Reese’s Pieces Cookies are the perfect easy dessert for peanut butter lovers! These soft, crumbly cookies can even be customized with all your favorite toppings.
Table of Contents
Let me tell you, these cookies are destined to be a favorite in your house just like they are in mine. Here’s why you’ll love them:
- Tons of Peanut Butter Flavor: These cookies are packed with rich peanut butter flavor, making them a slam-dunk for peanut butter lovers.
- Perfect Texture: The combination of ingredients and careful mixing results in a soft, fluffy, yet chewy texture that’s comforting and satisfying.
- Colorful and Crunchy: The Reese’s Pieces not only add a burst of color, they also add an irresistible crunch!
- Quick and Easy: This recipe is easy to follow, making it a great choice for both beginners and experienced bakers. The prep and baking time are short, too, so you can enjoy freshly baked cookies in no time.
Love Reese’s like I do? Then be sure to check out these giant reese’s peanut butter cookies and this incredible reese’s peanut butter pie!
The Ingredients You’ll Need
If you have a few basic baking items, you can create these indulgent Reese’s Pieces cookies. No Reese’s Pieces? No problem! See the “Variations” section below for all kinds of substitutes. For full ingredient amounts and directions, scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Flour: Basic all-purpose flour is what you need for this cookie recipe.
- Baking Soda: Make sure you use baking soda, not baking powder, or the cookies won’t rise correctly.
- Salt
- Butter: Unsalted butter, at room temperature.
- Peanut Butter: Creamy peanut butter is my favorite, although crunchy will work if that’s what you have. (I use commercial, not natural peanut butter for the best texture).
- Sugar: You’ll need regular granulated sugar, as well as brown sugar.
- Egg: One large, whole egg adds structure to the cookie dough and binds it together.
- Vanilla
- Reese’s Pieces: And/or any of the mix-ins from the Tips section below!
I like to use my stand mixer for this recipe, but you could also use a hand mixer, or even make them with just a good strong whisk and a spoon. Be sure to beat the butter mixture until light and creamy, however you choose to do it.
- Make the Cookie Dough: Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl, and cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars in a separate bowl. Once they’re light and fluffy, beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to form a smooth dough.
- Shape the Cookies: Stir the Reese’s Pieces into the cookie dough, and then form it into balls (about one tablespoon of dough for each ball). Flatten them on parchment-lined baking sheets, and press a few extra Reese’s Pieces on each if you like.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for about 9 minutes.
- Cool: Take out the cookies, and let them cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks, and cool completely. Serve and enjoy!
While these cookies are soft, chewy and a little crumbly, they shouldn’t be dry or fall apart. Here are some common issues that can mess with the texture of your peanut butter cookies…
- Overmixing: Overmixing cookie dough (after you add the flour) can lead to dry, crumbly cookies. When you overmix, you develop too much gluten in the flour, which can create texture issues.
- Measuring Incorrectly: Measure everything carefully, but especially the flour. Too much flour can make for a dry cookie. Spoon flour into your measuring cup, and level it off with a butter knife, so it doesn’t get packed down.
- Overbaking: Baking too long or at too high a temperature can cause cookies to dry out. These cookies may seem very soft when you take them out, but that’s a good thing! They firm up as they cool.
Baker’s Notes
Before you start baking, be sure to read through this section! These helpful tips will ensure that your Reese’s Pieces cookies turn out perfectly every time.
- Softened Butter: To make sure that your butter and sugars beat up together nicely, set the butter out to soften about 30 minutes before you start baking. You can also cut it into small pieces and knead them with your hands to warm them up and soften them.
- Peanut Butter: Natural peanut butter is wonderful, but commercial peanut butter is less likely to melt and become grainy in baking dishes. I use commercial peanut butter for most dessert recipes for the perfect smooth, even result.
- Evenly Sized Cookies: A cookie scoop or a measuring spoon is great for portioning out the dough. You’ll get evenly sized cookies that all finish baking at the same time.
- Additional Reese’s Pieces: You can try pressing a few extra Reese’s Pieces on top of each cookie before baking. This makes a prettier presentation (and who doesn’t love more candy?).
- Doneness: These cookies will not spread much at all in the oven, but that’s a good thing! They’ll stay thick and moist. You may feel that they don’t look done when you take them out, but they will become firm as they cool.
Fun Variations
This Reese’s Pieces cookie recipe is my favorite base for all kinds of delicious combinations. Everything goes with peanut butter, right? Here are just a few ways I’ve changed up the recipe. Feel free to share yours in the comments of this post!
- Mini Marshmallows: Mini marshmallows soften and melt while baking, and add an utterly gooey, soft, specialness to this recipe.
- Plain Chocolate Chips: Reese’s Pieces don’t have a big chocolate flavor, so mixing in semisweet chocolate chips ups the ante big time.
- Mini Reese’s Cups: Oh. Oh my. That is all.
- Plain: Let’s be real – sometimes, you just want a plain, simple, peanut-buttery cookie. These are wonderful for a simple, cafe-style peanut butter cookie. A little sea salt sprinkled on top brings out the best!
These cookies are safe to store at room temperature for up to one week. To keep them as fresh as possible, store them in an airtight container or zip-top bag.
Can I Freeze These?
Definitely! If you’d like to freeze your Reese’s Pieces cookies, just cool them down to room temperature first. Then place them in an airtight container or a freezer bag, with parchment paper in between layers of cookies so they don’t stick to each other. Freeze them for up to three months, and thaw to room temperature before serving.
- Homemade Nutter Butter Cookies
- The Best Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Crumbl Cookies Buckeye Brownie Copycat
- Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup peanut butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup Reese's Pieces, about 8 oz
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, peanut butter and sugars, until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla.
- Gradually add in the flour mixture on low speed. Stir until dough forms. Then stir in Reese’s Pieces by hand.
- Using a cookie dough scoop or your hands, form balls of dough with 1 heaping tablespoon of dough. Gently flatten cookie dough (to form a disk shape) and place on prepared baking sheets. (If desired, press a few extra Reese's Pieces candies into the top of each cookie.)
- Bake for 9 minutes and remove from oven. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
