Table of Contents
- What could be better than a candy bar in a cookie?
- Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.
- Here’s how to make this recipe.
- These pro tips will make this recipe a success.
- Frequently asked questions about this recipe.
- You'll love these other cookie recipes.
- Watch how to make this recipe.
- Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
- Candy Bar Cookies Recipe
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Candy bar cookies are just as delicious as they sound. A simple buttery soft peanut butter dough is prepared, and a mini candy bar is stuffed inside. Once baked, the cookie envelops the candy bar and becomes the best treat you’ll ever eat. These will go fast, and everyone loves them at Christmastime!
What could be better than a candy bar in a cookie?
Cookies and Christmas: they’re just a perfect combination! Cookies are more than just a Christmas treat. Recipes we use at Christmas create food memories that transform into traditions. These candy bar cookies were always baked at Christmas when I was growing up. This dough is a simple peanut butter cookie. Instead of giving a criss-cross pattern to the cookies, they are pressed flat and formed around a bite-sized candy bar. During baking, the candy bar melts slightly and flattens. The cookie encases the candy bar and becomes crisp around the edges. The result: a perfect special occasion cookie that takes no time but is always a crowd-pleaser.
Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.
- Brown sugar has a molasses flavor and adds a bit of “chew” to the cookie. Brown sugar has the ability to give a crisp but tender texture to the cookie.
- Peanut butter is an essential component of a peanut butter cookie. Opt for a smooth version of peanut butter for the best cookie consistency. This is not the time to use all-natural peanut butter, which could affect the texture. Instead, use the traditional types.
- Mini candy bars are the perfect size to bake in the middle of the cookie. Any type of bite-sized bar can be used. I find snickers are the best flavor to use with this dough.
- Sanding sugar is a simple way to transform an otherwise mundane cookie into a holiday-themed cookie. You can use it or leave it off per your preference.
Here’s how to make this recipe.
- Cream the butter and sugars. In the stand of an electric mixer, add the room-temperature butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Mix until the butter and sugars are combined and are light and fluffy. Then scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Add the eggs, peanut butter, and dry ingredients. To the stand mixer with the butter and sugars, add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between each addition. Scape down the sides of the mixing bowl to ensure the mixture is evenly combined. Then add in the peanut butter and vanilla extract and combine with the eggs and sugar. Then add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix until fully incorporated.
- Prepare each cookie. Once the dough is mixed, scoop the dough into 1 tablespoon size rounds. Roll each round into a uniform ball shape, then flatten it into a circle approximately 2 inches in diameter. Add 1 mini candy bar to each circle of dough and fold the sides of the dough up around the candy bar. Roll into a circular shape once more, dip in sanding sugar (if desired), and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until all of the dough is used.
- Bake the cookies. Place the cookies in the preheated 350F oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the cookies are puffed and lightly golden brown. Once baked, remove and let cool on a cooling rack before serving.
These pro tips will make this recipe a success.
- Make sure to cream the butter and sugar for long enough. Depending on the softness of the butter, this can take anywhere from three to five minutes.
- While preparing the cookie dough, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl. This will ensure that all dough ingredients are being combined evenly and prevent weird oddball cookies once baked.
- Once the dough has been fully mixed on the stand mixer, make sure to mix it by hand a few times. This will ensure that if any ingredients were caught in the bottom of the mixing bowl, they will be incorporated before the cookies are formed.
- Place the cookie on the baking sheet with the candy bar right-side up to get the best-looking cookie. As you’re rolling the dough after adding the mini candy bar, simply feel for the orientation of the candy bar inside and place the bottom on the baking sheet.
Frequently asked questions about this recipe.
I opt for Snickers mini-size candy bars, but Milky Way and Three Musketeer candy bars will also work. There are multiple different candy bars out there that come in this size, so opt for one that’s your favorite and has a solid chocolate exterior.
Anything can be mixed by hand if you have enough elbow grease. The important part is to cream the butter and sugars until they are light and fluffy. This can be hard to do by hand and will take more time.
No, the cookies do not need to be rolled in sanding sugar. Chopped nuts could be used instead, or nothing at all. The overall flavor will be the same, no matter the exterior coating.
Yes, any smooth nut or seed butter can be used. The texture could change depending on the butter’s processing.
Yes, the dough can be made a few days in advance and kept in the refrigerator or frozen. This way, the dough can be thawed to room temperature right before the cookies are prepared, cutting down on the preparation time.
For optimal flavor, if the cookies are not going to be used after they cool, freeze them in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
Watch how to make this recipe.
More Christmas cookie recipes
Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies
Candy Bar Cookies
Chocolate Waffle Cookies
Christmas Sugar Cookies
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
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Candy Bar Cookies
Ingredients
- 16 tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 60 mini-size candy bars (I use Snickers)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugars until light, fluffy, and well blended. This takes 3-5 minutes. Once light and fluffy, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated. Add the peanut butter and vanilla extract and mix.16 tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined with no dry streaks remaining.3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp kosher salt
- Use a ½-oz cookie scoop or 1 tbsp measuring spoon to form dough balls. Flatten slightly and place a bite-size candy bar in the center. Form dough around the candy bar, ensuring the entire candy bar is encased. Roll in sanding sugar, colored or not, then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes per pan. Cookies will flatten and crack slightly around the edges but still be soft.60 mini-size candy bars (I use Snickers)
- Remove from the oven and cool for five minutes on the pan, then cool completely on rack.
Notes
- This recipe can easily be halved if 60 cookies is too many. Simply reduce all ingredients by half.
- Make sure to cream the butter and sugar for long enough. Depending on the softness of the butter, this can take anywhere from three to five minutes.
- While preparing the cookie dough, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl. This will ensure that all dough ingredients are being combined evenly and prevent weird oddball cookies once baked.
- Once the dough has been fully mixed on the stand mixer, make sure to mix it by hand a few times. This will ensure that if any ingredients were caught in the bottom of the mixing bowl, they will be incorporated before the cookies are formed.
- Place the cookie on the baking sheet with the candy bar right-side up to get the best-looking cookie. As you’re rolling the dough after adding the mini candy bar, simply feel for the orientation of the candy bar inside and place the bottom on the baking sheet.
These cookies are a delicious addition to my Christmas cookie platter! I followed Kaleb’s video and used mini Snickers for the center and rolled each cookie in a mixture of white and red sanding sugar. We love the taste of the peanut butter cookie together with the Snickers! They are a little on the sweet side so the next time I make them I will only dip the tops in the sanding sugar. They also freeze really well (I have a container of them in the freezer and this morning snuck two out to have with my coffee – they were just as good as the day I made them!)
I just made a half batch, and they are still cooling. My daughter already had one and pronounced them very good! They are a tad fiddly to make, but i’m pretty sure the grandchildren are going to enjoy them at our Christmas Eve Feast this year and I’ll be adding them to the required Christmas cookie list. I’ll hide them in the freezer until then, or they won’t last! They will be pretty on the cookie tray.
YUM! I swapped the nut butter with cookie butter as I’ve got a family member who doesn’t like peanut butter, crazy right? Still delicious!
Huge hit for the cookie exchange!
Used mini snickers, milky ways, 3 musketeers