There's something impossibly fun about bite-sized treats that look as delightful as they taste. That’s exactly why I adore making the Peanut Butter Cup Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups Recipe. These little edible mugs are both a feast for your eyes and a party for your tastebuds—perfect for cozy gatherings or any time you want to feel the holiday magic.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Why They Work
- Make It Your Way
- Step-by-Step: How I Make Peanut Butter Cup Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups Recipe
- Top Tip
- How to Serve Peanut Butter Cup Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups Recipe
- Make Ahead and Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Final Thoughts
- Peanut Butter Cup Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups Recipe
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Honestly, these cookie cups are a crowd-pleaser every single time—and they’re surprisingly easy to pull together. I love how the peanut butter cups melt perfectly into the warm cookie base, while the candy cane “handle” adds that little festive twist that always sparks joy.
- Easy & Fun Presentation: Each cookie cup looks like a tiny mug of hot chocolate, perfect for gifting or holiday parties.
- Simple Ingredients: Using store-bought sugar cookie dough cuts down prep time but still delivers homemade taste.
- Perfect Balance of Flavors: The sweet sugar cookie, creamy peanut butter cup, and crisp peppermint are such a winning combo.
- Customizable Decorations: You can get creative with sprinkles, marshmallow bits, or even swap flavors to suit your mood.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Every ingredient in the Peanut Butter Cup Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups Recipe plays a part in making these little delights irresistible. The balance between sweet, creamy, and minty comes together naturally, and each component is easy to find at your local store.
- Store-bought sugar cookie dough: Saves time and gives you a reliably soft, buttery cookie base that holds up as a 'cup.'
- Miniature Reese’s cups: The classic peanut butter and chocolate combo that melts gorgeously within the cookie cup.
- White chocolate chips: Melted for “glue,” they add sweetness and help stick the candy cane handles in place.
- Mini candy canes: Their iconic peppermint flavor and shape make the perfect mug handles and stirring sticks.
- Store-bought white icing: Acts as whipped cream on top—piping it is super simple with a bag.
- Marshmallow bits: Small and soft, they mimic mini marshmallows floating on hot chocolate but won’t melt away.
- Holiday sprinkles: Adds festive color and texture, making each bite visually happy.
Make It Your Way
I love switching up the decorations depending on the season or mood. You can easily personalize the Peanut Butter Cup Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups Recipe to suit your style—think peppermint sprinkles for winter or rainbow dots for a birthday twist. It’s fun and totally flexible.
- Variation: I’ve played around with swapping the peanut butter cups for mini chocolate truffles to make a richer, fudgier version. It’s decadent but worth every bite!
- Dietary Modifications: To make these gluten-free, try a premade gluten-free sugar cookie dough. Just be sure to check the candy ingredients too.
- Seasonal Twist: For a spring vibe, replace candy canes with fruit-flavored candy sticks and swap marshmallow bits for mini colored pearls.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Peanut Butter Cup Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups Recipe
Step 1: Prep and Shape the Cookie Cups
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and greasing a mini muffin pan well with non-stick spray—this helps the cookie cups pop out easily later. Unwrap the sugar cookie dough and pull it into 24 equally-sized pieces. Now, the fun part: gently press your fingers or a small round tool (the end of a wooden spoon works perfectly) into the middle of each dough ball in the pan. This creates a little 'bowl' to hold your peanut butter cup later. Don’t press too hard, or you might break the dough through to the bottom!
Step 2: Bake Until Just Golden
Pop the cookie cups in the oven and bake for about 13 minutes, but keep an eye on them starting at 10 to avoid overbaking. You want a beautiful light golden brown—if they get too dark, the cookies can be dry, and that’s a texture no one wants. Once baked, remove them to a cooling rack before adding the peanut butter cups.
Step 3: Add the Peanut Butter Cups and Peppermint Handles
While the cookies bake, unwrap all your miniature Reese’s cups. Using a serrated knife, carefully snip off the candy cane’s curved hook to keep just the straight end, which will be your mug handle. When the cookies are out, immediately press one peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie cup—that warm cookie helps it melt slightly for that gooey center. Then insert the candy cane “handle” at an angle right near the edge of each cookie cup. Let them cool for at least 20 minutes so everything firms up.
Step 4: Secure the Handles with White Chocolate Glue
Melt about a tablespoon of white chocolate chips—microwave in short bursts or use a double boiler. This will be your edible glue. Dab a little melted chocolate where you want to attach the candy cane handle to the cookie cup and press gently to stick it. You’ll want to let this dry at least 10 minutes so the handles are sturdy enough to hold when serving or gifting.
Step 5: Decorate with Icing, Marshmallows & Sprinkles
Fill a piping bag with store-bought white icing and pipe a small dollop on top of each peanut butter cup—this mimics whipped cream on hot chocolate. Sprinkle with holiday sprinkles and scatter mini marshmallow bits on top for that nostalgic cup-of-hot-cocoa feel. Now they’re ready to enjoy or present!
Top Tip
I’ve learned a few tricks that make these cookie cups turn out perfectly every time. Baking is part art, part science, and these tips can really boost your confidence with this cozy recipe.
- Press the Dough Gently: Using your fingers or a small spoon end to create those cookie cup wells makes for a symmetrical look and even filling, but be gentle to avoid tears.
- Don’t Overbake: It’s tempting to wait for a deeper golden color, but lighter cookies are softer and offer a better texture for these cups.
- Use a Serrated Knife for Candy Canes: I’ve found that trying to snap the candy canes breaks them—serrated knives cut cleanly with less waste.
- Let Handles Dry Completely: White chocolate glue needs time to harden; rushing this step can cause handles to break or fall off when lifting the cookie cups.
How to Serve Peanut Butter Cup Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups Recipe
Garnishes
I love topping these cookie cups with extra marshmallow bits and festive sprinkles—red and green for Christmas, or even silver and gold for a New Year’s party. Sometimes, I drizzle just a tiny bit of melted dark chocolate on top for a gourmet touch that kids and adults alike adore.
Side Dishes
Since these are so rich and sweet, I like pairing them with simple sides like fresh fruit slices or a handful of lightly salted nuts. A hot cup of coffee or chai also complements the peanut butter and peppermint beautifully.
Creative Ways to Present
For holiday parties, I arrange the cookie cups on a tiered platter with some fresh pine sprigs and mini ornaments tucked in around them—it turns your dessert tray into an eye-catching centerpiece. And if you’re gifting, wrapping a few in cellophane with a festive ribbon makes for a charming homemade gift.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I store leftover Peanut Butter Cup Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups in an airtight container at room temperature. I avoid the fridge because it tends to dry out the cookies, and that chewy-soft texture is part of the magic here. They stay fresh and tasty for up to a week this way.
Freezing
Freezing works if you want to make these ahead, but I recommend freezing before adding the icing and sprinkles for best results. Place the cooled cookie cups in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag or airtight container. Thaw before decorating for a freshly baked feel.
Reheating
If you want to warm them up, microwave one cookie cup for about 10-15 seconds to soften the peanut butter cup inside again. Be careful not to overheat or the cookie can become tough. You can also reheat in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes—just enough to warm without drying out.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! While I use store-bought dough for convenience, homemade sugar cookie dough works beautifully too—just make sure it’s firm enough to hold its shape in the mini muffin pan.
Cutting off the curved hook of the candy cane creates a straighter handle that’s easier to attach to the cookie cup and less likely to break when serving. The leftover piece works perfectly as a peppermint stir stick—no waste!
Marshmallow bits are preferable because they hold their shape better and don’t melt into the icing, maintaining the signature look and texture on top of your cookie cups.
You can keep them fresh for up to one week in an airtight container at room temperature. Avoid refrigerating to prevent the cookie from drying out.
Final Thoughts
Making the Peanut Butter Cup Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups Recipe feels like capturing a little slice of cozy joy in every bite. I always find myself smiling when I see those tiny mug-shaped cookies come together—it’s more than just a recipe; it’s a mini celebration. So next time you want a sweet treat that’s as fun to make as it is to eat, give this one a try. Trust me, you’ll want to make these again and again.
Print
Peanut Butter Cup Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Peanut Butter Cup Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups are a festive and fun holiday treat combining soft sugar cookie dough baked into mini cups, filled with miniature Reese's peanut butter cups, and decorated with white icing, marshmallow bits, holiday sprinkles, and peppermint candy cane handles.
Ingredients
Cookie Cups
- 24 pieces store-bought sugar cookie dough (pull-apart cookies)
- 24 miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups, unwrapped
Decorations
- 11 ounces white chocolate chips
- 24 mini candy canes
- 1 tub store-bought white icing
- Mini marshmallow bits
- Holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a mini muffin pan with non-stick spray.
- Form Cookie Cups: Unwrap the sugar cookie dough and place one piece in each mini muffin cup. Use the middle of your fingers or a small square of wax paper to press into the center of each dough piece creating a small well for filling.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookie cups for 13 minutes or until they are slightly golden brown around the edges.
- Prepare Decorations: While cookies bake, unwrap the miniature Reese’s cups and set aside. Use a serrated knife to cut the hooks off the candy canes to create handles and save the hooked parts for peppermint stir sticks. Fill a piping bag with the white icing. Arrange marshmallow bits and sprinkles for topping.
- Fill Cookie Cups: When cookies are baked and slightly cooled, place one miniature Reese’s cup into the center of each cookie cup.
- Insert Peppermint Sticks: Insert the cut peppermint “stir sticks” at an angle near the edge of each cookie cup and set aside to cool for 20 minutes.
- Melt White Chocolate: Melt 1 tablespoon of white chocolate chips to act as glue for assembly.
- Attach Handles: Use the melted white chocolate to attach the candy cane handles onto the sides of the cookie cups. Allow them to dry completely for at least 10 minutes so they hold firmly.
- Decorate with Icing and Toppings: Pipe a small dollop of white icing on top of each filled cookie cup to mimic whipped cream. Sprinkle marshmallow bits and holiday sprinkles on top to finish decorating.
- Serve: Arrange your finished cookie cups on a festive holiday platter and enjoy!
Notes
- Store cookie cups in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Avoid refrigeration to prevent drying out.
- Don’t overbake the cookie dough, as it can cause dry cookie cups.
- Press your fingers or a small tool into the cookie dough before baking to create symmetrical cups, but this step is optional.
- Use a serrated knife to carefully cut off the candy cane hooks to avoid breaking them.
- Allow candy cane handles to dry completely before handling to prevent breakage.
- This recipe uses mini marshmallow bits, found near hot chocolate in stores, not mini marshmallows.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie cup
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
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