If you like super soft, melt-in-your mouth, easy cookies, these are for you.
Is there anyone who doesn’t like those things? I hope not.
The cookie cups are ready from start to finish in 20 minutes.
Faster than going to the grocery store to buy dough-in-a-tube when you’re struck with an overwhelming desire for cookies, immediately. You can relate, right.
Baking cookies in a muffin pan is one of the best tricks out there. If you’ve ever had problems with cookies that spread all over your baking sheet, it’s impossible here. There’s no where for the cookies to spread because the dough is contained in the muffin cavity.
Another nice thing is that you don’t have to chill the dough before baking. I recommend dough chilling with almost all my cookie recipes so they don’t spread, but it’s not necessary here.
And it’s such simple dough to make. You don’t need a mixer and can stir it together by hand in minutes. Melt butter, add an egg, sugars, peanut butter, and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients, chocolate chips, and you’re ready to bake.
I made these while at my home in Aruba. My kitchen here is small, hot, has the world’s most uneven-heating oven that also runs ferociously hot, and is in Celsius. Fun times.
I baked them for 11 minutes at 350F and they’re incredibly soft, melty, and squishy. I’m no stranger to this oven producing supremely melty, gooey things.
Given the humidity, they continued to get softer as time passed and fell a bit in the center. In normal ovens and climates, I think about 12 minutes would be ideal, but use your judgment. If you like crunchier cookies, bake longer.
They’re rich, dense, and there’s enough peanut butter to provide a nice, mellow peanut butter flavor profile without being overwhelmed by it. If you want to be overwhelmed, make these or this.
There’s a hint of chewiness around the edges, which is a nice contrast to the super soft centers.
Pass the napkins and enjoy.
Have a nice holiday if you’re celebrating. I’ll be celebrating with cookies and as many of these as possible.
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups
If you like super soft, melt-in-your mouth, easy cookies, these are for you. You don’t need a mixer, can stir the dough together by hand, and the cookie cups are ready from start to finish in under a half hour. If you’ve ever had problems with cookies that spread all over your baking sheet, it’s impossible here because the muffin pan prevents it. They’re rich, dense, and there’s enough peanut butter to provide a nice, mellow peanut butter flavor profile without being overwhelmed by it. There’s a hint of chewiness around the edges which is a nice contrast to the super soft centers.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (I recommend storebought and not homemade which is much runnier)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and spray a 12-count standard-sized muffin pan extremely well with floured cooking spray or grease and flour the pan (I prefer cosmetically to not use liners); set pan aside.
- In a large, microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high-power.
- Wait momentarily before adding the egg so you don’t scramble it. Add the egg, brown sugar, peanut butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
- Add the flour, baking soda, optional salt, and stir until just combined; don’t overmix.
- Stir in 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips; reserve remainder to place on cookie tops before baking.
- Distribute dough equally among the 12 muffin pan cavities; each will approximately be filled to about three-quarters full. The cookies don’t rise much (nothing like muffins) so it’s okay if dough seems high in the cavities.
- Evenly divide remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips by placing a few chips on each cookie top, which creates a nice visual appeal.
- Bake for 11 to 12 minutes, or until tops have set and are pale golden. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Depending on your climate, muffin pan, brand of ingredients, taste preferences, etc. baking times will vary. Watch your cookies and not the clock; bake until done. Allow cookies to cool in pan for at least 15 minutes before removing them. If they have stuck to the pan, gently wedge the tip of a soft spatula into the muffin cavity to dislodge the cookies, rather than rimming with a knife so you don’t scratch your pan. Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Adapted from Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 361Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 293mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 2gSugar: 28gProtein: 6g
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Can you make these in mini muffin tins? How long would they bake for?
I’m sure it would be fine but because I never have I cannot give a baking time. Just watch them and use your judgment.
Can these be made by adding PB to the refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough? I want to make them with a 2 year old but doing all from scratch is too time consuming for her level of patience.
I haven’t tried the recipe any other way than how I wrote it. Honestly, I made these on vacation in a kitchen that is not my normal one, and they came together in minutes. I didn’t want to spend too long in the kitchen :) I think you will be fine with her – or else just pre-start a few things before she starts ‘helping’ would be my suggestion. Enjoy!
These were delicious a definite hit with my family!!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you!
Just made these! Pretty decent but mine filed up 14 not 12 and I left them in the same amount and overcooked them a tad. I also put peanut butter chocolate chips mixed in with chocolate. So delicious! Will make again. I love that you can freeze them
Thanks for trying the recipe and probably because you made yours skimpier/smaller (14 rather than my 12) they cooked faster than mine did but sounds like they were fine. Love the PB chip idea too!