You’ll adore the rich flavor and irresistibly soft texture of these chocolate peanut butter cookies. They’re a delightful treat to whip up and even better to enjoy!
If you’re a fan of the classic chocolate and peanut butter combo, prepare to be smitten with these chocolate peanut butter cookies! On the surface, they might seem like simple chocolate cookies, but each bite reveals a delightful mix of peanut butter blended into the dough and studded with mini peanut butter cups. Perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth!
Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- Winning flavor combo. If you love peanut butter and chocolate together, these cookies are sure to please!
- Easy to make. With straightforward prep, basic ingredients, and no chilling time, this no-fuss recipe is perfect for bakers of all skill levels.
- Amazing texture. These cookies are perfectly soft and light and chewy.
What You’ll Need
See the recipe card below for the full recipe, including ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- All-purpose flour – Measure by weight or use the spoon and sweep method. Learn more: How to Measure Flour
- Cocoa powder – Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder, not the sweetened kind that’s used for making hot chocolate. I recommend natural cocoa powder for these cookies, but feel free to try Dutch process cocoa if you like.
- Baking soda – Not sure if your baking soda is still fresh? Test it!
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar – You can use either dark or light brown sugar, depending on your preferences.
- Unsalted butter – Let the butter soften before mixing. Learn more: How to Soften Butter
- Creamy peanut butter – I recommend baking with regular peanut butter (like Skippy or Jif), not a natural variety.
- Vanilla extract
- Egg – Set this out along with the butter so it can come to room temperature.
- Water
- Peanut butter cups – Mini peanut butter cups are the perfect size for these cookies. If you only have the larger size, chop them into bite-sized pieces.
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- Prepare for baking. Heat the oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Beat the butter, both sugars, and the peanut butter until light and fluffy. Then mix in the egg, vanilla, and water.
- Finish mixing. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and then fold in the peanut butter cups.
- Portion and bake. Drop tablespoonfuls of dough onto the pans and flatten the tops slightly. Bake one pan at a time until set (about 7 to 9 minutes).
- Cool. Let the cookies cool on the pans for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips for Success
- Don’t over-mix. Too much mixing can lead to a tough texture. When adding the dry ingredients, mix just until the batter is combined. You can even leave a few small streaks of flour – they’ll get mixed when you add the peanut butter cups.
- Use a cookie scoop. Not only will your cookies look nice when they’re all the same size, but they’ll also bake more evenly. I use a 1-tablespoon (#60) scoop for these cookies.
- Don’t over-bake. It can be challenging to determine when chocolate cookies are done baking because the browning isn’t easily visible. Look for the cookies to appear set, meaning the centers should no longer look wet or glossy.
Variations
- Peanuts. Play up the peanut butter flavor by adding a handful of chopped peanuts to the batter or using crunchy peanut butter.
- Chocolate chips. In addition to or instead of mini peanut butter cups, you can mix in white, milk, or dark chocolate chips, or even a combination of them, for extra chocolatey goodness. You could even mix in some peanut butter baking chips, too.
- Candy pieces. While these cookies are fantastic with mini peanut butter cups, you can easily substitute another type of candy like Butterfinger, M&Ms, or Snickers. Just be sure to chop larger candies into bite-sized pieces.
- Sea salt. Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top of the cookies just before baking to enhance the flavors and add a slight savory note.
How to Store
After the cookies have cooled completely, place them in an airtight container. They should keep at room temperature up to 3 days.
Can These Cookies Be Frozen?
Yes, you can freeze these cookies either before or after baking.
To freeze the unbaked cookies, follow the recipe through shaping the cookies. Place the cookie dough balls (go ahead and flatten them as directed) on a rimmed baking sheet. Freeze until solid (about 2 to 3 hours) and then place in an airtight, freezer-safe bag or container. The cookie dough should keep in the freezer up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, there’s no need to thaw; simply add a couple of minutes to the baking time.
To freeze after baking, place the cooled cookies in an airtight, freezer-safe bag or container. They should keep in the freezer up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
These Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies combine rich chocolate cookie dough with peanut butter cups for an irresistible treat.
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (42g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup (64g) creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 & 1/2 cups mini peanut butter cups
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed, beat the sugar, brown sugar, butter, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, egg, and water, and mix well.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Fold in the peanut butter cups.
- Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared pans. Flatten each cookie to about 1/2-inch thick.
- Bake one pan at a time for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the cookies are set.
- Cool the cookies on the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cookies directly onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour.
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10 Comments on “Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies”
Looks so tasty and yummy, i have to do those 🙂
I just made these they were delicious, a great study break snack. There so soft and chewy.
pb cups are MADE for adding to cookies.
they have their own home and everything…..
These look like the perfect cookie for “after-school.” Preferably with a big glass of cold milk. Looks so delicious.
I wish had these right now. I’m in the mood for this combination! Delicious!
wow these sound incredible! I’m having a go at peanut butter cup layer cake tomorrow, and your photos are definitely inspiring me to the project!
I have found my favorite sweet tooth blog. Thanks for sharing
I think I might try to make these sometime
You are bad, bad, bad for posting such a decadent cookie.
I had bought some mini peanut butter cups to use as garnish on a birthday cake that I made…..and had some left over…..and was being very good about not eating them…..and decided to look for a recipe to incorporate those left over peanut butter cups…..and came across these cookies that you made.
The verdict?
They are every bit as good as you said they were and then some. I guess I might just be eating those left over peanut butter cups anyhow!!!!!
so is the batter alittle thick & sticky?/ Thats how i found it hope it bakes well.:)