How to Make Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

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These salted caramel peanut butter cup cookies are so easy to make, and perfect for the upcoming fall season. They’re filled with the warm, nutty, cozy fall flavors we all know and love without being overpowering. The peanut butter cups add just the right amount of chocolate, while the salted caramel brings everything together for a cookie that feels extra special without being complicated.

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

A little something extra – This recipe is a little more elevated than your standard chocolate chip cookie. In my opinion, the star of the show is the brown butter. It adds so much more depth than softened butter would, and it compliments the peanut butter cups without making the nutty flavor too overwhelming.

Beginner friendly – This is one of those recipes that looks and tastes super complicated, but actually couldn’t be more simple. Everyone will think you slaved over these cookies when you actually just threw a few basic ingredients together.

Cost effective – A lot of the ingredients you need to make these salted caramel peanut butter cup cookies are probably already in your kitchen. No quick trips to the store with this recipe.

Tips

1. Brown Butter (most important tip!)

• Cut your butter into cubes so the butter browns evenly.
• Once the butter starts to melt continue whisking until your butter is brown. Not blonde. BROWN.
• Keep your butter on low-medium heat to prevent burning.
• Once the white milk solids start to turn brown, take it off the heat. Make sure you get all the brown bits at the bottom of the pot. That’s the good stuff!

2. Gradually add the dry ingredients. This will make sure the flour is fully incorporated which will avoid a dry cookie.

3. Do not skip chill time. It’s really important for helping these cookies maintain their shape in the oven.

Tools You’ll Need

Stand Mixer/ two large bowls

Whisk

Large pot

Large knife

Cutting board

Silicon spatula

Cookie sheet

Parchment paper

Cookie scoop

Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Ingredients

Here is everything you need to make these Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Cup Cookies.

Dry Ingredients

All-purpose flour (173g)

Baking Powder (1/2 tsp)

Baking soda (1/2 tsp)

Salt (1 tsp)

Wet Ingredients

Granulated sugar (112g)

Brown sugar (47g)

Vanilla extract (1 tsp)

One Egg

Chocolate chips (1/3 cup)

Peanut butter cups (7)

Salted Caramel Ingredients

Granulated sugar (200g)

Butter (45g)

Heavy Cream (120ml)

Salt (1 tsp) – I prefer this salt or flaky salt

How to Make Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

1. Prep Ingredients

In a large bowl, add flour (173g), baking powder (1/2 tsp), baking soda (1/2 tsp), and salt (1 tsp). Whisk together and set aside.

Chop up chocolate chips and peanut butter cups and set aside.

2. Brown the Butter

Cut one stick of butter (115g) into cubes and add it to a pot over low-medium heat.

As the butter starts melting, keep whisking the butter. Do not walk away from the pot.

Tip: As the butter continues to cook, you will see white dots start to bubble to the surface. Those are milk solids from the butter. Continue whisking until those dots turn brown because whisking helps to prevent burning.

Once the butter is browned, remove from the heat and add to your mixing bowl.

Tip: Before adding the wet ingredients, wait until the butter is back to room temperature before adding the wet ingredients so your eggs don’t cook when you add them to the bowl. To speed up that process, fill a bowl with ice water and place the bottom of your mixing bowl in the water for about 3 – 5 minutes.

3. Make the Dough

Once the butter in your mixing bowl doesn’t feel hot anymore, add your granulated sugar (112g) and brown sugar (47g) to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed for about one minute.

Next, add the vanilla extract (1 tsp) and one egg to the mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes until the wet ingredients form a pale yellow color.

Then, on a low speed, gradually start adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until everything is well combined.

Finally, fold in the chopped up chocolate chips and peanut butter cups with a silicone spatula until well combined.

4. Scoop and Chill

Take a medium sized cookie scoop and scoop the cookie dough into an airtight container to chill.

Tip: Ideally you would freeze these overnight, but you can chill them for one hour if you need them same day.

After the cookies have chilled, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your cookie sheet with parchment paper.

5. Bake and Enjoy

Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 10-13 minutes depending on how hot your oven is.

Allow the cookies to cool for at least 5 minutes before enjoying.

You can totally enjoy these as is, but they taste even better with salted caramel on top.

6. Make the Salted Caramel Sauce

Tip: Prep all of your ingredients ahead of time. This process goes by fast.

Add granulated sugar (200g) to a large pot on medium heat and occasionally stir until the sugar starts melting. Do not leave the pot.

Once the sugar starts melting, add in your butter (45g) and start whisking. The butter and sugar should start boiling immediately. Bring the heat down to low and let it simmer for about one minute.

While whisking, gradually add your heavy cream. Continue whisking until everything comes together into a thick, creamy sauce.

Whisk in your salt, take it off the heat, and add to a jar or something with a spout. This will make it easier to drizzle the caramel onto the cookies.

Allow the caramel to cool for about 3 – 5 minutes and then add it on top of the cookies. Enjoy!

How to Store the Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Cookie Dough:

• Freezer – You can store the cookie dough in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
• Fridge – The cookie dough can be stored in the fridge for 5 – 7 days.

Cookies (baked):

• Freezer – You can store the baked cookies in the freezer without the caramel sauce for up to one month.
• Fridge – You can store the baked cookies in the fridge with or without the caramel sauce for up to 5 dayss

Caramel Sauce:

• Freezer – You can store the caramel sauce in the freezer for up to 2 – 3 months after it has fully cooled.
• Fridge – Homemade caramel sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 – 2 weeks in an airtight container.
• Counter – I don’t recommend leaving the caramel sauce or cookies with the caramel sauce on the counter since there is dairy in it.

If you try out these Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Cup Cookies, please rate it and leave a comment below. This helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to make. Also, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @goldenhourgrains so I can see what you’re making!

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