The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania boasts a proud history.  America’s Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence here.  President Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address here.  Steelworkers forged the materials that built much of America here.  And in 1923, H.B. Reese invented a most outstanding confection, the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, right here in Hershey, PA.

Similar to the peanut butter blossom, that Christmastime favorite peanut butter cookie topped with a Hershey’s Kiss, the peanut butter cup cookie is a peanut butter dough baked in a mini muffin tin, then pressed with a miniature peanut butter cup.  I first heard of this cookie a while back, but only started baking them in the past few years.  They are highly popular – a favorite among family and friends – so make sure you save a few for yourself.

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup peanut butter
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ¼ cups flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 large bag Reese’s Miniature Peanut Butter Cups

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line two 24- cup mini muffin tins with paper liners.

Unwrap 48 peanut butter cups and place in a bowl in the refrigerator, to keep cool while dough is baking.

In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In another small bowl, combine sugars; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and peanut butter together until combined.

Add sugars and cream until combined.

Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.

Add flour mixture and beat until combined; your dough should be soft, but easy to roll into balls.

Roll dough into small balls, less than one inch in size, and place in lined muffin tins.

Bake 10-12 minutes, until puffy and light golden brown.

Remove from oven and immediately press one peanut butter cup in the center of each cookie.

Cool completely in tins, away from the oven so the chocolate can set.