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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

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Chocolate and peanut butter lovers will go crazy for these Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies made with mini peanut butter cups and a soft chocolate cookie base.

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Well….2020 really sucked.  But my holiday baking sure didn’t!  I made a lucky 13 assortment of cookies and candy this year and every single batch (okay, maybe except one test batch of cookies) turned out perfect!  The grand finale of my holiday baking was these peanut butter cup cookies. 

Up until this year, I don’t think I’ve ever made a chocolate cookie to add to my cookie trays and tins.  Crazy!  I know!  So I took inspiration from my Reese’s Pieces Chocolate Chip Cookies and made chocolate cookies with mini peanut butter cups in them.  Because what goes better with chocolate than peanut butter?


Here’s what I really love about these cookies.  The chocolate cookie base is almost like a soft brownie – and I freaking love brownies!  I added chopped mini peanut butter cups into the cookie dough.  When the cookies bake, the PB cups melt into the cookie dough and you get this chocolate and peanut butter swirl inside. 

And to make these cookies a little extra, I added some chopped PB cups on top.  So not only do you get that swirly, chocolate PB mix going on inside, you’re getting slightly melted PB cups on top for a double dose of deliciousness!   

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

 
These cookies are easy to make and not-as-easy to share. But tis the season and all of that good stuff, so I do plan on sharing these on the cookie trays I’m making for my family.  You know, minus a few that I’ve already eaten because they’re just that good! 


This cookie recipe starts with a stick of softened butter and sugar.  Cream the two together until the mixture is nice and smooth.


Then, you’re going to add an egg and vanilla extract.  Mix just until it’s incorporated. 


Add in the flour just until it’s combined. Then, mix in the cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. 


Now you’re going to add some chopped mini peanut butter cups to that gorgeous chocolate cookie dough.  Make sure they’re all stirred in so every cookie has a good amount of chocolate and peanut butter in it! 


Add spoonfuls of the cookie dough to parchment paper lined baking sheets.  Flatten down the dough just a bit with your fingers and add more chopped PB cups on top.


Bake the cookies in the oven for about 12-15 minutes, or until they’re done in the middle.  Let them cool for a few minutes and transfer them to a wire rack.


Once the cookies are completely cooled (and it’s kind of hard to wait for them to cool completely because yum!), you can store them in cookie tins.  Or devour them and act like you never baked them! 

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 2/3 cups sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 cup mini peanut butter cups, roughly chopped + 1/2 cup for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Add the stick of butter and sugar to a mixing bowl. Cream together until the mixture is smooth.
  3. Mix in the egg and vanilla just until combined.
  4. Then, add the flour just until combined and mix in the cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
  5. Stir in 1 cup of mini peanut butter cups.
  6. Add spoonfuls of the cookie dough to the prepared baking sheets. Flatten the cookie dough just a bit with your fingers.
  7. Add the remaining chopped peanut butter cups on top and gently press them into the cookie dough.
  8. Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes, or until the cookies are done in the middle.
  9. Let the cookies sit for a few minutes. Then, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Store cookies in airtight containers or cookie tins.
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I’ve tried a lot of new cookie recipes this year, but these might be my favorite! Just the simple combination of peanut butter and chocolate have made these soft chocolate cookies so, so good! Merry Cookie-mas!  I mean, Christmas!

Did you make this Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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If you like this cookie recipe, you might enjoy these as well:

Vanilla Bourbon Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Vanilla bourbon glazed bacon crumbles give these soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies a salty sweet flavor that’s addictive and delicious!

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One of the things I’ve missed most this year is going to food truck festivals. Getting to know some of these small business owners through their amazing food truck creations has been awesome!  So when I discovered that one of my favorite food trucks, JD’s House of Bacon, was selling their bacon online, I immediately hopped on their website to place an order! 

 

 
 
 
 
 
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I placed a small order for Char Siu Chinese BBQ Lollipops and Vanilla Bourbon Bacon Crumbles (and was surprised with a few extras!).  There’s no denying that bacon is pretty amazing on its own.  But JD’s House of Bacon takes this meaty experience to a whole ‘nother level by adding flavorful glazes to bacon strips and crumbles.  


Since we usually have an appetizer style dinner on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, I figured that the bacon lollipops would work well in our spread.  They’re small, appetizer style cuts of bacon with flavored glaze.  I wasn’t sure what I was going to make with the Vanilla Bourbon Barbecue crumbles, but that’s one of my favorite flavors from JD’s!

As I was going through my cookie baking list and scrolled passed the whiskey caramels on my list, I had an idea!  I was going to use the Vanilla Bourbon Barbecue crumbles in a salty-sweet, chocolate chip cookie recipe! I thought they’d make an amazing addition to a chocolate chip cookie with walnuts.  Let me just say that these cookies are on the money!  They’re salty, sweet, soft, and delicious! 

Vanilla Bourbon Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

The bacon and the glaze come in separate packages. So the first thing I did was add the bacon crumbles to a pan. I only wanted the bacon to brown around the edges since it would cook more in the oven.  Once the bacon was cooked, I added the glaze and set the bacon aside.


To start the cookie dough, I creamed together butter, sugar, and brown sugar.  Then, I mixed in two eggs and vanilla extract.


I added flour, salt, and baking soda and mixed.  When the dough started to come together, I stirred in chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, and the bacon crumbles. 


Then, I spooned cookie dough balls onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets and added some extra bacon crumbles on top.


The cookies baked in the oven for about 10-12 minutes. Then, I cooled them on wire racks.  The result is a soft chocolate chip cookie with chewy bits of vanilla bourbon flavored bacon and some nutty crunch! 

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Vanilla Bourbon Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cook Time: 11 minutes

Vanilla Bourbon Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup bacon crumbles, cooked and drained, leaving a tbsp. or two aside for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Cream the sugars and butter together in a mixing bowl.
  3. Then, mix in the vanilla extract and two eggs just until combined.
  4. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until the dough starts to come together.
  5. Stir in the walnuts, chocolate chips, and bacon crumbles.
  6. Drop small, round spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between each spoonful. Top with extra bacon crumbles, if desired.
  7. Bake cookies for 11 minutes, or until the center is set and edges are golden brown.
  8. Allow cookies to cool on wire racks. Store in the fridge in airtight containers or cookie tins.
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My brother and sister-in-law came to pick up holiday gifts and things I had for them the day I made these. So I sent them home with a variety of the cookies I’ve been baking, including some of these bacon chocolate chip cookies.  They hardly made it out of our driveway.  My brother later texted me to tell me how good they were! 


The bacon lovers in your family are going to love these cookies!  In fact, you might want to make them their own tin and grab them some goodies from JD’s House of Bacon! 

If you aren’t planning on sharing these cookies right away, store them in an airtight container or tin in the fridge.  I totally recommend warming them up for a few seconds before enjoying! 

Did you make this Vanilla Bourbon Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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If you like this post, you might enjoy these as well:

Pumpkin Mousse with Halloween Bark

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This pumpkin mousse is a light and fluffy Halloween dessert topped with a ghostly Halloween bark that’s spooky sweet!

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I don’t watch a lot of cooking shows, but I do love watching holiday themed cooking competitions.  I’ve been hooked on Halloween Wars.  You know, where they make crazy edible creations out of carved pumpkins, candy, and baked goods? 

While watching one of those competitions one night with my husband, I got super inspired!  I blurted out, “You know what would be cool?  If you made a chocolate coffin and filled it with a pumpkin mousse!” The next day, I was on the hunt for a silicone coffin mold! 

Unfortunately, my original idea didn’t work out as planned.  The candy was a little too soft in texture and when I tried to unmold it, it would break apart.  So it was onto plan B!

Pumpkin Mousse with Halloween Bark

 
Since I had two bags of black candy melts and some extra chocolate morsels to use up, I decided to make a Halloween bark instead.  The new plan was to make a delicious pumpkin mousse, serve it in a ceramic cauldron, and top it with pieces of the broken Halloween bark.  This idea came together much easier and still looked spooky cute!


The first thing I did was make the chocolate bark.  Over low heat, I added both bags of my black candy melts to a small pot and stirred continuously until melted and smooth.   


Then, I poured the melted chocolate onto a baking sheet that I prepared with parchment paper.  I used a cake scraper to smooth the candy melts into an even layer.


In another small pot, I added white chocolate chips and melted them over low heat until they were nice and smooth.


Then, I spooned some white chocolate onto the black candy melts. With a toothpick, I dragged the white chocolate into ghost-like shapes and added eyeball sprinkles and black sprinkles for a mouth.


I finished the Halloween bark off with an assortment of Halloween sprinkles before letting it set for about an hour.


While the Halloween bark set, I started working on my pumpkin mousse.  I added vanilla pudding, pumpkin spice, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, milk, a pinch of salt, and Cool Whip to a mixing bowl.  Once that was all mixed up, I let the mousse set for 20-30 minutes in the fridge.


When the Halloween bark and pumpkin mousse was ready, I spooned the mousse into a ceramic cauldron and broke up some of the bark to serve on top.  Serve the rest of the Halloween bark with the pumpkin mousse to top individual portions.

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Pumpkin Mousse with Halloween Bark

Pumpkin Mousse with Halloween Bark

Ingredients

    For the Halloween bark:
  • 2 - 10 oz. black candy melts
  • 1/2 - 12 oz. bag white chocolate morsels
  • Halloween sprinkles
    • For the pumpkin mousse:
  • 1 - 3.4 oz. package instant vanilla pudding
  • 1 tsp. pumpkin spice
  • 15 oz. pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 cup milk
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup Cool Whip topping

Instructions

    For the Halloween bark:
  1. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Add the black candy melts to a small pot and heat over low.
  3. Stir the candy melts until smooth. Then, pour the melted candy onto the baking sheet. Use a cake scraper to smooth the candy melts evenly onto the baking sheet.
  4. In another small pot, add the white chocolate chips and heat over low.
  5. Stir the chocolate until it's melted.
  6. Then, drop onto the candy melts and use a toothpick to make ghost-like shapes.
  7. Add eyeball sprinkles to make a face and sprinkle assorted Halloween sprinkles onto the rest of the Halloween bark.
  8. Allow the bark to harden for 60 minutes. Then, break apart to use on top of the pumpkin mousse.
    9. For the pumpkin mousse:
  9. Add the pudding mix, pumpkin spice, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, milk, and salt to a mixing bowl. Mix until incorporated.
  10. Fold in the Cool Whip topping and chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
  11. When ready to serve, add the pumpkin mousse to a bowl and top with Halloween bark. Serve with extra bark to top individual portions.
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A Spooky Sweet Halloween Dessert!

 
The pumpkin mousse is light and fluffy with just the right amount of pumpkin spice flavor.  It’s actually a little fluffier than traditional mousse, but it’s still so, so good!  Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.


When I put the plate of Halloween bark in front of my husband, he said it looked like “a science experiment gone wrong.”  A perfect description for Halloween, if you ask me!  Store leftover chocolate bark in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. 

Did you make this Pumpkin Mousse with Halloween Bark recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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Chocolate Mini Egg Easter Blondies

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Sweeten up buttery blondies with chocolate mini egg candies, white chocolate chips, and rainbow sprinkles to make them a fun and colorful Easter treat!

This post may contain affiliate links.  Making a purchase through one of these links helps support this blog.


So…Easter’s pretty much canceled this year.  Right?  Not gonna lie – I’ve always wanted to spend a quiet holiday at home – just the two of us – so a year without celebrations isn’t such a disappointment to me.  Sure, I miss my family, but we’ve been doing Facetime and I call and text my parents regularly.  Once we get out of isolation, I know we’ll end up having a big celebration anyway to catch up on everything we’ve missed! 

In the meantime, I’ve prepared us for an Easter feast of boneless, sliced ham for two and I was able to get fresh vegetables through my Hungryroot delivery.  As for dessert, I’ve got six more of these Chocolate Mini Egg Easter Blondies in the freezer. 

Chocolate Mini Egg Easter Blondies

 
I made my first batch of these blondies a few weeks ago and wasn’t entirely pleased with how they turned out.  They were a lot thicker and I didn’t have all of the ingredients I would have liked to use.  They weren’t bad.  In fact, we finished them off pretty quickly!  They just weren’t what I envisioned them to be. 

So I placed a Target order for ingredients (thank goodness for delivery and delivery drivers right now) and was able to get everything I needed to remake this recipe.  This time around, they came out the way I wanted them to – full of milk chocolate mini eggs, white chocolate chips, and sprinkles in a buttery, chewy, golden bar!

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Chocolate Mini Egg Easter Blondies

Chocolate Mini Egg Easter Blondies

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 cup milk chocolate mini eggs
  • 1/3 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup springtime rainbow sprinkles mix

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9"x13" pan.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugars, butter, and vanilla together until smooth.
  3. Slowly incorporate the flour and mix in the salt and baking powder.
  4. Once combined, fold in the chocolate mini eggs, chocolate chips, and rainbow sprinkles.
  5. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  6. Allow blondies to cool. Then, cut into bars.

Notes

If desired, press more mini eggs, chocolate chips, and sprinkles into the top of the blondies before cutting them and while they're still warm.

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These Easter blondies are a tasty, colorful treat that kids can help make!  Let them help add the ingredients to the bowl and stir.  Then, pour everything into a baking pan and bake!  Easter might feel a bit different this year, but you can still make it feel special with some homemade Easter blondies!

Swap in these fun mix-ins!

  • Milk chocolate chips
  • Dark chocolate mini eggs
  • Butterscotch baking chips
  • Chopped pecans
  • Easter M&M’s
  • Chocolate bunnies, chopped
  • Chocolate peanut butter eggs, chopped


Did you make these Chocolate Mini Egg Easter Blondies? Share your pics on Instagram using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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