Easy Peanut Butter Cup Eyeball Cookies

Ditch the fancy decorating - these easy Peanut Butter Cup Eyeball Cookies are easy to make with the kids! After baking, simply press a miniature white peanut butter cup and M&M into the top of each one for a spooky (but cute!) Halloween cookie idea. 

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Ever since I was little, these peanut butter cup cookies have been a staple in our family's Christmas baking. The base recipe is huge and while it makes 5-6 dozen, the final yield is more like 4 dozen after the cookie-robbing siblings would raid the cooling rack. For that very reason (and #calories, I guess), we usually reserve making these peanut butter cup cookies for holidays.

But since I'll be back in Iowa for a few weeks later this month, I figured I'd get a little creative and turn these into a spooky little Halloween treat that I can freeze then pawn off to the college-aged siblings when I go home.

Materials

Cookie Recipe (below)

Food Marker (Black)

Green M&M's

Mini White Peanut Butter Cups

How to Make these Easy Eyeball Cookies:

Step 1: Mix, Scoop Dough, and Bake

After mixing up the peanut butter cookie dough, scoop 1 tablespoon-sized balls into a mini muffin tin and bake according to instructions in the recipe below.

Step 2: Press in Reeses Cup

Immediately after removing from the oven, press a miniature white peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie.

Step 3: Press in Green M&M to Center

After a few minutes, the chocolate of the peanut butter cup will start to melt. Once this happens, gently press a green M&M into the top of each one with the "M" logo side facing down.

Step 4: Refrigerate

Place pan in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to help the chocolate re-harden.

Step 5: Draw Dot with Food Marker

Once fully cooled, use a black edible food pen to draw a dot onto the top of each M&M for the pupil.

Lastly, remove the cookies from the pan and serve! These cookies also freeze super well and (in my opinion) are even better half frozen. So they would be great to make ahead! My only suggestion is that if you are freezing, you may want to wait to draw on the black dot until they are completely thawed. Otherwise, the food coloring might smear from the condensation that occurs during thawing.

Step 6: Gift

Want to gift these eyeball cookies for class treats, Halloween parties, or coworker goodie bags? Print off these free printable Halloween treat bag toppers to help you package the cookies in style!

Easy Peanut Butter Cup Eyeball Cookies

Ditch the fancy decorating - these easy Peanut Butter Cup Eyeball Cookies are easy to make with the kids! After baking, simply press a miniature white peanut butter cup and M&M into the top of each one for a spooky (but cute!) Halloween cookie idea.

5 from 3 votes

Print Rate

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 5 .5-6 dozen

By: Melissa Rose

Ingredients

• ¾ cup butter, softened i.e. 1 ½ sticks
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Topping:

• 6 dozen mini Reeses Peanut Butter cups
• Green M&M's
• Black Edible Food Marker

Get Recipe Ingredients

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Instructions

• In a large bowl, cream together softened butter (¾ cup, i.e., 1 ½ sticks), peanut butter (1 cup), light brown sugar (1 cup), and granulated sugar (1 cup) with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add in vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) and eggs (2 large) and continue to mix for 10 seconds.
• Add baking soda (1 ½ teaspoons) and mix on low speed for 10 seconds. Add all-purpose flour (2 ½ cups) and continue to mix until all flour is incorporated.
• Scoop & roll dough into 1 tablespoon sized balls and place each in a greased, mini muffin tin.
• Bake at 350℉ for 8 minutes. Remove from oven, and immediately press one mini Reeses peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie.
• After a few minutes, the chocolate of the peanut butter cup will start to melt. Once this happens, gently press a green M&M into the top of each one with the "M" logo side facing down.
• Place pan in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to help the chocolate re-harden.
• Once fully cooled, use a black edible food pen to draw a dot onto the top of each M&M for the pupil.
• Allow to cool before removing from the cookies from the pan.
• If not serving immediately, store in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for long-term storing.

Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.

Nutrition

Calories: 126kcal

So what do you think? Easy enough to make with the kids, right!? I'm really working to shift the projects, ideas, and recipes on this blog to be even easier and approachable than ever before. So I would love to hear if these will be making your Halloween baking list!

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