Sweet and Salty Peanut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Dive into a mouthwatering blend of textures and flavors that make these sweet and salty peanut chocolate chunk cookies irresistible!

I simply cannot resist sweet and salty desserts. And these sweet and salty peanut chocolate chunk cookies are a delightful journey through a land of contrasting flavors and textures, marrying the rich, gooeyness of chocolate chunks with the crunchy, savory goodness of roasted peanuts, all wrapped up in a crispy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside cookie that’s impossible to resist.

Why You’ll Love This Peanut Chocolate Chunk Cookies Recipe

• Perfectly balanced flavors. The delightful interplay of sweet and salty ensures every bite is an exquisite balance of flavors. It’s like a dance of tastes in your mouth that you don’t want to end!
• Chewy meets crunchy. Imagine biting into the chewy goodness of a freshly baked cookie, then hitting the satisfying crunch of roasted peanuts. It’s a texture adventure that’ll keep you coming back for more.
• Easy to make. With simple ingredients and straightforward steps, these cookies come together in a snap. But don’t let their simplicity fool you; the flavors are sophisticated and memorable.

What You’ll Need

• Peanuts – I like unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts for these cookies.
• All-purpose flour – Measure by weight or use the spoon and sweep method. Learn more: How to Measure Flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar – You can use either light or dark brown sugar here.
• Unsalted butter – Let the butter soften until it’s almost to room temperature. Learn more: How to Soften Butter
• Vanilla extract – Store-bought or homemade
• Egg – Set out the egg along with the butter to allow it to come to room temperature.
• Chocolate chunks – Semisweet chocolate works well in these cookies. You can substitute chocolate chips if you prefer.
• Coarse salt – The larger size salt flakes give you little salty flavor bursts in the cookies. If you’d like to use a different kind of salt, see my Baker’s Guide to Salt for substitution suggestions.

How to Make Peanut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

• Prepare for baking. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
• Toast the peanuts. Spread the peanuts in a small baking pan. Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly toasted.
• Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
• Mix the wet ingredients. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy and lightened in color. Add the vanilla and egg, and mix until combined.
• Finish mixing. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix just until combined or a few small streaks of flour remain. Stir in the peanuts, chocolate chunks, and salt. If you like, set aside some peanuts and chocolate chunks to top the cookies
• Portion and bake. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared pan, leaving about 2 inches between the cookies. If you reserved any peanuts and chocolate for topping the cookies, add those to the tops of the cookies. Bake one pan at a time for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
• Cool. Place the pans on wire racks, and allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cookies from the pans to a wire rack to cool completely.

How to Store

After the cookies have cooled, place them in an airtight container and store at room temperature up to 3 days.

Can These Cookies Be Frozen?

Yes, you can freeze these cookies either before or after baking them.

To freeze the cookie before baking, scoop the dough onto a rimmed baking sheet. You can place the dough balls close together but not touching. Freeze until solid (about 3 to 4 hours), and then transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container or storage bag. When you’re ready to bake, there’s no need to thaw them. Bake according to the recipe’s directions, adding a couple of minutes to the bake time.

To freeze the baked cookies, first make sure they’re completely cooled. Then place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container or storage bag. Properly stored, the cookies should keep in the freezer up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

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