Description

These Peanut Butter Candy Cookies are soft, chewy treats featuring a rich peanut butter base, topped with a luscious peanut butter glaze and colorful Reese’s Pieces or M&M candies. Perfect for peanut butter lovers seeking a delightful balance of sweet, nutty, and candy crunch in every bite.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Ingredients

¾ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter (or crunchy)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Peanut Butter Frosting Glaze

1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
6 tablespoons confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Candy Toppings

Reese’s Pieces candies
M&M candies

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use an ungreased baking sheet for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, use a mixer to blend the room temperature butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet mixture. Mix until just combined to avoid overworking the dough, which can make the cookies tough. Be sure to measure flour correctly by fluffing, spooning into the cup, and leveling it off.
Scoop Dough: Using an ice cream scoop or large cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving enough space for the cookies to spread—about 6 cookies per sheet. Optionally, sprinkle some additional chocolate chips on top for extra chocolate flavor.
Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes until they are lightly golden around the edges but still soft in the center.
Cool Cookies: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare Peanut Butter Glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and melted butter. Add the confectioners sugar and vanilla extract, whisking until smooth. The glaze will be thick yet spreadable. If desired, warm the glaze briefly in the microwave to achieve a more drizzle-like consistency.
Glaze Cookies: Spoon or pipe the peanut butter glaze over the cooled cookies evenly. Use a pastry bag with a round tip if you prefer a decorative topping.
Add Candy Toppings: Immediately press Reese’s Pieces or M&M candies onto the glazed cookies and allow the glaze to set before storing or serving, so the candies adhere nicely.

Notes

For best texture, measure flour accurately by fluffing and spooning it into the measuring cup before leveling.
Cookies may spread during baking; spacing 6 cookies per sheet is optimal to prevent sticking.
The glaze can be warmed slightly to aid spreading or drizzling but avoid too much heat which may thin it excessively.
Store the finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
For a crunchier cookie, substitute crunchy peanut butter in the dough.
Optional: Add chocolate chips on top of cookie dough before baking for extra chocolate flavor.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Peanut Butter Cookies, Candy Topped Cookies, Reese’s Pieces Cookies, M&M Cookies, Peanut Butter Frosting, Soft Cookies