Thursday, November 17, 2011

Mini Chocolate Chip Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies—12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies

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I’ll let you in on a little secret—I kind of cheated this week for the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies.  I offered to help a friend with cookies for her daughter’s wedding reception that is tonight.  She was going to make hundreds of cookies herself (four different kinds).  I offered to help and so did some others.  These cookies are the ones I’m making 100 cookies for her.  So while I didn’t come up with this week’s cookie, I did use my own chocolate chip cookie recipe, but with mini chocolate chips.  These Mini Chocolate Chip Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are made simply by putting some cookie dough in mini muffin tin cups and baking them until they are almost done.  Then when they have 1-2 minutes left, put a frozen mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup in the center then finish baking.  That’s it!

Chocolate Chip Reese Cup Cookies 11-16-11

What I really like while making these and deciding this would be what I’d post for the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies is that they really would be perfect to add to your holiday baking/sharing.  A few of these added to a plateful of other goodies would make a perfect addition.  Or if you know someone who is a real chocolate/peanut butter lover, a nice tin full of these would be a great holiday gift!

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I adapted my favorite chocolate chip cookies recipe for these.  Those cookies are made especially good by using some cake flour and bread flour instead of just all purpose flour.  I really believe that is one of the things that sets my chocolate chip cookies apart from others.  But for these mini muffin cookies today, I went ahead and just used all purpose flour, which does work just fine for the chocolate chip cookie recipe if you don’t have cake and/or bread flour. 

Mini Chocolate Chip Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies, by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

17 ounces all purpose flour (3  2/3 cups minus 2 tablespoons) (lightly spooned into the measuring cup and swept level with a knife—kitchen scales are best!)

1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt

2 ½ sticks (1 ¼ cups or 10 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature

10 ounces (1 ¼ cups, packed tightly) light brown sugar

8 ounces (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

about 15 ounces mini chocolate chips (1 package is 12 ounces and would probably be fine)

Miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, about 50-60, unwrapped and frozen

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Have mini muffin tins ready.  No need to grease.

Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl with a wire whisk. Set aside.

In bowl of electric mixer, cream together butter and sugars until very light, about five minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. With mixer on low, add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips with rubber spatula.

Fill each muffin cup about half full, about a tablespoon of dough per cup.  Bake for 8-9 minutes.  Remove from oven and place a mini Reese’s cup in the center of each one and push down slightly.  Return to oven for 1-2 minutes.  Let cool in muffin tin on wire rack until they are set and cool, you can even set the tin in the fridge for 15 minutes or so after they have cooled about 10 minutes.  With a sharp knife, pry each cookie out of their cup—they come out quite easily, just be careful as the peanut butter cup is still soft.  This recipe makes a lot—4-5 dozen.

Mini CCC W/Reese Cups 11-16-11 This is week 8 of 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies!  Need I say more? Winking smile

 

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30 comments:

Maggie @ A Bitchin' Kitchen said...

These look delicious! I've had cookies similar before, and you can't beat the cookie + pb cup combo :)

Lisa Ernst said...

Its always so fun to come to your blog when your creative juices are flowing! This is such a great idea -- NYT chocolate chip cookies cradling a Reese's peanut butter cup -- so yummy!

sue said...

oh those look so good, the best of both worlds, a cookie and a candy

Chelle B said...

These look delicious. This sounds like the perfect combo. Yummy!

Lisa said...

Hmm, a kitchen full of those cookies. I'd definitely be hard-pressed trying to resist eating them all.

Barbara Bakes said...

We were definitely on the same wave length this week. My boys love Reese's so they would be in heaven if I made these cookies.

Unknown said...

oh my get these cookies over to my belly

Curt said...

Oh my! I'd have to call that one the "perfect bite"!

Nutmeg Nanny said...

These are one of my favorite cookies of all time!

Bonnie said...

I am a real peanut butter chocolate lover. Not sure these would make it to the cookie plate!!!

Erin said...

Gosh those look fabulous!

Ashley @ Kitchen Meets Girl said...

These look so yummy--can't beat chocolate and peanut butter!

Steve @ the black peppercorn said...

Great post and this looks really delicious!!! I am in the middle of a Christmas baking marathon - 24 days of Christmas baking. I am on day 16. Glad I found your site. Check mine sometime. www.theblackpeppercorn.com

BreAna {Sugar and Spice and All Things Iced} said...

These do look like a great cookie for the holidays! What a great friend to help bake cookies for the weding! They look delicious!

Amilia @justeverydayme said...

Oh goodness these look good! Everything is better with peanut butter cups!

Trisha said...

Katerina, these look really delicious. I love the PB and chocolate combination!

RecipeGirl said...

oh man, this is my kind of cookie! I think they're too dangerous for me though-- I'd eat far too many!

Stephanie - The Travel Chica said...

Christmas cookie season makes me miss home while I'm traveling.

Willa@ArmstrongFamilyFare said...

These look great! Love the combination of chocolate chip cookies & peanut butter cups! Thanks for sharing!
Willa

Jacque said...

Mmmm, looks like bite size heaven!

Fallon said...

Oh I love peanut butter blossom cookies!! I like the twist on these with using a chocolate chip cookie.

Lisa said...

This is the most brilliant cookie idea ever! I am seriously making these today! I wish I could live with you for just one week so I can jeat everything you bake - just one week!! Any longer, and you'd have to roll me out of there lol

Nanna said...

looks delisious!
Helen

Shelby said...

They look yummmmy and I would love a couple right now for breakfast :)

Katherine Martinelli said...

Oh wow! I love reeses and this just look amazing!!!

Anonymous said...

These look so yummy - my girls would polish them off in a heart beat!
Mary x

Mimi said...

Yum! You are a fantastic friend to help with the reception.
Happy Thanksgiving
Mimi

Valerie said...

I bet those were so popular!!

Brandon said...

Hi Katrina, these look delicious. My aunt makes something similar, but in cookie form with the peanut butter cup on top. Her traditional cookie however uses a Hershey's Kiss in the center! Great entry, I enjoyed reading it!

-Brandon
www.theyummybits.com
Twitter @theyummybits

marble top dining table said...

These look delicious. This sounds like the perfect combo. Yummy!