Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups

I took these pictures last Christmas, believe it or not. I made these treats as part of the little Christmas gifts I took to work and to some other friends. They were fast, easy, and extremely yummy. And then I never posted the recipe!

This week, a friend of mine asked me for the recipe, so I dug it up and decided to share it with you today. These are little bite-sized desserts that would be great at an open house or game day party or carry in at work, even. (Hmmm...maybe our next carry in...you can have chocolate chips for breakfast, right?)

The Recipe

1 roll refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
36 miniature peanut butter cups

Form 1 inch balls of cookie dough and press them in the bottom of a greased mini-muffin pan. Bake for 11-13 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and immediately place a peanut butter cup in the center of the cookie. Let cool at least ten minutes and carefully remove from pan.

I used chocolate chip cookie dough, but you could use any other flavor you like. Peanut butter, sugar cookie, whatever fits your needs. I normally buy store brand dough but they didn't have any that day, so I bought the brand name. I was excited that Wal-Mart sold bags of their own peanut butter cups (because those get pricey) and they tasted just as good as the "real" ones!

My mini-muffin pan is from Pampered Chef, and it's a good one! It still doesn't seem to have sticking issues, but I sprayed it just to be safe - and then I put in the cookie dough!

Looked about like this once I got them "filled." Don't fill them to the top. They will overflow as they bake.

Very important step...DO NOT FORGET TO TAKE OFF THE WRAPPERS!!

In fact, taking off the wrappers is a good project to do during the baking. When the cookies finish baking - they look like this.

And you just put the peanut butter cup right down in the middle. Smash it in good!

You'll see it gets kind of melty looking. I learned the hard way that if you don't let it cool for a while (I think I gave it even a half hour), you might have issues with the cookie sides crumbling and a peanut butter mess everywhere. (Which of course, just means you have to eat it...)

So good! Enjoy!