Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

Indulge in irresistible Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies – a delightful treat that combines rich peanut butter and sweet candy goodness. A dream come true for peanut butter cookie lovers.

If you love the flavor of these Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies like we do, you’ll love our other peanut butter recipes like our favorite Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Cookies, Rice Krispy Peanut Butter Balls, and Peanut Butter Cup Cookies.

Why You’ll Love These Peanut Butter Cookies With Reese’s Pieces

Discover why so many people fall in love with E.T.’s favorite creamy peanut butter candies in a cookie

• Irresistible Flavor: These cookies are loaded with the rich and nutty taste of peanut butter, a classic favorite.
• Simple to Make: This cookie recipe is easy to follow, and the cookies turn out soft, chewy, and delicious every time.
• Sweet and Salty Combo: The sweet chocolatey goodness of Reese’s Pieces candies pairs perfectly with the slightly salty peanut butter, creating a delightful balance of flavors.
• Quick and Easy: You can whip up a batch of these cookies relatively quickly (20 mins), making them a convenient and tasty treat for any time you’re craving something sweet and nutty.
• Colorful and Fun: The vibrant colors of the candy-coated chocolate make these cookies visually appealing and great for parties or special occasions. Bring them to a potluck, bake sale, or holiday gathering; everyone will love them.
• Ready On The Fly: Freeze extra dough balls when you want peanut-y, freshly baked goodness. Pop them in the oven for an extra minute or two.

Ingredients Needed

For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• All-Purpose Flour – spoon flour into a measuring cup* and level with a flat-edge knife.                  
• Baking Soda – check the expiration date. Fresh baking soda is crucial for lift and a tender cookie.                    
• Salt                   
• Creamy Peanut Butter – or crunchy; use what you prefer. *This recipe has not been tested with natural peanut butter.                     
• Unsalted Butter – butter should be at room temperature before creaming with sugar.       
• Granulated Sugar – white sugar.                      
• Brown Sugar – this molasses-infused and moisture-rich sugar must be packed into the measuring cup for the correct amount.                            
• Large Egg – allow to come to room temperature to evenly incorporate it into the cookie batter.  
• Vanilla Extract – for best results use pure vanilla extract (homemade or store-bought) when baking.
• Reese’s Pieces Candies – peanut butter candies in an orange, yellow, and brown crunchy shell

DID YOU KNOW?

Reese’s Pieces are chocolate-free? That’s right, like me, you may have assumed that the brown crunchy shell was chocolate, but it’s not! Chocolate is NOT an ingredient listed on the packaging for Resse’s Pieces.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy here.

How To Make Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies

Celebrate anytime with homemade peanut butter cookies and the added creaminess of peanut-flavored Reese’s Pieces! You’ll need a mixer, spatula, cookie scoop, mixing bowls, sheet pans and parchment paper. So, preheat the oven, line cookie sheets with parchment paper, and begin!

When you are making this recipe, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.

1. Beat sugars, peanut butter, and butter until creamy and light. Add vanilla and egg and beat until combined.
2. Add whisked flour, baking soda, and salt until just combined, then gently fold in Reese’s Pieces candies.
3. Drop scooped cookie dough on prepared cookie sheets and press a few Reese’s Pieces on top of peanut butter cookie balls. 
4. Bake Reese’s cookies until the edges are lightly browned, about 9-12 minutes.
5. Cool Reese’s cookies for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack.

Recipe Notes And Tips

• I recommend lining your baking sheet with parchment paper. It promotes even baking and prevents the cookie bottoms from turning too brown.
• When creaming the butters and sugars, beat the mixture long enough for the sugars to dissolve. Getting the fluffy and light consistency you want can take up to three minutes.  
• Don’t skip bringing the egg to room temperature before adding to the creamed sugars for optimal mixing.
• Use a kitchen scale to measure flour and sift all the dry ingredients together. This combination elevates the overall quality of your Reese’s cookies and reduces the amount of mixing needed. (See below: How To Keep Cookies From Being Tough)
• The best way to tell if the cookie dough is mixed enough without creating extra gluten is to hand mix the dry ingredients until just incorporated with no dry streaks.
• I recommend folding the Reese’s pieces in by hand instead of using an electric mixer. This will give you better control and make it easier to avoid overmixing the batter.
• I like to use a medium cookie scoop to get all of the cookies the same size.
• If you like a thicker cookie, chill the cookie dough (or cookie dough balls) for about an hour. By chilling the dough, the cookies baked more evenly and spread out less.
• Adjust baking time to make the type of textured cookie you like; shorter for softer cookies, longer for crispier ones.
• If using natural peanut butter be sure to stir well just before measuring it. This recipe has NOT been tested with natural peanut butter.
• Reincorporate any separated peanut oil when using natural peanut butter. Just note, that natural peanut butter can make a slightly drier, more crumbly cookie.

FAQs

What are Reese’s Pieces candies?

Reese’s Pieces are small, round candies with a peanut butter center and a colorful sugar-coated shell. They are used for both baking and snacking.

Why are my cookies crumbling and falling apart?

Your cookies might be crumbling and falling apart because you could be using too much flour. To avoid this issue, make sure to properly measure or weigh the flour according to the recipe’s instructions.

Using natural peanut butter can also cause cookies to be dry and crumbly.

Can you freeze the cookie dough?

Yes! Feeze Reese’s cookie dough to make freshly baked peanut butter cookies in minutes! Scoop dough into balls and freeze them individually before transferring to a freezer-safe container. The peanut butter dough can be baked from frozen; just add 1-2 minutes to your baking time.

How can I make peanut butter cookies chewier?

To make the cookies chewier, increase the amount of brown sugar while reducing the white sugar in the recipe and slightly underbaking them.

How To Store These Cookies

Keep your homemade peanut butter cookies with Reese’s Pieces at their best by storing them in an airtight container for up to five days.

Freeze

You can wrap the baked and completely cooled cookies individually and stack them in a freezer-safe bag. They are best if enjoyed within 90 days; just let them thaw on the counter.

How To Keep The Cookies From Being Tough

One of the main reasons made from scratch home-baked cookies, cakes, and bread end up “tough” or sub-par is due to flour volume and (over)mixed into the batter or dough. It may seem old-fashioned, but there was a reason Grandma sifted her flour besides the difference in volume and removing clumps! Sifting the measured flour, baking soda, and salt makes the mixture fluffier and easier to absorb into the moist batter; viola, less mixing!

• Measuring Flour Accurately: To avoid tough cookies, use the “fluff, spoon, and level” method for more accurate flour measurement. Fluff the flour with a whisk or fork, spoon into a measuring cup, and level it off with a straight edge. This ensures the right amount and prevents too much flour from being added due to scooping directly from the container.
• The Benefits of Sifting:  Sifting dry ingredients such as flour, baking soda, and salt before adding to cookie batter removes lumps, aerates the mixture, and promotes even distribution. A sifter reduces the need for excessive mixing, keeping your cookies tender.
• The Precision Of A Kitchen Scale: Weighing your flour with a kitchen scale eliminates any guesswork and guarantees the exact amount required for perfect cookies every time. This Reese’s Pieces peanut butter cookie recipe does not require sifting; however, for professional-level cookies, precise flour volume and sifting are truly a game-changer for creating perfectly textured, tender, and delightful peanut butter cookie treats.

Serving Suggestions

• What’s better than freshly baked Reese’s Pieces cookies and a glass of cold milk for a classic combination?
• Crush cookies and sprinkle over ice cream in a pretty dish, add chopped toasted peanuts, a scoop of whipped cream, and drizzle with caramel or chocolate sauce for a fancy-looking dessert. 
• Sandwich vanilla bean ice cream between two Reese’s peanut butter cookies. Yum-O!Present a batch of homemade cookies in a decorative or holiday-themed tin for a thoughtful and tasty gift.

Variations

• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups – use chopped Peanut Butter Cups in place of the Reese’s pieces.
• Chocolate Chips – Add chocolate chips for a creamy chocolate contrast to the crackle of peanut butter candy. 
• Chopped Nuts – Mix in chopped peanuts 
• White or Peanut Butter Baking Chips – for a flavor addition. 
• Sea Salt – Sprinkle sea salt on each cookie for a sweet-savory contrast.
• Mini Marshmallows – Mix in mini marshmallows for a gooey twist.
• Cinnamon – Add a pinch of ground cinnamon for warm, spiced flavor.
• M&M’s – Add or replace Reese’s Pieces with M&M’s for a colorful themed alternative.
• Chocolate Reese’s Pieces Cookies – add cocoa powder for a dynamite chocolate peanut butter cookie combo.

Like This Recipe?

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Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies

Yield: 20 cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 9 minutes
Total Time: 19 minutes

Indulge in irresistible Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies - a delightful treat that combines rich peanut butter and sweet candy goodness. A dream come true for peanut butter cookie lovers.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (125 grams)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups Reese’s Pieces candies, divided

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. 
3. Beat the peanut butter, butter, and sugars in a large bowl with a hand or stand mixer until light and creamy (about 2-3 minutes).
4. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined (until no flour streaks remain). Do not over mix.
6. Mix in 1 cup of Reese’s Pieces candies by hand.
7. Scoop the dough (I like to use a cookie scoop) onto the parchment-lined pans leaving at least 2 inches between each cookie. 
8. Press the remaining Reese’s Pieces into the top of the cookie dough balls. 
9. Bake the cookies for 9-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned.
10. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Notes

• If you like a thicker cookie, chill the cookie dough (or cookie dough balls) for about an hour. By chilling the dough, the cookies baked more evenly and spread out less.

Store Baked Cookies:

• Keep your homemade peanut butter cookies with Reese’s Pieces at their best by storing them in an airtight container for up to five days.

Freeze:

• For unbaked cookies: scoop dough into balls and flash freeze on a pan for about 30 minutes then transfer to a freezer-safe container. The peanut butter dough can be baked from frozen; just add 1-2 minutes to your baking time.
• For baked cookies: You can wrap the baked cookies individually and stack them in a freezer-safe bag. They are best if enjoyed within 90 days; just let them thaw on the counter.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 20
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 210
Total Fat: 11g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 16mg
Sodium: 155mg
Carbohydrates: 25g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 18g
Protein: 4g

Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used and are just estimates. We encourage, especially if these numbers are important to you, to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.