🍪 Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups 🥣
Ingredients:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions:
Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin thoroughly or line it with cupcake liners for easy removal.
Mix the Base: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the peanut butter, softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer.
Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. The mixture will become lighter in color and texture.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Fold in Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in the chocolate chips using a spatula, ensuring they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Portion and Shape: Divide the dough evenly among the 12 muffin cups, about 1 ½ tablespoons per cup. Use your fingers or the back of a spoon to press the dough flat into the bottom and slightly up the sides of each cup, creating a small well.
Bake to Perfection: Bake in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are set. Avoid overbaking to maintain a soft texture.
Cool and Serve: Allow the cookie cups to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy as-is or fill the centers with additional peanut butter or melted chocolate for an extra indulgent treat.