If someone were to ask me what the very best recipe on this entire site was, I think the answer would be these Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies. I’ve been making this Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie recipe since I was in college. It is still my husband’s favorite cookie recipe of all time.
These delicious chocolate cookies with peanut butter cups have been on my Christmas cookie platters for as long as I can remember. If you love chocolate and peanut butter, this recipe is about as good as it gets.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
These chocolate peanut butter cookies are made with peanut butter, peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, peanut butter cups and mini peanut butter cups. I mean, come on. Does it get any better? Just take a look.
And I have shared them as one of my favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes. While I like to try new recipes every Christmas, these cookies are one of my staples. Family members anxiously await their arrival and they are usually the first of all of the treats to disappear.
I figured it was time I made a video of these Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies and share how easy and delicious they are. They have an amazing blend of flavors and textures that all work together to create a perfectly soft, chocolatey cookie that is filled, but not overwhelmed, with peanut butter flavor.
While I like to use two sizes of peanut butter cups in these, you can certainly use just one size. If you use larger peanut butter cups, just cut them into pieces.
How To Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
A hint for your peanut butter cups. I like to freeze mine for at least an hour prior to making these cookies (and as long as weeks ahead). It helps to retain the shape and structure of the peanut butter cups. You can skip this, but if you know you’ll be making these cookies, throw some peanut butter cups in the freezer.
I tend to use the snack size Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups as well as the mini peanut butter cups I pick up at Trader Joe’s. I think Reese’s now makes the mini peanut butter cups as well. The mini cups I throw in whole, they do not get cup up.
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For today’s post, I made my large version of these chocolate peanut butter cookies. To heck with a cookie scoop, dip these babies up with an ice cream scoop. Go big or go home! Okay, you can make them smaller if you like, they’ll be ridiculously delicious either way you go.
See there, I couldn’t even wait to take a bite until after I took the photos. They are irresistible. And in case you are wondering, yes, I do have a pink silicone baking mat. It’s the little things in life.
If you love this recipe, make sure to try my Buckeye Brownies, Peanut Butter Blossoms and Scotcheroos!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup peanut butter chips
- 10 regular-sized peanut butter cups or about 20-25 small cups, cut in pieces
- 1 cup mini peanut butter cups
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350*F (175*C).
- In medium bowl combine flour, cocoa and baking soda; set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars together with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add vanilla, peanut butter(s) and eggs; mixing well.
- Stir in flour mixture until just mixed. Batter will be thick, and a mixer can be used if needed. Fold in chips and peanut butter cups.
- Using an ice cream scoop, scoop onto baking sheets lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Nutrition
Check out all of the cookie recipes on this site!
I’ve even made these as white chocolate peanut butter cup cookies. They are pretty spectacular as well. I adore the combo of white chocolate and peanut butter. I feel like it really doesn’t get the appreciation that it deserves!
And while I think today’s recipe is the best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie recipe I’ve ever tried, this is my best peanut butter cookie recipe. These cookies are out of this world good. And they are pretty fun and colorful with the Reese’s Pieces in them.
For those of you who love chocolate covered peanuts, I put them in a cookie. These Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Cookies will totally hit the spot. Love those crunchy chocolate covered peanuts on top!
I’ve even made a Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie. Oh, a yummy warm peanut butter cookie topped with ice cream. SO good!
If you love chocolate and peanut butter, and if you’ve read this far, I’m certain you do, I’ve got more recipes you are going to want to check out. If chocolate and peanut butter are your thing, then you can’t miss these posts!
Chocolate And Peanut Butter Recipe Round Up
And recipes using Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
My friends have some great peanut butter cookie recipes as well! Barefeet In The Kitchen makes amazing Old Fashioned 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies that are so easy they are practically magic. Crazy for Crust make Rolo Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies that are incredible. Tidy Mom has a fantastic recipe for Gooey Peanut Butter Cookies. GOOEY PEOPLE, how great do those sound? Yum! And Foodie With Family makes Snickers Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies that Snickers lovers will go crazy for.
I hope you enjoy my amazing Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies, as well as the other great peanut butter cookie recipes I shared in this post.
This Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie Recipe was originally published in April, 2017
Kelly says
Wow–can’t wait to try these! Do you think dark cocoa would be okay or would that be overkill?
Christi Johnstone says
I actually just milk-chocolate is always wrong, and dark chocolate is always right. 🙂 Most of the time when I make these, I use dark cocoa.
Taylorcmt says
I have made then twice now adding almonds. They are pretty great and moist. Thanks for the recipe.
Narelle says
Hi, I can’t wait to give this a try! What kind of cocoa powder did you use? If I were to assume, it’s natural not dutch processed since you only have baking soda on the ingredients.
Ellie Nompleggi says
Best cookies I’ve ever made. Disregard previous reviews – did not turn out dry or cakey at all! These are melt-in-your-mouth good! I did scale back on the Reese’s cups because there was enough flavor from the other add-in’s. And I steered clear of salt because I’ve been told that will only enhance the sweetness. I am saving this recipe and carrying on in my family for years to come!!
Krista says
These are amazing! The batter comes together quickly, and, with my blue-handled scoop, makes exactly 2 dozen cookies! 13 minutes in the oven made perfectly baked cookies – with ooey, gooey peanut butter and chocolate! They are definitely a hit!
Amanda says
The flavor of these cookies are amazing! Chocolate- peanut butter goodness for sure! My only dislike is that the cookies turn out to be very cakey/dry and crumbly. I’m more of a gooey, soft baked cookie gal. I even sifted the flour pre-measuring. Using a standard cookie scoop, baking them for 8-9 minutes was perfect. I would transfer them to a Viking rack sooner than 10 minutes though- the first couple trays have very burned bottoms because they sat for too long (nothing a cheese grater can’t fix). I will definitely make these again, but will probably play around with the flour/liquids ratios. I don’t think anyone at work is going to turn them down!
Christi Johnstone says
Hmmm, unless your oven is running hot, or is varying (I had an oven that swung hot and cold, was hard to pin down and wrecked havoc on baking for a while) there is no reason those should be burning. And I’ve never had a cookie burn after leaving the oven. It actually really confuses me. I’m also confused on the dry/crumbly texture, as that’s not right for these either. My best guess is they are overcooked, which would explain the burnt bottom and the dry texture. If you don’t have an oven thermometer, I would get one – they are inexpensive and easy to find.
This recipe is pretty solid, I’ve been making it for over 20 years, and it’s been popular here on the site for a long time. My advice would be get the oven thermometer, if your oven is running hot, either back down on your temp or time, for the flour simply give it a stir in the bag/container, then spoon it into the measuring cup (don’t scoop). No need to sift, flour in my recipes is never sifted unless specifically stated. Hopefully that helps.
Jen Kulas says
We made these today and I was really impressed with how easily they came together. One thing I noticed is that there’s almost too little dough for the amount of mixed-in pieces. By the time I got to the bottom of the bowl, there was a good 1/4 cup of chips left over, and the baked cookies had a hard time staying together. My husband and son really love them, I think they could do with a boost to the chocolate component… possibly 3-4oz of melted semi-sweet? The dough is thick enough that it likely wouldn’t need any adjustment to the dry ingredients and might create a fudgier base.
I used a disher and got 40 2″-ish cookies.
Christi Johnstone says
Jen, first a question, how are you measuring your flour? I feel like the flour might be a bit on the heavy side from what you are describing. I personally never add melted chocolate to things, I always go the cocoa powder route. If you wanted a more chocolatey flavor, I’d back the flour down about 1/4 cup, and increase the cocoa powder by the same amount. The mix ins are FLEXIBLE! You can use all, none, or somewhere in between. With any cookie recipe, you are really in control of how much you want to add when it comes to chips, nuts, things like that, so absolutely adjust it for your taste. That said, I do go back to the flour. Give your flour a sift then gently spoon it into your measuring cup, and then level it. Too much flour could lead to the issues you are stating. Hope that helps!
SandiS says
Excellent flavor! I was worried that the addition of 2 cups of chips and reeses chunks would make the cookies too sweet in an inedible way, but they really hit the spot. They are sweet enough that you probably won’t want more than 1 or 2.
Cookies were delicious, but I thought they were just a tiny bit cakey.
Maybe next time I will use a little less flour or melt the butter, not sure.
I am pretty sure I measured all ingredients accurately, but who knows.
Still the flavor was amazing.
I only baked 6 cookies for my small family and froze scoops of dough for a quick bake in the future.
Kathy A says
I made a special trip to Trader Joe’s for the mini pics. Great recipe! I added 1/2 tsp salt. I think I wanted more of a fudgy chocolate flavor rather than the peanut butter. May halve the pb and reduce the flour to compensate. Cookies done with a 1/4 measuring cup took 13 mins to bake. Watch out for the really hot melted chips when you take them out of the oven!