Reese's Chocolate Cookies are soft and chewy and go perfectly with a glass of milk. These chocolate cake mix cookies are easy to make and packed with Reese's Pieces and peanut butter cups. They disappear quickly, so make a second batch immediately!
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Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies
I love the combination of peanut butter and chocolate! Over the years, I have used Reese's in so many recipes. A few of our favorites are chocolate peanut butter pie, peanut butter brownies, and peanut butter cup cupcakes.
This week, I made these chocolate cookies with Reese's. They definitely need to be on your baking plans this week. With their incredible peanut butter flavor, this recipe is for true chocolate peanut butter lovers!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
You need these chocolate cake mix cookies if you are a chocolate and peanut butter fan! They are rich, decadent, and loaded with peanut butter goodness. Trust me. You will fall in love after that first bite.
- Semi-homemade. Make these chocolate Reese's Pieces cookies with a chocolate cake mix. They are easy to make, and then they stay soft for days.
- Peanut butter flavor. These cookies are perfect for peanut butter lovers. They are packed with peanut butter chips, Reese's pieces, and peanut butter cups.
- Perfect texture. After chilling the dough, the cookies come out with the ideal thickness and soft, chewy texture.
Key Ingredients
These peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are great because you only need a few ingredients, and half of them are candy.
FYI: Save this recipe because it is a great way to use leftover Halloween candy!
- Dark Chocolate Cake Mix - The dry cake mix is the chocolate cookie base for the dough.
- Unsalted Butter - Let your butter sit at room temperature until completely soft.
- Egg - This will bind the dough together and give it a gentle rise.
- Cream Cheese - Softened cream cheese will hold the cookie dough, while the tanginess will reduce sweetness.
- Mix-Ins - We add peanut butter chips, peanut butter cups, and Reese's Pieces because it makes these pudding cookies taste like peanut butter.
BruCrew Tip: If you love Reese's, try these Reese's peanut butter cookies or this peanut butter puppy chow.
How to Make Reese's Chocolate Cookies
The dough for these chocolate Reese's cookies comes together in a few minutes. The hardest part is waiting for the dough to chill so you can bake and eat a soft cookie.
- Make the dough. Mix the cake mix, butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and egg in a large mixing bowl until a soft dough forms.
- Add the mixins. Gently stir in the peanut butter chips, Reese's Pieces, and Reese's PB cup pieces to prevent them from breaking apart.
- Refrigerate the dough. Place the bowl in the fridge and chill the cookie dough for at least 60 minutes.
- Roll and bake. Roll the dough into 24 even balls. I like to use a cookie scoop to do this easily. Place 12 on an ungreased cookie sheet and press extra candy on the top of the dough balls before baking.
BruCrew Tip: Adding extra candy to cookie dough balls creates a bakery-style appearance.
Storage Recommendations
In the Refrigerator - Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
In the Freezer - Once your cookies have completely cooled, layer them in a large freezer bag. To prevent them from sticking together, wrap each cookie in plastic wrap or place parchment paper between the layers.
Freeze the cookies for 1-2 months. When you're ready to serve, thaw them on the counter.
Tips and Tricks
- Chill the dough. Chilling the dough for at least 60 minutes before baking will improve its texture and shape.
- Use a cookie scoop. This will ensure that the dough balls are all the same size.
- Do not overbake. They will look underdone when you take them out of the oven. Trust the process because these cookies set up after they cool.
- Let them cool. Cake mix cookies have the best texture after they have cooled completely.
Variations
- Use chocolate chunks or chips - For double chocolate cookies, skip the peanut butter chips and use either dark chocolate chips or chunks. The dark, bittersweet chocolate keeps the cookies from becoming too sweet.
- Hide a full peanut butter cup - Press the dough ball flat, then add the mini Reeses cup and press the dough around it.
- Reese's Ice Cream Sandwiches - Add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream between two cookies. Press them down gently, then roll the edges in chopped peanuts or crushed Reese's pieces. Freeze on a tray for a delicious ice cream sandwich!
- Try another cake mix - Although I love dark chocolate cookies, you could easily use another type of cake mix. Try Devil's Food, German Chocolate, Vanilla, or Red Velvet for a different flavor.
FAQs
Chill the dough before baking these peanut butter chocolate cookies. By doing so, you'll end up with puffy and chewy cookies instead of ones that are flat and spread too much.
This chocolate cookie recipe makes 24 cookies. You can also scoop the dough into 36 small dough balls and bake them for 9 minutes.
Yes, this recipe works with any flavor cake mix.
More Cake Mix Cookie Recipes
- Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
- Cookies and Cream Cookies
- Rolo Cookies
- Fluffernutter Cookies
- Peppermint Oreo Cookies
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Recipe
Reese’s Chocolate Cookies
Reese's Chocolate Cookies are soft and chewy and go perfectly with a glass of milk. These chocolate cake mix cookies are easy to make and packed with Reese's Pieces and peanut butter cups. They disappear quickly, so make a second batch immediately!
Ingredients
- 1 dark chocolate cake mix
- 8 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup peanut butter chips
- 1 cup Reese's Pieces, divided
- 1 ½ cups halved Reese's Peanut Butter Cup minis
Instructions
- Beat together the cake mix, butter, cream cheese, and egg until a soft dough forms.
- Gently stir in the peanut butter chips, ¾ cup Reese's Pieces, and 1 cup Reese's PB cup pieces. Refrigerate the dough 1-2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Scoop the dough into 24 balls.
- Press a few extra Reese's Pieces and peanut butter cup halves on the top of the dough balls. Place 12 on a cookie sheet and the other 12 back in the fridge.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Remove the pan from the oven and let the cookies rest on the hot cookie sheet for 2 minutes.
- Move to parchment paper on the counter to cool completely. Tap the tops of the cookies with the bottom of a flat spatula to flatten them out slightly, if needed.
- Bake the remaining cookie dough balls. Let the cookies cool completely, then store them in a tightly sealed container on the counter.
Notes
- Chill the dough. You'll get a much better texture and shape if you chill the dough for at least 60 minutes before baking.
- Use a cookie scoop. This will ensure that the dough balls are all the same size.
- Do not overbake. They will look underdone when you take them out of the oven. Trust the process because these cookies set up after they cool.
- Let them cool. Cake mix cookies have the best texture after they have cooled completely.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 211Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 157mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 1gSugar: 14gProtein: 4g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
*This post was first published in September 2014. It was updated and then republished in January 2024.
Krystle(Baking Beauty)
First time visiting since your re-design it looks amazing!
These cookies look amazing too, so perfect for Halloween!
Chels+R.
I was just telling Josh last night that I need to start making cookies more often so I can add them to his lunches. These are going on my list!
Ginger
I've made a version of cake mix cookies for years, but I've never seen them with cream cheese! What's not to love? I'll be making these soon!
Michele @ Two Raspberries
Chocolate and peanut butter, what could be better! I absolutely love the color combo here, the candy pieces add such a pop of color! Gorgeous 😉
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Michele! 🙂