Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookie Cups

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If your go-to dessert is something salty, sweet, peanut buttery and chocolaty, this cookie recipe was made for you! They’re rich without being fussy and satisfyingly say. These Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookie Cups are the ideal combination of textures and flavor all packed into one bite-sized treat.

Each cookie cup has a crisp buttery pretzel crust as the base. It’s topped with a soft peanut butter chocolate chip cookie bakes in the muffin tin until golden brown on the edges and soft in the center. The best part is when they come out of the oven! Each warm cookie has a mini Reese’s peanut butter cup pressed into the center before being garnished with a salty pretzel twist. The layers of crisp pretzel crust, soft peanut butter cookie dough with the melty chocolate peanut butter cup in the center give each bite the perfect balance of textures and salty-sweet flavor. 

It’s the kind of dessert you tell yourself you’ll just have one but somehow you end up reaching for another. They’re sure to be a hit at your next girls’ night, movie marathon or game night. Or whenever a serious peanut butter- chocolate craving hits. 

Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookie Cups

• They crispy edges and gooey center! The edges bake up crispy and the warm melty peanut buttery cups that are pressed in the center make for a deliciously gooey center. 
• Buttery, crisp pretzel crust will have you coming back for more. The pretzel crust is salty, buttery and crisp and honestly, takes these cookies to another level. The crunchy bottom paired with a the soft cookie top is an irresistible pairing.
• Easy to serve! Baking them in muffin tins makes them super convenient for serving. You don’t have to deal with making the perfect slices. Each serving is in their own cup.

How to Make These Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookie Cups, Step by Step

Step 1. Make the pretzel crust and bake.

The  pretzel crust is the addition you didn’t know you needed. The salty pretzels with caramelize with the butter and brown sugar to give the cups a  buttery crunch.

Start by adding the pretzel twists and brown sugar into a food processor and pulse the pretzels and sugar until it forms a fine crumb. Carefully pour in the melted butter and continue to pulse until combined.

Line a muffin tin with muffin liners and scoop 3 tablespoons of pretzel crust into each tin. Firmly press the crust into an even layer in the bottom of the muffin tins. Bake the crust in the oven 5 minutes so that it gets nice and crispy. 

Let them cool for a bit to set while you make the cookie dough. 

Tip: If you don’t have a food processor, you can crush the pretzels in a ziplock bag until you have a small crumb. Add the pretzel crumbs to a bowl and mix in sugar and melted butter until evenly combined.

Step 2. Make the peanut butter chocolate chip cookie dough.

We aren’t skimping with the peanut butter chocolate combo for these cookie cups. This peanut butter cookie dough is nutty and speckled with chocolate chips to make the base of these cookies.

Start by creaming the butter and sugars together using an electric mixer until the mixture is creamy. Mix in eggs, vanilla and peanut butter until smooth. 

Lastly, add your flour mixture – flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt – to the bowl and stir into the creamed butter mixture until just combined. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to fold chocolate chips into the dough. 

Step 3. Assemble the cookie cups and bake them for 15 minutes.

Add a large scoop of cookie dough to each pretzel crust-lined muffin tin. Use your hands to gently press the dough in an even layer over the pretzel crust. 

Pop the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake the cookies for about 15 minutes until they are golden brown on the edges and firm on the top but still soft in the center. 

Step 4. Press a peanut butter cup and pretzel twist into the center while it’s hot. Let the cookies rest for at least 8-10 minutes before eating.

While they are hot, press mini peanut butte cups into the center of each cookie. The peanut butter cups will melt from the heat of the cookie and get nice and gooey. Once the tops of the Reece’s have melted, gently press a pretzel twist into the center of the melted chocolate as a garnish.

Let the cookies rest for about 10 minute before enjoying. This will give the peanut butter cups time to melt while the cookies set. 

Tip: Sprinkle the tops with flakey sea salt for an extra salty touch.

Tips for Making Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookie Cups

• Crush pretzel twists into a fine crumb. A fine texture will create a sturdy crust that holds together easily. If you have. If your crust crumb is uneven in size or too large, the mixture could fall apart. We recommend using a food processor to get the most even crumb.
• Firmly press the pretzel crust into the muffin tins. Use your fingers or the back of a measuring cup to pack the crust into the bottom of each crust. Also make sure the crust is in an even layer so that it bakes evenly.
• Don’t overman the dough. Over mixing the dough can create a tough cookie. Make sure to stop mixing the dough once all the flour streaks are gone. 
• Press the Reeces into the dough while it’s the cookies are hot. It’s important you press the Reece’s into the centers of the cups as soon as they come out of the oven. If the cookies cool too much, the tops will get firm and make it difficult to press them in. 

How to Store Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookie Cups

Store in a airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Best enjoyed day of or day after for optimal freshness!

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