Good News for Gluten-Free Bakers!

One of the best things about baking with Reese’s is how clear the Hershey company is about gluten-free labeling. Hershey does an excellent job indicating which of their products are gluten-free, making it easier for those with dietary restrictions to enjoy their favorite treats. You can always check their website, which features helpful filters for dietary needs, or look for the “gluten-free” designation near the nutrition facts on the packaging.

For this specific recipe, rest assured that all the Reese’s goodies we use are indeed gluten-free:

• Reese’s Miniature Cups or Reese’s Minis Unwrapped are Gluten-Free!
• Reese’s Pieces are Gluten-Free!
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips are Gluten-Free!

This allows us to create these gloriously loaded cookies with confidence, knowing every component is safe for gluten-free diets.

How to Bake the Best Gluten-Free Reese’s Cookies: A Step-by-Step Guide

For precise ingredient measurements and a printable version, please refer to the detailed recipe card at the bottom of this page.

1. Preheat Your Oven & Prepare Baking Sheets: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. This preparation allows you to rotate between cool and hot baking sheets, which helps cookies bake more evenly and prevents excessive spreading.
2. Beat the Cold Butter: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cold butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Continue until the butter becomes light in color and takes on a creamy, smooth texture.
3. Cream Butter & Sugars Together: Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is well-incorporated. Add both the light brown sugar and granulated sugar to the creamy butter. Beat for another 2-3 minutes on medium speed. The mixture should become noticeably lighter, fluffier, and smoother, indicating that air has been properly incorporated. This step is crucial for the cookies’ texture.
4. Incorporate Eggs, Vanilla, and Peanut Butter: Add the large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract. Finally, add the creamy peanut butter and mix on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage.
5. Add the Dry Ingredients: Once more, scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer stopped, add the gluten-free flour blend, salt, baking soda, and baking powder to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed for just a few seconds, until the dry ingredients are mostly incorporated but you can still see some floury patches. Overmixing flour can lead to tough cookies.
6. Gently Fold in the Mix-Ins: Set aside a small handful of each of the Reese’s cups, Reese’s Pieces, peanut butter chips, and chocolate chips. These will be used for topping the cookies later for a beautiful presentation. Add the remaining chopped Reese’s cups, Reese’s Pieces, peanut butter chips, and dark chocolate chips to the dough. Mix on very low speed or gently fold by hand until just combined, ensuring no dry flour streaks remain.
7. Scoop & Bake to Perfection: Using a large cookie scoop (a 4-Tablespoon scoop works well for jumbo cookies), portion out 6 cookies onto one of your prepared baking sheets, leaving ample space between them. Bake for 10-12 minutes. The cookies are ready when their edges appear lightly golden and set, but their centers still look slightly underdone and soft. Remember, cookies continue to cook as they cool on the hot baking sheet, so avoid over-baking to prevent them from becoming dry.
8. Finish & Cool Completely: As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, immediately press the reserved mix-ins onto their warm tops for an extra visual appeal and flavor boost. If desired, use a large, circular cookie cutter (larger than the cookie itself) to gently “coax” the warm cookies into perfectly round shapes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They will firm up as they cool. Repeat the baking process with the remaining cookie dough, alternating between your two baking sheets for best results.

Essential Cookie Baking Tips for Perfect Results Every Time

Even the most experienced bakers can benefit from a few tried-and-true tips. Here are some of our best recommendations to ensure your gluten-free Reese’s cookies turn out absolutely perfect, refining your technique and guaranteeing deliciousness:

• Master the Art of Measuring Flour: Precision in measuring flour is paramount, especially in gluten-free baking. Too much flour can lead to dry, crumbly cookies, while too little can make them spread excessively. For the most accurate results, we highly recommend weighing your flour with a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, use the “scoop and level” method: gently spoon the gluten-free flour blend into your measuring cup until it overflows, then level it off with the back of a knife without packing it down. Avoid scooping directly from the bag, as this compacts the flour and results in using too much. Learn more with our guide on how to measure flour correctly.
• Achieve Perfectly Round Cookies with a Simple Trick: For bakery-worthy, beautifully round cookies, here’s a secret used by professional bakers: immediately after removing the hot cookies from the oven, use a large round cookie cutter (one that’s slightly larger than your baked cookie) or the back of a spoon to gently “coax” the edges inward and shape them into perfect circles. This quick step while the cookies are still warm and pliable makes all the difference! See this amazing trick in action here.
• Test Your Leavening Agents for Optimal Rise: Baking soda and baking powder are crucial for the texture of your cookies. If they’re old or inactive, your cookies won’t rise properly. Before you begin, quickly test them: mix a spoonful of baking soda with a little vinegar or lemon juice (it should fizz vigorously). For baking powder, mix a spoonful with hot water (it should also fizz). If there’s no reaction, it’s time to replace them! Learn more about how to test your baking soda & baking powder.
• Freeze Cookie Dough for Future Cravings: Don’t want to bake all the cookies at once? This dough freezes beautifully! Scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid (about 1-2 hours). Once frozen, transfer the cookie dough balls to an airtight freezer-safe bag or container. They can be stored for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, simply place the frozen dough balls on a prepared baking sheet and bake for a few extra minutes (usually 2-4 minutes longer than the recipe suggests) without thawing. This is a fantastic way to always have fresh, warm cookies on hand! Get detailed tips on how to freeze cookie dough.
• Room Temperature Eggs: While we use cold butter, having room temperature eggs is still beneficial. Room temperature eggs emulsify more easily with the butter and sugar mixture, creating a smoother dough and a more consistent cookie texture. If you forget to set them out, place them in a bowl of warm (not hot!) water for 5-10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips for Your Best Gluten-Free Reese’s Cookies

We’ve covered the basics, but here are a few more insights to ensure your cookies are nothing short of perfection:

Presentation Perfection: A Trick for Prettier Cookies

Want your homemade cookies to look like they came straight from a gourmet bakery? Set aside a small portion of each mix-in – Reese’s cups, Reese’s Pieces, peanut butter chips, and chocolate chips. Immediately after removing the hot cookies from the oven, gently press these extra mix-ins onto the tops of each cookie. This ensures that every cookie beautifully showcases its delicious contents, making them even more visually appealing before anyone takes a bite! This technique, combined with the large round cookie cutter trick (which you can see in action here), will elevate your cookies’ appearance significantly.

Can I Use Natural Peanut Butter in This Recipe?

While we absolutely adore natural peanut butter for spreading on toast or in smoothies, we highly do not recommend it for these gluten-free Reese’s cookies. Natural peanut butter, which typically separates, has a higher oil content and lacks the stabilizers found in conventional creamy peanut butter spreads (like JIF or Skippy). This difference in composition can cause your cookies to spread too much in the oven, resulting in thin, greasy, and potentially dry cookies. If you only have natural peanut butter on hand and are determined to try it, you might mitigate spreading by thoroughly chilling the dough for at least an hour before baking, but for consistent and delicious results, stick to a no-stir, creamy peanut butter.

For Best Results, Weigh Your Ingredients!

Baking is a science, and precision leads to perfection. Whenever possible, we strongly recommend weighing your ingredients, especially your gluten-free flour, using a digital kitchen scale. Measuring by volume (cups) can be inconsistent, as flour can pack differently depending on how it’s scooped. If you don’t own a digital scale, make sure to use the scoop and level method (spooning flour into the measuring cup and leveling it off) to avoid inadvertently adding too much flour, which can drastically alter the texture of these delightful peanut butter cookies.

Storage Tips for Freshness

Once completely cooled, store your Gluten-Free Reese’s Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the baked cookies for up to 1-2 months. Thaw them at room temperature or warm them slightly in the microwave for a fresh-from-the-oven experience.