Chewy Reese's Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Do I ever have a treat for you! Or would you rather prefer a trick? I'm better at treats, so let's stick with that! I've turned my favourite oatmeal cookie into a fun and festive treat gleaming with orange and black for Halloween and loaded with peanut butter flavour. These Chewy Reese's Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies are such a treat!

What's great about these oatmeal cookies?

They're THICK and CHEWY.

They're packed with oats.

They're full of peanut butter flavour!

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ROLLED OATS AND QUICK OATS?

Large flake (regular) rolled oats will stand out more in the dough in pieces and add chunky texture. Since there isn't too much liquid in cookie dough, they won't hydrate dramatically (as much as they would in a cake batter or banana bread).

Quick oats or minute oats are further processed and broken down so that they absorb moisture more readily and cook faster (hence the name "quick" oats), but this means they will also bind moisture in your dough almost immediately before you bake. The plus side is that it can make really chewy cookies if used in the right amount and they will bake right into the dough and be a part of the cookie instead of just being an inclusion.

WHAT TYPE OF OATS TO USE IN REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL COOKIES?

Oats are a moisture suck!

They have so much water binding capacity thanks to their high soluble fiber content. Oats contain a soluble fiber called beta-glucan which is what makes oatmeal have a thick and slimy consistency, and beta glucan also has so many health benefits!

These fibers will absorb so much of whatever liquid is in your dough or batter as it bakes. In the case of these cookies, almost all of the moisture comes from egg (which isn't much), so if there are too many oats, the cookies can be dry and crumbly.

Depending on what type of texture you are after, you can use either kind, but just be aware that you will likely need less quick oats compared to large flake rolled oats since they absorb more moisture.

For this recipe I like large flake rolled oats because it gives these cookies a nice chunky and hearty texture.

I've combined the flavour of peanut butter with white chocolate which is one of my favourite combinations! I mostly bake with dark chocolate, but when it comes to white chocolate, I love to pair it with something slightly salty and savoury to contrast it's sweet milkiness.

Mini Reese's pieces add to the peanut butter flavour and of course they make these perfect for Halloween! Drizzle with a bit of dark chocolate and you're all set!

Reese's Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Christina Marsigliese

Chunky and chewy peanut butter oatmeal cookies with white chocolate chunks and dark chocolate drizzle.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Servings 20 cookies

Ingredients

  

• 6 tablespoon 84g unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup 110g packed light brown sugar
• ⅓ cup 65g granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup 80ml smooth peanut butter
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cups 125g large flake rolled oats
• ¾ cup 105g all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup 70g white chocolate chunks
• ½ cup 100g mini Reese's pieces
• 3 oz 85g melted dark chocolate for drizzling

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Beat butter with both sugars in a large bowl using a wide spatula or hand mixer for 1-2 minutes until smooth and a bit fluffy - it will look like wet sand. Mix in peanut butter. Beat in egg and vanilla until well incorporated. Mix in rolled oats and set aside.
• Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl, then whisk to blend evenly. Add it to the creamed butter mixture and stir it in until mostly combined. Add white chocolate chunks and Reese's pices and fold them through until evenly incorporated.
• Roll heaped tablespoons of dough into balls and place them onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Flatten each dough ball with the palm of your hand or bottom of a measuring cup and bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden around the edges, yet still soft in the center. Let cookies cool for 3 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer individually to a wire rack to finish cooling. Drizzle with melted dark chocolate.