Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies

Rich Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies are studded with everyone’s favorite chocolate-coated peanut butter candy. They are the ultimate Halloween cookie or the perfect dessert to make with leftover candy. Crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, these Reese’s Pieces Cookies require no chill time and are ready in less than 30 minutes! Makes 36 cookies.

Peanut butter has always been one of my favorite snacks. As in… I would eat spoonfuls of it as a kid. Preferably sprinkled with chocolate chips.

Peanut butter and chocolate is just the perfect combination.

Which explains why I love Reese’s Pieces so much.

Why I love this recipe:

We always have a ton of Halloween candy leftover in our home after the trick-or-treaters call it a night. And since I only purchase candy I adore to hand out, I find myself nibbling on the leftovers throughout the coming months.

Last year, we had a ton of Reese’s Pieces, and I decided to add them to a peanut butter cookie recipe.

These Reeses Pieces Cookies are dense, but in a good way. The exterior has a nice crust while the inside is soft.

Also, the Reese’s Pieces melt just slightly inside the cookies to create a little gooeyness whenever you bite in.

Bonus: You don’t have to chill the dough before baking and enjoying these cookies! So they’re ready sooner!

Whether you’re making this cookie recipe for Halloween (because it’s got great color for the holiday), to use up some Halloween leftovers or just because you love Reese’s Pieces, you’re in for a treat!

More Halloween dessert recipes: Halloween Oreo Rice Krispie Treats | Halloween Chocolate Cookies with White Chocolate Chips | Cheesecake Dip | Halloween Funfetti Cookies | Halloween Rice Krispie Treats

Got sweet teeth? Check out my Dessert Recipe Index for more ideas!

What you need to make this recipe:

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• Sheet pan
• Nonstick baking mat
• Glass bowls
• Hand mixer

• Creamy peanut butter — our family uses natural peanut butter whenever possible, but you can use what you keep in your house. Just be sure to stir the peanut butter well if there is oil separation in the jar before measuring.
• Unsweetened applesauce — we use this in place of oil or butter for the cookie dough. I like applesauce in some baked goods because it leads to a soft and moist end product.
• Sweeteners — we’re using a combination of dark brown sugar and granulated sugar (also known as white sugar) to sweeten these cookies.
• Eggs — you’ll want them to be at room temperature to where they mix in more smoothly. They provide structure to the cookie recipe.
• Vanilla extract — if you can afford it, the real deal kind is where it’s at!
• All-purpose flour — we keep unbleached AP flour at our house, but you can use the regular kind, too.
• Baking powder — this is going to cause the cookies to rise. Make sure it’s fresh.
• Kosher salt — I like to use a fine grain kosher salt here. You could also use a fine grain sea salt, too.
• Reese’s Pieces — you’ll need quite a bit of these chocolate-coated peanut butter candies, so make sure you’ve got enough before you get started! These add extra peanut butter flavor to the cookies!

How to make Reese’s Pieces Cookies with Peanut Butter

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat, and set aside.

Cream the peanut butter, applesauce and sugars together. Measure the peanut butter, applesauce and sugars into a large bowl. Use a hand mixer to cream them together, blending until smooth, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix until smooth and fragrant.

Sift the dry ingredients into a separate bowl. The dry ingredients include flour, baking powder and salt.

Combine the ingredients. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, blending at a low speed until the batter starts to come together.

Add the Reese’s Pieces. Fold them into the batter using a rubber spatula.

Form cookie dough balls using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop. Shape them gently in your hands, and place on the prepared baking sheet, giving them space to spread as they bake.

Press the dough down with the palm of your hand. Add a few extra Reese’s Pieces to the tops.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cookies are just set, and remove from the oven.

Cool completely on a wire rack, then enjoy!

Quick tips and tricks to the best cookies:

• Measure the ingredients correctly. Don’t press the flour into the measuring scoop. I recommend using a kitchen scale for accuracy.
• Use a cookie scoop for perfectly shaped cookies every time.
• Add extra Reese’s Pieces on top of each cookie to make them beautiful.
• Make sure your oven is running at the correct temperature. If your cookies tend to overbake or take longer than a recipe says, consider purchasing an oven thermometer to live inside your oven to confirm the temperature is reading correctly.

Need more recipes that use leftover Halloween candy?

Looking for more cookie recipes? Caramel Corn Cookies, SNICKERS Chunk Cookies and Halloween Monster Cookies are two family favorites.

Love a combination of flavors together? You should definitely make Dessert Nachos.

Just interested in these beauties?

Scroll on down to learn how I baked them…

Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies

Erin Parker, The Speckled Palate

Rich Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies are studded with everyone's favorite chocolate-coated peanut butter candy. They are the ultimate Halloween cookie or the perfect dessert to make with leftover candy. Crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, these Reese's Pieces Cookies require no chill time and are ready in less than 30 minutes!

5 from 4 votes

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Servings 36 cookies

Calories 138 kcal

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 27 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ¾ cup smooth peanut butter
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus 2 additional tablespoons
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ½ cups Reese’s Pieces

Equipment

• Stand mixer
• Large mixing bowl
• Hand mixer
• Parchment baking paper
• Rimmed sheet pan
• Cookie scoop (1-tablespoon)

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat, and set aside.
• In a large glass bowl, cream the peanut butter, applesauce and sugars together with a hand mixer, blending until smooth.
• Crack the eggs, then pour them into the batter. Add the vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together, then slowly add them to the batter, using the mixer on a low speed until the batter starts to come together. Beat on a higher speed until smooth and combined.
• Sprinkle in the Reese's Pieces, and fold into the batter using a rubber spatula.
• Dollop the batter on the prepared baking sheet using a tablespoon (or a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop.) Space 1/2" apart so the cookies can spread. Press the cookies down with the palm of your hand, then place a few additional Reese's Pieces on to the tops of the cookies.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cookies are set, and remove from the oven.
• Cool on a wire cooling rack, and then enjoy!

Notes

Adapted from my M&M Cookie recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 138kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 95mgFiber: 1gSugar: 12g

Keyword baking recipe, cookies, dessert, peanut butter cookies, peanut butter dessert, reese’s pieces, reeses pieces cookies

Course Desserts & Sweet Treats

Cuisine American

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