Welcome to the world of truly irresistible peanut butter cookies! If you’ve been searching for that perfect cookie – one that’s decadently soft, wonderfully chewy, delightfully thick, and bursting with peanut butter flavor – then your quest ends here. These aren’t just any peanut butter cookies; they are the ULTIMATE Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies. Each bite offers a harmonious blend of rich peanut butter, crunchy Reese’s Pieces, and classic chocolate chips, delivering a bakery-style experience right from your own kitchen.

**This post was updated on January 12, 2024, featuring new photos and a slightly enhanced recipe designed to help you achieve even bigger, more impressive bakery-style cookies.**

Are you the kind of person who enjoys peanut butter straight from the spoon? Do you prefer your cookies with a melt-in-your-mouth softness and a satisfying chew? If so, then get ready to fall in love. Many peanut butter cookie recipes can often disappoint, turning out dry, crumbly, or lacking that distinctive, bold peanut butter punch. However, this recipe is meticulously crafted to ensure every cookie is a masterpiece of texture and flavor. We’ve focused on creating a cookie that is moist, incredibly tender, and packed with an abundance of delicious mix-ins, making them stand out from the crowd.

What makes these Reese’s Pieces peanut butter cookies truly “ultimate”? It’s the strategic combination of ingredients and techniques that results in a unique depth of flavor and an unparalleled texture. We incorporate a generous amount of peanut butter into the dough itself, ensuring that rich, nutty taste permeates every crumb. Then, we elevate it further with a delightful medley of vibrant Reese’s Pieces and classic chocolate chips, transforming a simple cookie into a sensational treat. These cookies are designed to be substantial, offering that luxurious, thick profile often found in gourmet bakeries.

Crafting Your Ultimate Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies

Making these large, bakery-style peanut butter cookies is a straightforward process, but a few key tips and steps will guarantee consistently perfect results every single time. Let’s walk through the journey to cookie perfection together, ensuring your cookies are not only delicious but also boast that coveted soft, chewy, and thick texture.

1. Creaming the Foundation: Butter, Sugars, and Peanut Butter
   Begin by combining your softened unsalted butter, both brown sugar (for moisture and chewiness) and granulated sugar (for crisp edges and sweetness), and a generous amount of peanut butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat these ingredients together until the mixture is light, fluffy, and there are no visible lumps of butter remaining. This creaming process incorporates air, which contributes to the cookies’ soft texture. You’ll notice this recipe uses a higher ratio of peanut butter to butter, a crucial decision that intensifies the peanut butter flavor, making it truly shine. A vital note: for consistent and best results, always use commercially prepared, shelf-stable peanut butter (like Jif, Skippy, or Kraft). Avoid natural or homemade peanut butter where the oil separates, as the varying oil content can lead to unpredictable and often inconsistent cookie textures, potentially making them too oily or too dry.

   

2. Incorporating Egg and Vanilla
   Next, beat in the large egg and pure vanilla extract. For optimal results, ensure your egg is at room temperature. A room-temperature egg emulsifies better with the other ingredients, leading to a smoother, more uniform dough and a superior final texture in your cookies. If you’re short on time, you can quickly bring an egg to room temperature by placing it in a bowl of warm water (not hot or boiling) for about 10 minutes before use.

3. Adding Dry Ingredients: The Flour Factor
   Carefully add the all-purpose flour, baking soda (our leavening agent), and salt (to balance the sweetness and enhance flavors) to the wet ingredients. Mix on a low speed initially to prevent flour from scattering, then gradually increase to medium speed until just combined. Overmixing the flour can develop the gluten too much, resulting in tough, dry cookies. This recipe specifically calls for 1 1/2 cups of flour, a precise amount crucial for achieving those signature thick, pudgy cookies. Accurate flour measurement is paramount. For the best consistency, fluff up your flour in its container first, then spoon it gently into your dry measuring cups and level off the top with a straight edge. Alternatively, using a kitchen scale for precision is highly recommended: 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour typically weighs around 188 grams or 6.6 ounces.

4. Stirring in the Stars: Chocolate Chips and Reese’s Pieces
   Once your dough base is ready, turn off the mixer. It’s time to fold in the glorious chocolate chips and Reese’s Pieces. This recipe is unapologetically generous with these delightful additions – and for good reason! The abundance of mix-ins is precisely why we need the cookie dough to be extra thick and substantial; it provides the perfect structure to hold all that gooey chocolate and crunchy peanut butter candy, ensuring every bite is packed with flavor and texture.

   

5. The Essential Chill: Resting for Perfect Texture
   Cover your bowl of cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, or up to a full 48 hours. This chilling step is absolutely crucial for achieving those super thick, bakery-style cookies that don’t spread too much during baking. Chilling the dough solidifies the fats, preventing them from melting too quickly in the oven, which in turn helps the cookies maintain their shape and thickness. Beyond structure, chilling also allows the flavors to meld and deepen, resulting in a richer, more complex taste and an incredibly chewy texture. While smaller cookies *can* be made without chilling, if your goal is truly impressive, large, thick, and perfectly textured cookies like the ones pictured, then do not skip this recommended chilling period.

   

6. Preheating and Preparing Your Baking Sheets
   Once your dough has finished chilling, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare your cookie sheets by lining them with either parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Lining your trays is a simple yet effective step that offers multiple benefits: it ensures your cookies bake evenly without over-browning on the bottom, prevents sticking, and makes for incredibly easy cleanup, saving you time and effort.

7. Forming the Cookie Dough Balls
   Now for the fun part – shaping your cookies! For those impressive, large, bakery-style cookies, scoop out about 1/4 cup of dough for each cookie. Roll the dough into smooth balls and place them at least 2 1/2 inches (approximately 6 cm) apart on your lined baking sheets to allow for proper spreading. If you prefer smaller, more numerous cookies, use about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and space them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. For a slightly flatter, though still thick, cookie, you can gently press down on the tops of the dough balls before baking. This slight modification can alter their rise and create a different aesthetic without compromising the delicious flavor.

8. Baking to Golden Perfection and Cooling
   Always bake one cookie sheet at a time, positioning it in the middle rack of your preheated oven for the most even heat distribution. For the larger cookies (made with 1/4 cup of dough), bake for approximately 14-16 minutes. Smaller cookies (using 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough) will require less time, typically 9-11 minutes. The cookies are ready when their edges are lightly golden and the tops appear just set, though they may still look slightly soft in the center – this indicates a perfect chewy interior. For that extra “bakery-fresh” appeal, immediately after removing them from the oven, gently press a few extra chocolate chips and Reese’s Pieces onto the warm tops of each cookie. It is crucial to cool the cookies on the baking tray for at least 10 minutes after baking. During this time, the residual heat from the tray will continue to “carry-over bake” the cookies, helping them to set properly, firm up, and achieve their ideal chewy texture without becoming crumbly. After 10 minutes, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

   

This meticulously crafted recipe will yield approximately 12-13 generously sized, very large cookies, perfect for sharing (or not!). Alternatively, if you opt for smaller cookies, you can expect to make about 30 delightful treats. Should you need to bake for a larger crowd or simply want an abundance of these incredible cookies, you can certainly double the recipe. However, be advised that doubling will require a very large mixing bowl. A stand mixer would be a significant advantage in this scenario, as beating such a large quantity of ingredients together with only a hand mixer could prove quite challenging.

With their thick, irresistibly chewy texture and profound softness, these are truly the ultimate peanut butter cookies. The rich, double dose of peanut butter in the batter, coupled with the playful addition of Reese’s Pieces, makes them an absolute dream for any peanut butter enthusiast. If you desire a cookie that delivers an impactful peanut butter flavor while maintaining an astonishingly perfect texture that melts in your mouth, then this recipe is your golden ticket to cookie nirvana.

For those who simply can’t get enough of peanut butter, be sure to explore these other delightful recipes:

• One BIG Peanut Butter Cookie for One – The perfect solution for when a craving strikes and you don’t want a whole batch of leftovers.
• 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies – A simple, minimalist recipe for those times when your pantry is looking sparse but you still need a peanut butter fix.
• Peanut Butter Cookie Cake – This giant peanut butter cookie, adorned with frosting and sliced into wedges, makes for an unforgettable birthday treat or celebration dessert.

Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies

By: Fiona Dowling

These Reese’s Pieces peanut butter cookies are truly the ULTIMATE. They’re soft, wonderfully chewy, delightfully pudgy, extra thick, and generously packed with rich peanut butter, colorful peanut butter candies, and classic chocolate chips. This recipe is designed to create substantial, bakery-style cookies that impress every time.

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Chilling: 2 hrs

Total: 2 hrs 45 mins

Servings: 12 cookies

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Equipment

• Cookie Sheets

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 grams)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (157 grams)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (188 grams)
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (135 grams), plus more for the top of each cookie
• 3/4 cup Reese’s Pieces (about 130-150 grams), plus more for the top of each cookie.

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and peanut butter until no lumps of butter are visible and the mixture is light and creamy.
2. Mix in the room temperature egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
3. Add in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat together, starting with the mixer on a low speed, gradually increasing to medium speed until the ingredients are just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
4. Turn off the mixer and stir in the chocolate chips and Reese’s Pieces until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
5. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 2 hours, and up to 48 hours, for best results.
6. When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
7. Form the dough into balls. For extra-large, bakery-style cookies, use approximately 1/4 cup of dough per cookie. For smaller cookies, use about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough. Place extra-large cookies about 2 1/2 inches apart on the lined sheets, and smaller cookies about 2 inches apart.
8. Bake one cookie sheet at a time in the middle of the oven. Extra-large cookies will need 14-16 minutes, while smaller cookies require 9-11 minutes, or until the tops look just set and the edges are lightly golden.
9. Remove from the oven. Optionally, immediately press a few extra chocolate chips and Reese’s Pieces onto the tops of each warm cookie for a perfect bakery finish.
10. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to allow them to set and continue baking slightly, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

1. Peanut Butter: For optimal results and consistent texture, always use classic, smooth, commercially prepared peanut butter (e.g., Jif, Skippy, Kraft). Avoid natural or homemade peanut butter as its tendency to separate oil can lead to inconsistent cookie texture.
2. Storage: Store baked and completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days to maintain their freshness and chewiness. For longer storage, baked cookies can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before enjoying.
3. Make Ahead Tips: Cookie dough balls can be prepared in advance and frozen for up to 2 months. Simply place the scooped dough balls on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. When ready to bake, place frozen dough balls on prepared cookie sheets and bake directly from frozen, adding an extra 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
4. Nutrition: The provided nutrition information is an estimate based on a yield of 12 very large cookies per recipe. Individual results may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation.

Nutrition

Calories: 411kcal
Carbohydrates: 48g
Protein: 8g
Fat: 22g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g
Monounsaturated Fat: 7g
Trans Fat: 0.3g
Cholesterol: 38mg
Sodium: 228mg
Potassium: 177mg
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 33g
Vitamin A: 284IU
Vitamin C: 0.1mg
Calcium: 48mg
Iron: 1mg

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