Peanut Butter M&M and Reese's Pieces Cookies came about after someone asked if I had a recipe for peanut butter M&M cookies. That was all it took for me to start thinking about the ingredients I wanted in my version. With mini M&M's and Reese's Pieces mixed throughout the dough, these colorful cookies are a fun addition to my Kid Friendly Cookies collection.
I wanted a peanut butter cookie that stayed moist without losing that rich peanut butter flavor, so I added a little cream cheese to the dough. The cream cheese helps create a creamy cookie that pairs perfectly with the chocolate and peanut butter candies. If you enjoy peanut butter cookies, you may also like my Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies and Ultimate Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies.
A Quick Look: Peanut Butter M&M and Reese's Pieces Cookies
Recipe Name: Peanut Butter M&M and Reese's Pieces Cookies
Ready In: About 1 hour and 15 minutes (including the chill time)
Yield: About 32 cookies
Texture: Soft, creamy, and slightly dense
Flavor Profile: Rich peanut butter with chocolate and peanut butter candy in every bite
Difficulty: Easy
Why You'll Love These Cookies
- 🥜 Soft, creamy peanut butter cookies made with a touch of cream cheese for a rich texture.
- 🍫 Mini M&M's and Reese's Pieces add chocolate and peanut butter flavor in every bite.
- ⏱️ Only a 30-minute chill time before baking, making them easy to fit into a busy day.
- 👩🍳 Simple enough for beginner bakers and fun to make with kids.
- 🎉 Perfect for lunchboxes, bake sales, birthday parties, or after-school treats.
Ingredients
- Creamy Peanut Butter: I use regular creamy peanut butter, like Jif, because it gives the cookies a smooth texture and consistent results. I do not recommend using natural peanut butter for this recipe.
- Mini M&M's and Mini Reese's Pieces: The mini candies distribute more evenly throughout the dough, so you get chocolate and peanut butter flavor in every bite.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Peanut Butter M&M and Reese's Pieces Cookies
These cookies are easy to make and packed with peanut butter, chocolate, and peanut butter candy flavor in every bite. They're a fun recipe for beginner bakers or anyone who loves peanut butter cookies.
Prep
Step 1: Weigh or measure the white and light brown sugars into a bowl and set the bowl aside.
Step 2: Weigh or measure the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl, then whisk to blend.
Mix the Dough
Step 3: Add the cream cheese and butter to a mixer bowl. Blend on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture looks smooth and creamy.
Step 4: Add the peanut butter into the butter-cream cheese mixture. Mix on a medium speed for a couple of minutes. Scrape down the sides and across the bottom to ensure everything is combined.
Step 5: Add the sugars and mix on a medium speed for 3 minutes.
Step 6: Now, add the vanilla extract and the egg and mix. ou want the mixture to be light brown, smooth, and creamy.
Step 7: On a low mixer speed, add the flour mixture about a third at a time. Mix for about a minute, then scrape down the sides and across the bottom. Mix for another 5 seconds.
Step 8: Add the mini M&M's and mini Reese's Pieces, then mix on low speed for about 5 seconds, just until they're evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Step 9: Then, I usually just take a one-piece spatula and turn the cookie dough all around to make sure all the cookie dough has the colorful candies all through the dough.
Chill
Step 10: Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Scoop, Shape, and Bake
Step 11: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C) and line 2 cookie sheet pans with parchment paper.
Step 12: Grab a medium size cookie scoop and add 12 cookie mounds to one of the prepared cookie sheet pans. I like to smooth the cookie dough and tuck any exposed candy pieces into the dough.
Step 13: Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 11-13 minutes. Leave them on the pan for a minute after pulling them from the oven before moving them to a cooling rack.
🫙🍪 Storage
Store the cookies in a container with a tight-fitting lid. They will stay fresh for about 4-6 days. The cream cheese helps to keep them soft and full of peanut butter taste.
FAQs
Yes! If that's what you have or can find, regular-size M&M's and Reese's Pieces will still make delicious cookies. I like using the mini candies because they distribute more evenly throughout the dough, so you get chocolate and peanut butter flavor in every bite. With regular-size candies, you'll have fewer pieces in each cookie, but the recipe will still work well.
Natural peanut butter has a lot of oil that separates. Therefore, it will not give you creamy cookie dough and make your cookies greasy. But if you can adjust the recipe to use natural peanut butter, I would love to hear what you did!
Still Have Questions?
Need help with ingredient swaps or wondering if these cookies freeze well? I've added a few extra baking helpers below for common home baker questions.
Love Peanut Butter Cookies?
If you tried this Peanut Butter M&M and Reese's Pieces cookies recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a ⭐ star rating and share your thoughts in the comments. Thanks!
Recipe
Peanut Butter M&M and Reese's Pieces Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113.5 g) Butter unsalted room temperature
- 4 ounces Cream Cheese room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) Sugar white
- ¾ cup (165 g) Light brown sugar
- ½ cup (129 g) Peanut butter creamy
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Egg
- 2 ¼ cups (281.25 g) All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¾ cup (177.44 g) Mini M&M
- ¾ cup (141 g) Mini Reese's pieces
Instructions
- Weigh or measure the white and light brown sugars into a bowl and set it aside. Next, weigh or measure the flour, baking powder, and salt into a separate bowl, then whisk to blend.
- In a mixer bowl, blend the butter and cream cheese on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the peanut butter and mix for 2 minutes. Add the sugars and mix for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then mix for another 2 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract and egg, mixing until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl. On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture. Mix in the mini M&M's and mini Reese's Pieces just until combined. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C) and line 2 cookie sheet pans with parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scoop, place 12 mounds of dough onto one prepared pan. Gently smooth the tops and tuck any exposed candy pieces into the dough. Bake for 11-13 minutes. Let the cookies rest on the pan for 1 minute before transferring them to a cooling rack.
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Recipe Notes
NUTRITION DISCLAIMER
I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist. The nutrition amounts given below are provided through a program and are only a guideline.
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