Let Me Tell You About the Time I Discovered Reese’s Cookies

I have to start off by admitting: I am a fiend for anything that combines peanut butter and chocolate. One rainy Saturday, in a fit of (let’s say, creative desperation), I wanted something sweet but couldn’t be bothered to run to the shop. Staring down a half-empty bag of mini Reese’s and a packet of butter that was definitely getting close to its “use me or lose me” date, I did what you’d expect—a bit of a mad scientist moment—and ended up with these Reese’s Cookies. Family now requests them on the regular, which, honestly, sometimes I regret because they’re gone before I even get my second cup of tea. You ever have that problem?

Why You’ll Love Making These At Home (Trust Me)

I make these when my sweet tooth simply refuses to quiet down, or when the weather’s so rotten you need a distraction. My nephew calls them “the happiness cookies”—kids, right? For me, they’re the ultimate cheat treat for rushed days, especially when I can’t face rolling out dough (seriously, who invented rolling pins?). And if you’ve ever run out of butter halfway through, join the club—I found out coconut oil is a life saver (well, sort of; cookies turn out softer, which isn’t bad). The real magic? There’s always room for some experimentation, like swapping in chopped up peanut butter cups when I can’t find mini Reese’s. Oh, and yes, there have been a few accidental flour snowstorms. Don’t ask.

Stuff You’ll Need (Aka The Ingredients List… Sort Of)

1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened (Salted works in a pinch, just skip the extra pinch of salt!)
1/2 cup granulated sugar – or honestly, I’ve swapped in brown sugar when it’s all I had left (tastes richer!)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg (I’ve used flaxseed once when the fridge was bare—does the trick, but the cookies are chewier)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract – My grandma swore by real vanilla, but, eh, budget vanilla’s fine
1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (unless you went for salted butter up above)
1 cup mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, chopped (when those are gone, I’ve crushed up the full-sized ones or just go wild with regular chocolate chips if that’s all you’ve got)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (white chocolate chips had their day here, too!)

How I Actually Make Reese’s Cookies (With Occasional Detours)

Cream that butter and both sugars together in a big ol’ bowl. Electric mixer makes life easier if you have one, though I’ve almost always ended up using a fork and some elbow grease. (At this point, the dough tastes amazing—but, eggs. So, y’know, sample with caution.)
Beat in the egg and vanilla. You’re looking for everything to get all friendly and smooth—don’t worry if it’s streaky at first. It sorts itself out.
Sprinkle your flour, baking soda, and salt right in on top. (Tip: do NOT dump the flour from a great height unless you enjoy powdering your kitchen cabinets. Learned that one the hard way.) Mix gently, with dramatic sighing, until you’ve got a soft dough.
Fold in your chopped Reese’s and those chocolate chips. The dough will look packed. Good.
Now, here’s where I usually sneak a taste… for quality control.
Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. If you forget this step (guilty!), the cookies just spread more. But I kinda like the crispy edges.
Scoop tablespoon-sized blobs onto a lined baking sheet. You want them spaced out like distant cousins at a tense family reunion.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for around 10 minutes—edges will look golden, centers will seem underbaked. That’s the trick! Let them cool on the tray for 5 mins before moving (unless you enjoy cookie rubble).

Notes For The Curious (Or Impatient!)

I tried baking these on a super humid day in July and, weirdly, they turned out chewier—don’t stress if weather messes with your baking (or maybe that’s just my kitchen).
If you love thicker cookies, chill the dough overnight. Though, come on. Who has that kind of patience?

Stuff I’ve Tried (Some Worked, Some… Didn’t!)

Swapped out Reese’s for chopped up caramel candies once—not a disaster, but they melted and stuck to the baking sheet. Cute, but not pretty.
Peppermint extract is not a friend here, trust me. If you’re curious, try it once. Or don’t. Honestly, just don’t.
Half peanut butter, half Nutella chips—more dangerous than it sounds, and my sister in law ate half the batch.

The Tools I Grab (And What To Do If You Don’t Have Them)

You’ll want a large mixing bowl (or use a soup pot, I won’t judge), a beater, and a decent cookie sheet. Baking paper/parchment is a lifesaver—though I’ve greased foil before in true “use what you got” style. If you don’t own a cookie scoop, a pair of teaspoons works. No wire cooling rack? Move the cookies to a plate. It won’t kill the vibe.

How To Store (If They Even Make It That Far)

Pop these into a lidded container—room temp is fine, they keep soft for 2–3 days (though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day!). Freezer tip: wrap them in a zip bag once cooled. They’re surprisingly good frozen, straight up, especially if you’re in a rush or it’s summer.

How We Serve These… And A Random Thought

With milk, obviously (or as my dad says, a “cuppa strong builder’s tea”). Sometimes, for birthdays, I’ll press a candle right in, and yes, I once served them with ice cream for breakfast. Saturday mornings have their own rules, right?

Lessons I Learned… Sometimes The Hard Way

Rushing the chilling step makes official cookie puddles. Tasty, but not what I hoped for.
Overbaking is the enemy—just trust the gooey middle!
Once I used the wrong measuring cup for flour (grabbed the 1/3 instead of 1/2), wondered why my cookies were more ‘snaps’ than chewy. Lesson: double check, even if your brain’s on holiday.

Reese’s Cookies Questions I Actually Get Asked

Q: Can I make these gluten free?
A: Yup, I use Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 sometimes, no problem at all. But check your Reese’s minis for sneaky ingredients!

Q: I’m out of mini Reese’s cups, can I use something else?
A: Totally. I’ve chucked in M&Ms, toffee bits, big chunks of Snickers—if it’s dessert-y and chop-able, you’re good.

Q: My cookies spread too much! What gives?
A: That’s the dough not cold enough thing, usually. Or, possibly too much butter (been there). Chilling the dough—or adding a sprinkle more flour—usually sets ‘em right.

Q: Why are my cookies pale up top?
A: Could be your oven shelf position. I used to bake mine too low and got sad cookies (but then discovered moving ‘em up gives a better browning). See, it’s not rocket science, just fiddly sometimes.

Q: Any good resources for baking basics?
A: “King Arthur Baking’s cookie guide” helped me a ton, and I love Stella Parks’ tips over at Serious Eats if you’re into nerdy baking things.

So, there you go—Reese’s Cookies, the way I bake ‘em (and tweak them and, ok, sometimes muck them up a bit). Give them a go. And if you figure out how to hide some for yourself before the family demolishes them, let me know your secret.