The first time I made Reese’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites, I remember pulling the muffin tin out of the oven and smelling this incredible mix of warm chocolate chip cookies and melty peanut butter, and I actually laughed out loud because it smelled like a bakery and a candy shop collided right in my kitchen. As I pressed those little Reese’s cups into the soft, steaming centers, they melted just slightly and released the most irresistible aroma. In that moment, I knew I had stumbled onto one of the easiest and most dangerously delicious desserts I’d ever make.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’re going to love this recipe because it’s unbelievably simple yet tastes like something you’d pick up from a gourmet bakery—each bite is warm, soft, gooey, peanut-buttery, chocolaty perfection, and you only need two ingredients and about fifteen minutes to make it happen.
Ingredients
- 1 (16.5 oz) package refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
- 24 mini Reese’s peanut butter cups
You can absolutely use homemade cookie dough, but refrigerated dough creates those perfectly soft, chewy centers without any extra work. I’ve tried using different brands, and any standard chocolate chip cookie dough works beautifully. The key is using mini Reese’s cups—the full-size ones don’t melt into the cookie the same way and tend to make the bites fall apart. And if you can get unwrapped mini cups, even better—it makes everything faster.
Equipment Needed
- Mini muffin tin
- Nonstick spray
- Small cookie scoop or tablespoon
- Cooling rack
A mini muffin tin is essential because it gives the cookie bites their signature shape. I always spray each cup lightly with nonstick spray, even if the tin is already nonstick, because it makes popping them out effortless. A cookie scoop helps portion the dough so every bite bakes evenly. And having a cooling rack nearby helps the cookie bites set just right without getting soggy on the bottom.
Step-by-Step Instructions
When I make these cookie bites, I start by preheating my oven and unwrapping all the mini Reese’s cups ahead of time. I learned early on that once the cookies come out of the oven, you need to work fast, so having the Reese’s ready makes everything flow smoothly. Opening the bag of Reese’s always gives me a little thrill because I know exactly how delicious the end result is going to be.
Next, I scoop small balls of cookie dough into each mini muffin cup. I’ve found that one tablespoon is the perfect amount—any more and the cookies puff up too tall; any less and there isn’t enough surface for the Reese’s to sit in. As the dough bakes, the smell of warm dough and melting chocolate chips fills the whole kitchen. It’s one of those scents that makes everyone peek their head in asking what you’re making.
As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, I immediately press a mini Reese’s cup into the center of each one. The warm cookie dough softens around the edges of the peanut butter cup, creating that perfect little nest. This step is magical every single time. The Reese’s gets just melty enough to settle into the cookie but still stays intact on top.(See the next page below to continue…)