 18 minutes. Different doughs work fine, just watch color and texture not strict time.

Are these safe to eat raw? No, don't eat raw cookie dough unless the package specifically says it's safe. Store bought dough can still have raw flour or eggs so bake them through for safety.

How do I keep the dough from sticking to my hands? Chill the dough for 10 minutes, use a small cookie scoop, or lightly flour your hands. Press the cup into the center and seal edges gently so peanut butter wont ooze out.

Can I make these ahead for a party and reheat? Yep. Bake ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat in a 300°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes or microwave a few seconds if you want them warm. They heat fast so watch them.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Swap the pre-made chocolate chip cookie dough for a quick homemade chocolate chip dough: 1/2 cup butter softened, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, pinch of salt, 3/4 cup chocolate chips. Chill briefly so the bites hold their shape, then proceed the same way.
Use a gluten free store bought dough or make the dough with a 1:1 gluten free flour blend if you need GF cookies. Same weight/volume usually works, just press a little firmer when sealing around the candy.
Replace mini Reese’s with mini almond butter cups or sunflower seed butter cups for a different nut profile or if someone has a peanut allergy. Unwrap them the same way and use as directed.
If you want fewer processed candies, drop about 1/2 tsp creamy peanut butter into each dough ball and top with a small piece of chocolate or a chocolate chip before sealing. It’s easier, still gooey and tastes great.

Pro Tips

1. Chill stuff before you handle it. If the peanut butter cups or the dough get warm your hands will melt the candy and it leaks everywhere, so scoop the dough then stick the tray in the fridge or freezer for 5 to 10 minutes before you fill and seal.

2. Keep the seams sealed and cool. Press the dough up over the candy and pinch the seam tight, then put the sealed ball seam down on the sheet so it stays closed while baking, if youre worried about leaks chill the finished balls 10 to 15 minutes before they go in the oven.

3. Dont overbake if you want gooey centers. Watch for light golden edges and set but soft centers, bake a little less rather than more, and rotate the pan halfway so they brown evenly.

4. Make handling and storage easier. Use cold hands, lightly dust with flour or powdered sugar, or spray your fingers with a little nonstick spray if it sticks, and store leftovers in a single layer or with parchment between layers; to revive the melty center warm a cookie 8 to 12 seconds in the microwave.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites Recipe

Recipe by Tessa Jones

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m still amazed my Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookie bites use only mini peanut butter cups and pre-made cookie dough and are ready in 15 minutes.

Servings

servings

Calories

131

kcal

Equipment: 1. oven preheated to 350 F (175 C)
2. baking sheet (lined with parchment paper)
3. parchment paper sheet
4. cookie scoop or tablespoon for even portions
5. small bowl or plate for a little flour if dough sticks
6. your hands or finger tips for flattening and sealing (use cold hands)
7. oven mitts or pot holders for hot trays
8. wire cooling rack and an airtight container for storing leftovers

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) tub or tube pre-made chocolate chip cookie dough, refrigerated, about enough for 24 bites
24 mini Reese's peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Unwrap the 24 mini Reese's peanut butter cups and open the tub or tube of chocolate chip cookie dough.
Scoop 24 even portions of dough, about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons each, using a cookie scoop or tablespoon. if the dough is super soft chill it 5 minutes so it's easier to handle.
Flatten each dough portion into a small disk with your fingers, about 2 inches across. place a mini Reese's in the center and press down slightly.
Fold the dough up and around the candy, pinching the seams tightly so the peanut butter cup is fully enclosed, then roll gently into a smooth ball. put each seam side down on the prepared sheet, leaving space between.
Use cold hands or lightly flour your fingers if the dough sticks, and work quickly so the candy doesn't melt in your hands.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the cookie edges are light golden and centers look set but still soft. don't overbake or the peanut butter cup may leak.
Let the bites cool on the baking sheet 2 to 3 minutes so they firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling a bit before eating.
Serve warm for melty centers or at room temp. store leftovers in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.