Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Cookies baked with a peanut butter dough molded into cups. Filled with a creamy peanut butter mix, topped with chocolate ganache made from heavy cream and bittersweet chocolate. Silky, rich layers that chill to set. Textural balance between soft cookie and firm fillings. Uses powdered sugar, unsalted butter and a pinch of salt for a subtle background. Oven temp at 405°F, slightly higher than usual for quick crisp edges but soft middles. Chill times adjusted to firm ganache without over-hardening. Can freeze up to two months for make-ahead dessert stash.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
9 min
Total:
Servings:
12 cookie cups
#dessert
#cookies
#peanut butter
#chocolate
#baking
#American
Sinking teeth into these chocolate-peanut butter cups wrapped in a cookie shell brings back why I do this. Not just a trick of flavor but a textural dance. The peanut butter base—gone a little grainy, more melt-in-the-mouth. Chocolate ganache shouldn’t scream ’too sweet’; bittersweet cuts through without harshness. Baking at 405°F gave edges this crisp snap while leaving middles tender but not gooey disaster. Keeping tabs on shape with repeated presses in oven essential—watch that dough slump and you’ll regret it. Best part? Can freeze and pull out last minute, still fresh. No-nonsense approach to old favorite; not fussed about perfect look but all about taste and mouthfeel. The salty hint in filling tempting, just enough.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
- 5 ounces heavy cream
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, natural or creamy unsalted
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus extra for hands
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Silicone or paper muffin liners
About the ingredients
Swapped creamy peanut butter for natural by accident one time, texture changed but the deeper peanut flavor was worth it. Try either but expect sticky dough. Powdered sugar in filling smooths out peanut butter richness and firms mix slightly. Butter adds silkiness but unsalted crucial to control salt levels, especially when adding salted nuts or substitutions. Bittersweet chocolate preferred over milk or semi-sweet; melts better with cream and balances sweetness. Silicone muffin liners my pick; easy release and reusable. If no silicone liners, greasing tin lightly with butter works but be gentle pressing dough to prevent breaks. Flour on hands or fingertips combat sticky dough frustration—don’t overdo or dough dries out. Light dusting only.
Method
- Start with ganache. Warm cream slowly in saucepan over medium-low heat; steam rising not boiling bubbles. Pour over chocolate in heatproof bowl; sit quiet 4 minutes. Whisk until velvet smooth. Stick in fridge while dough mixes.
- Melt peanut butter, powdered sugar, butter, salt in microwave-safe bowl at 60 seconds intervals. Stir thoroughly between. Should be loose but thick. Set this mixture aside; room temp is fine.
- Preheat oven to 405°F. Mix dough using stand mixer or handheld whisk; dry ingredients into wet one by one, beat till just combined. Sticky dough; dust hands lightly with flour if pressing into cups.
- Line muffins pan with liners. Scoop dough with medium cookie scoop. Press each into pan, spread fingers inside to form a well. Get dough up sides, no thin spots. If dough too sticky, flour fingertips; dough should hold shape without cracks.
- Bake 9-11 minutes. Edges start turning golden; centers will still look soft but not raw. Listen for faint crackle sound when edges set. Use wooden spoon back or round handle mid-bake, and again just before done to maintain cup shape. Dough will slump if you skip this step. Crucial.
- Cool cups in tin 15 minutes minimum before filling. When cool, spoon about 2 teaspoons peanut butter mix into each cup; dollop ganache on top carefully with tablespoon measure—just enough to cover peanut butter fully.
- Chill cookie cups for 45-60 minutes to firm ganache. Remove, let sit at room temperature 15 minutes before serving to sweeten chocolate aroma. Store leftovers in freezer up to 2 months in airtight container.
Cooking tips
Do ganache first—warm cream gently. Boiling cream seizes chocolate and ruins texture; patience pays. Waiting 4 minutes after pouring cream over chocolate lets it melt evenly before whisking—if you whisk too soon you get lumps. Stick ganache in fridge to chill and firm; just keep an eye so it doesn’t get rock hard. Peanut butter filling melts in microwave bursts—don’t leave unattended or you risk scorching or splitting. Stir often to combine fully. Mixing cookie dough, add wet to dry slowly; overmixing toughens cookies. Scoop dough straight into liners; pressing dough up sides traps filling. Bite-sized cups need consistent walls or filling leaks out. The mid-bake pressing? I learned the hard way that if you don’t keep the cup walls in shape, you lose filling capacity and get flat cookies. After baking, cool cookies thoroughly before filling or ganache melts and pools out. If ganache too soft while icing, chill again. Remove from fridge before serving; chilled chocolate dulls flavor and aroma.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Ganache stage critical. Warm cream slow; no boil or will seize chocolate. Pour over chopped chocolate, wait 4 full minutes for melting. Whisk after rest, texture should be silky, thick but pourable. Fridge chill ganache to firm up before using. Avoid hardening ganache too much; just firm to slick spatula consistency.
- 💡 Microwave peanut butter mix in bursts. Sixty seconds max, stir well between. Hot tends to separate or scorch. Butter melted evenly smooths peanut butter grit slightly but keep salt unsalted to prevent over-salty. Room temp mix holds but thick enough to dollop, not runny. Set aside while dough bakes.
- 💡 Dough sticky; flour hands sparingly. Press gently into muffin liners; thin walls collapse, thick ones bake unevenly. Use wooden spoon handle mid-bake to push walls up. Key to holding shape hence filling capacity. Skipping leads to flat cups, leaks during bake. Listen for crackling edges; golden color is go.
- 💡 Baking at 405°F hotter than normal. Crisp edges form fast, protect moist centers. Watch time 9 to 11 minutes. Centers look soft but not wet; springy feel. Mid-bake pressing essential. Leave in tins 15 mins after bake for partial set, avoids tearing.
- 💡 Cooling slow improves fill. Spoon peanut butter first, ganache top to cover precisely. Chill 45-60 mins minimum; ganache firms but not rock hard. Room temp rest 15 mins before serve wakes chocolate aroma. Store leftovers airtight freezer up to 2 months; thaw in fridge overnight before use. Do not skip temp steps.
Common questions
What if ganache seizes?
Usually cream too hot. Stop heat earlier next time. Add little warm cream in small increments. Stir gently till smooth. No whisk if lumps form. Chill after smoothing. Can try microwave very short bursts but risk overheat.
Can I use crunchy peanut butter?
Yes but texture changes. Adds crunch. Filling less smooth. Adjust powdered sugar for sweetness balance. Natural peanut butter can work but expect stickier dough. Butter important to mellow intensity. Trial batches advised.
Dough too sticky to handle?
Dust hands lightly with flour only. Don't overdo; dry dough tough. Keep dough cold if too warm, blends easier. Press firmly inside liners to avoid breaks. Wooden handle pressing mid-bake critical for shape retention.
How best to store leftovers?
Freeze in airtight container single layer or stacked with parchment. Thaw in fridge overnight. Ganache softens if left room temp too long. Can keep refrigerated short term but texture firmer and flavors restrained. Always cover tightly.
