Oh my goodness, have I got a treat for you today! There is truly nothing better than that salty, nutty punch of peanut butter meeting that sweet, pillowy cloud of melted marshmallow in one perfect bite. Seriously, these Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies are the definition of comfort food heaven. I spent an entire rainy weekend perfecting the ratios because I needed them to be ridiculously soft and chewy—none of those dry, crumbly cookies allowed in my kitchen!
I first baked a version of these back in college when I needed something quick that tasted like I fussed over it all day. The beauty of this particular recipe is how surprisingly easy they are to pull together, even with the hidden marshmallow center. Trust me, if a tired college student can master folding delicate marshmallows into dough, you definitely can!
Why You Will Love These Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies
Honestly, these cookies are a weeknight miracle. They just hit all the right notes:
- The texture is perfectly soft and wonderfully chewy—they never stay flat!
- That salty-sweet combo is addictive, thanks to the hidden marshmallow center.
- They come together so quickly, especially if you use my little trick mentioned later. You’ll be eating them faster than you think.
Go ahead and treat yourself; you deserve this easy bake sale MVP.
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies
You don’t need a huge ingredient list for magic, just the right stuff! The key here is making sure everything is exactly the temperature and consistency I listed. If your butter is too cold, you won’t get that lovely fluffy creamed sugar base that makes these peanut butter cookies a success.
Here’s exactly what you need for about two dozen perfect cookies. Keep an eye on that peanut butter—creamy is the way to go for the smoothest dough, which is crucial for wrapping those marshmallows!
- One cup of unsalted butter, and I mean softened! Don’t try to melt it, just let it sit out.
- A cup each of white sugar and packed light brown sugar—that brown sugar is essential for chewy goodness!
- Two big eggs and a teaspoon of good vanilla extract.
- A full cup of creamy peanut butter.
- Two and three-quarters cups of regular all-purpose flour.
- Baking soda (one teaspoon) and just half a teaspoon of salt to balance the sweetness.
- And the star attraction: one whole cup of miniature marshmallows. Small ones work best so they hide perfectly!
Pro Tips for Making the Best Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies
Look, sometimes cookie dough fights back, especially when you’re trying to tuck something gooey inside! These little extra steps I’ve learned over the years really stop these Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies from spreading too thin or leaking out their precious centers. Pay attention to the dough temperature; that’s half the battle right there!
Dough Consistency and Chilling for Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies
If you try to wrap marshmallows in room-temperature dough, you’re going to have a sticky, sad mess. I always chill my dough for at least 30 minutes before I even touch the marshmallows. This firms everything up so much, making it way easier to handle and it seriously cuts down on spreading during the bake. It’s worth the wait, I promise!
Marshmallow Sealing Technique
When you wrap the dough around the marshmallow, you need to be diligent! Don’t just pinch the top closed; roll it gently between your palms after enclosing it. You want a smooth, seamless ball so the marshmallow doesn’t escape when it hits the heat. Think of it like tucking in a very sticky baby.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies
Okay, let’s get this dough mixed! First things first: Get your oven warmed up to 350 degrees F (175 C) and make sure you’ve lined those baking sheets with parchment paper. I learned the hard way that trying to peel these warm babies off a bare sheet ends in disaster. Trust me, parchment is your friend here.
Grab your biggest bowl and get that butter, white sugar, and brown sugar creamed together until it looks light and fluffy—that initial creaming is where the texture starts! Then, you’ll beat in those eggs one by one. Make sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next. Follow that up with your vanilla and that full cup of peanut butter. Mix it ’til it’s smooth before moving on.
In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk your flour, baking soda, and salt together so everything is evenly distributed. Then, slowly add your dry stuff to the wet stuff. Don’t overmix! As soon as you stop seeing flour streaks, stop mixing. We want soft cookies, not tough ones.
Now for the fun, slightly tricky part! Scoop a rounded tablespoon of that dough and gently flatten it in your palm. Pop about 10 miniature marshmallows right in the middle. This is where you fold the edges up and over those marshmallows, completely enclosing them. Roll it into a nice ball—remember, the smoother you seal it, the less likely the marshmallow is to ooze out later!
Place those balls about two inches apart on your prepared sheets. Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes. You’re looking for edges that are just starting to look golden brown; they’ll look slightly underdone in the middle—that’s perfect! Let them sit on the hot sheet for five whole minutes before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. If you move them too soon, they might fall apart, so be patient! You can find more great tips on handling your cookie dough right here if you need a refresher!
Storage and Reheating Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies
These cookies actually taste better the day after, I swear! They are best kept in a good, airtight container—maybe even use one with a piece of bread to keep them extra soft if you’re worried about them drying out. Honestly, they stay wonderfully fresh for about three or four days on the counter.
If you’ve got leftovers, I highly recommend reheating them just for a few seconds! Pop one in the microwave for about 10 seconds, and that marshmallow center turns gloriously gooey again. It’s like getting a fresh-baked cookie without waiting! You can find some fun ways to store leftover cookie dough if you happen to have any extras!
Serving Suggestions for Your Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies
Sure, you can definitely just grab one on the go, but why would you want to limit the joy? These gooey pockets of deliciousness are basically begging to be doubled up with something cold.
My favorite thing in the history of the world is dunking one while it’s still slightly warm into a huge, frosty glass of cold whole milk. But if you’re an adult (or just prefer something warmer), try these with a dark roast coffee—the bitterness balances the sweetness perfectly. And don’t even get me started on pairing them with vanilla ice cream. If you’re feeling extra decadent, try dunking them into some homemade frosty!
Frequently Asked Questions About Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies
It’s amazing how many questions pop up once you start baking something new, especially when there’s molten marshmallow involved! People always want to know how to guarantee they end up with super soft cookies rather than a sad, crispy disc. These Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies are meant to be gooey, so let me clear up some of the common concerns I hear about this incredible peanut butter dessert recipe.
Can I use crunchy peanut butter in these Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies?
You certainly *can*, but I really don’t recommend it for this one. Crunchy peanut butter adds texture to the dough, but it makes those little hiding spots for the marshmallows much harder to seal perfectly. You risk the marshmallow oozing out everywhere!
How do I keep my Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies soft?
The best way to keep them soft is to store them in a sealed container with either a slice of plain white bread or a tortilla laid on top. It sounds weird, but they absorb the moisture overnight and keep your cookies perfectly tender for days!
What size should the dough balls be for these marshmallow cookies?
I specify using rounded tablespoons of dough for a reason! You need that volume to completely wrap the marshmallows without stretching the dough too thin. Bigger balls mean better insulation for that gooey center, helping to prevent leaks during the bake time.
Nutritional Estimates for Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies
Now, I know we aren’t making these cookies for their health benefits—they are a total treat! But for anyone curious about what goes into this amazing peanut butter dessert, here are the estimates. Remember these numbers are just guidelines based on the ingredients I used, calculated for one single, beautiful cookie.
Every single cookie comes out to roughly 220 calories. You’ll get about 18 grams of sugar because of those marshmallows, plus 12 grams of fat. Don’t sweat the numbers too much; enjoy the fact that you made something truly spectacular!
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 12g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Share Your Soft Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies Experience
I genuinely hope you whip up a batch of these Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies this week! They are just too good to keep secret. When you try them out, I absolutely need to know how they turned out for you. Did the marshmallow center get perfectly gooey? Did everyone devour them in five minutes flat?
Don’t be shy! Come back here and leave me a rating—five cookies, please! Or tell me your favorite way to eat them in the comments below. If you snap a picture of that gooey goodness, tag me on social media! I love seeing your bakes. Happy baking, friends, and thanks for checking out one of my favorite cookie recipes!
Print
Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies
- Total Time: 32 min
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Simple cookies combining peanut butter flavor with soft marshmallow centers.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup miniature marshmallows
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract and peanut butter.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and flatten slightly in your palm. Place about 10 miniature marshmallows in the center of the dough. Gently fold the dough around the marshmallows to enclose them completely. Reshape into a ball.
- Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For easier handling, chill the dough for 30 minutes before forming the cookies.
- If marshmallows start melting out during baking, gently press the cookie edges together after removing them from the oven.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 12 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: peanut butter cookies, marshmallow cookies, soft cookies, peanut butter dessert