The BEST Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies!

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These chewy chocolate Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies are loaded with Reese’s Pieces candies, chocolate chips, pecans, and two special ingredients that make these truly amazing cookies.

Reese’s Pieces are a Halloween favorite at our house, and cookies are my favorite dessert, so it was a no-brainer to come up with a sweet collaboration of the two. And the best thing about this recipe is that it won’t take you hours to make. No overnight refrigeration is needed. You can whip up a batch in no time!

This cookie recipe is sweet, salty, decadently moist, and chewy. The secret to their success? Two secret ingredients.

Secret #1:

Pudding. Specifically, instant pudding mix. This is a great way to add a chewy moist texture to a cookie. If you’ve never added pudding mix to your cookies, do it. Do it now. My Salted Butterscotch cookie recipe is especially good with butterscotch pudding. Or for a summery treat give these Lemon White Chocolate cookies a whirl.

Secret #2:

Sea Salt. I add this to most of my cookie recipes. Nothing brings out the sweet like a little salt. The balance of the two is a cookie marriage made in heaven. They complement each other perfectly and make the cookies simply irresistible.

Why I use Einkorn flour in cookies:

I try to use Einkorn Flour as much as possible in everything I bake because I prefer wheat that has not been genetically modified. Einkorn flour is an ancient grain species that has not been genetically modified like modern wheat. It is easier to digest and also has a lower glycemic index than All-purpose flour, so it won’t spike your blood sugar as much. I find that it adds extra texture and a wonderful rich flavor to baked goods… and the high protein adds to the chewiness of these cookies. If you haven’t tried baking with Einkorn flour yet, I highly recommend you give it a shot.

Tools you will need:

• Stand Mixer with flat beater attachment. I use this one, and highly recommend it. You can also use a hand mixer, it just takes a bit more elbow grease.
• Large mixing bowl
• Heavy duty Spatula
• Cookie Sheet. I prefer aluminum for even consistent baking and Nordic Ware is high quality and made in USA.
• Cookie Scoop. This is optional, but highly recommended. Nordic Ware makes an excellent stainless steel version.
• Measuring Cups. All-Clad is one of my favorite brands for their quality. These are heavy duty and will last a lifetime.
• Measuring Spoons

Ingredients for Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies:

• Salted Butter. Salted is preferred to help give us the salty-to-sweet balance. But, you can also use unsalted and just add some salt to the dry ingredients.
• Peanut Butter. I use all-natural creamy peanut butter.
• Dark Brown Sugar. It adds more flavor, but you can use light brown if that’s all you have.
• White Sugar. Cookie science says you need both for the best cookies.
• Einkorn Flour. I use Jovial Einkorn Flour.
• Chocolate Pudding Mix. This must be instant pudding mix. I try to avoid pudding mixes with artificial sweeteners, but if that’s your thing go for it. You can also substitute with vanilla pudding if preferred.
• Eggs. The chicken kind.
• Vanilla Extract
• Baking Soda & Baking Powder
• Reese’s Pieces Candy
• Chocolate Chips. Semi-sweet or dark is preferred.
• Pecans. You can omit these if you want, but I think they add loads of texture and flavor.
• Sea Salt. Coarse or flaked. Either one will do. This is that extra detail you don’t want to forget. It adds the saltiness needed to counter the sweet Reese’s Pieces candies.

Fun fact: Reese’s Pieces rose to popularity due to Hershey’s collaboration with the hit movie E.T. in 1982.

How to make Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies:

1. Get that oven hot. 350° will do just fine.
2. With your mixer cream the butter and sugars together for 2-3 minutes.
3. Then add the peanut butter and mix to combine.
4. Add the pudding mix and mix for another minute. Then add the eggs and vanilla and mix for 2 more minutes.
5. In a separate bowl add the flour, baking soda, and baking powder and mix to combine.
6. If you are using whole Pecans, now is the time to coarse chop them. The big chunks of nuts add to the crunch of this cookie.
7. Now add the flour mixture to the batter and mix on low just until combined.
8. Stir in the nuts, Reese’s Pieces, and chocolate chips. You’ll need a heavy-duty spatula for this (and a strong arm) as this is a thick dough.
9. With a cookie scoop, add cookie dough to a prepared cookie sheet. I prefer a parchment-lined cookie sheet for easy cleanup.
10. Use a fork to flatten the cookies a bit. Replace any runaway Reese’s Pieces that tried to escape.
11. Sprinkle each cookie with salt. Don’t be shy.
12. Bake 12-14 minutes or until the middles are set and the edges just start to brown. Always best to slightly undercook a cookie if you like them soft and chewy as they will continue to bake on the sheet when you take them out and firm up when cooled.
13. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
14. Enjoy with the kiddos and watch them disappear!

If you’re still craving more Reese’s Pieces after this, check out this easy recipe for Halloween Caramel Popcorn, loaded with Reese’s Pieces, gooey caramel and salty peanuts.

Cookie Baking Best Practices:

Make sure your butter is at room temperature.

You should be able to indent your finger into the butter, but not press it straight through. If you can’t make an indent, it’s too cold. If your finger presses straight through or you see melted spots, it’s too warm.

Test one cookie.

Bake just one cookie first to see how it does in the oven. From there if there are any issues you can troubleshoot the rest of the dough before you bake a big batch. This is also important for determining the amount of time to bake them. I find that I always have to adjust the baking time from the suggested baking time to suit my specific oven.

Don’t overmix.

It’s easy to overmix, and this can ruin your cookies in two ways: if you overmix the butter and sugar in the creaming process it can warm up the butter too much resulting in a flat cookie. Second, if you overmix the dough after the flour has been added it can cause the cookies to flatten and also result in a tough cookie due to excess gluten development.

Use a cookie scoop.

Getting consistent cookies that are the same shape and size can best be achieved with a cookie scoop. This also helps avoid some cookies being overbaked and some underbaked.

FAQ’s & Troubleshooting:

How do you store Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies:

They are always best the first day, but kept in an airtight container, they will keep fresh and chewy for up to a week.

Can I freeze the Einkorn cookie dough?

Yes. Pre-scoop all of the cookie balls and freeze them uncovered on a baking sheet or tray. Once frozen seal them in a freezer-safe bag or container. When ready to bake, let them come up to room temperature and then bake. Avoid storing them in the freezer for longer than 1 month to keep them at their freshest.

What is the best brand of peanut butter for Reese’s Pieces peanut butter cookies?

While most peanut butter cookie recipes recommend using creamy (non-oily) peanut butter like Jif or Skippy, I find that this is not necessary for my recipe. I prefer peanut butter that does not have hydrogenated vegetable oil, so I use Adam’s 100% natural creamy peanut butter and have no issues with the cookies being too oily.

Why do you flatten peanut butter cookies?

Peanut butter cookie dough tends to be very stiff, so flattening the cookies with a fork allows them to bake more evenly. In this recipe the pudding mix and Einkorn flour also add to the dense texture of the dough.

Why are my Reese’s Pieces peanut butter cookies dry and crumbly?

Lack of enough liquid or fat will make the dough dry and if you proceed to bake the cookies anyhow it will crumble and fall apart. See the next question on how to fix this before you bake them.

How do you moisten peanut butter cookie dough?

If your dough seems way too thick to handle try adding 1 tablespoon of liquid (milk is preferred, but water works too) and gently mix it in until the dough is more workable.

Why are my cookies spreading too much in the oven?

One reason is not enough flour. It’s inevitable that at some point, even when you’ve followed a recipe to a T…it just doesn’t come together as it should. If your cookies are spreading too thin during baking, try adding a little more flour to the dough.

Another reason could be that the butter was too soft when you creamed it with your sugar. The best way to fix this is to add more chunks (e.g., chocolate chips, nuts, etc.) to help plump up that cookie.

Happy Baking!

-Jessica

More Fall treats:

• Easy Einkorn Chocolate Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
• Irresistible Halloween Caramel Popcorn
• Decadent Salted Butterscotch Cookies
• Easy Homemade Einkorn Apple Pie

Now Milton, let's not be greedy. Share it!