Cooking with Ease: Holiday hug in a cookie

Rockwall, TX (November 25, 2024) – As we step into the holiday season, there’s something truly magical about reconnecting with the simple joys that make this time of year so special. This season is all about slowing down to savor those cozy, heartwarming moments with family and friends—the kind of moments that turn into cherished memories.

I have often shared that some of my fondest childhood memories were made in the kitchen. My mom did so much baking during the holidays. She sent goodies with my dad to work; she gave them to her friends at church, the mailman, her hairstylist, and so many others. It was a good day if you got a holiday treat from our kitchen.

I have thought of my dad so many times these past few weeks. He loved the holidays, and I miss him so much. There’s nothing quite like gathering in a kitchen filled with the aroma of holiday baking and laughter echoing through the room, but there is also space for a quiet moment alone to reflect on holidays long gone.

Whichever you choose, this is a recipe that always brings a smile: classic Peanut Butter Cup Cookies. With a soft, peanut buttery base and that irresistible peanut butter cup on top, it’s a treat that feels like a warm hug from the past and a sweet promise for the future. Baking these cookies is more than just a holiday tradition; it’s a way of sharing love, creating memories, and embracing the season. It is also very easy.

So, let’s embrace the joy of baking together, sharing these little bites of sweetness with the ones we hold dear. Here’s to filling our kitchens—and our hearts—with the warmth and love of the season, one Peanut Butter Cup Cookie at a time.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg Betty Crocker peanut butter cookie mix
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1 egg
• 1 pkg miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

• Prepare 24 count mini muffin tin with non stick spray and set aside.
• Prepare cookie dough as directed on package.
• Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place each into a greased mini muffin tin.
• Bake for 8 minutes. While cookies are baking, unwrap 24 Reese’s cups and set aside.
• Remove from oven and immediately press a peanut butter cup into each cookie.
• Let cool and carefully remove from pan. You can use a butter knife to help remove the cookies.

Melissa Tate is a home cook and writer with a passion for hospitality, food gifts, and fine, locally-produced fare.Along with writing, cooking, and creating care packages, she helps her husband run their working horse and cattle ranch, Tate Farms here in Rockwall County. She is currently writing her first cookbook with a New York based literary agent. You can find more of her work at melissatatetx.com and on Instagram & Facebook at @melissatatetx.

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