Unbeatable Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: Our Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe brings a delightful twist to the classic cookie with a prep of under 30 minutes, showcasing the unbeatable fusion of creamy peanut butter and decadent chocolate chips for a flavor and texture combination that captures the best of both worlds in every bite.

• Irresistible Flavor: The perfect salty and sweet blend of creamy peanut butter and bittersweet chocolate chips creates an unforgettable taste sensation.
• Ideal Texture: These cookies are wonderfully chewy with a slightly crisp exterior, making every bite satisfying.
• Simple and Quick: Easy to make with pantry staples, these cookies are a go-to recipe for any occasion.

We didn’t think it was possible to improve the perfect combo of peanut butter and chocolate, but somehow these cookies make the pairing even better!

These are based on our classic Best-Ever Peanut Butter Cookies — so if you’re looking for something without the chocolate, try those!

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 7/2/2024, to include a NEW STEP-BY-STEP tutorial video, explanations and substitutes of key ingredients, answers to the most frequently asked questions, and more Pro Chet tips. 

Table of Contents

• What Are Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients
• How to Make Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies?
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies Make Ahead & Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Cookies Recipes

What Are Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies?

Chocolate chip peanut butter cookies are delicious desserts crafted from a blend of creamy peanut butter sweet chocolate chips, and salted roasted peanuts.

• These cookies are characterized by their chewy texture, complemented by a crisp outer layer.
• They offer a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors, making them a decadent treat for any occasion.

Tools you Need

• Mixing bowl
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Glass measuring jug
• Whisk
• Spatula
• 13*18 inch baking sheets
• Parchment paper or silicone mats
• Whisk

Key Ingredients

• Butter

  • Softened butter adds moisture and richness, and helps achieve a tender, chewy texture.
  • Softened butter creams easily with sugars, trapping air for a lighter dough.
  • You know your butter is at the right temperature when you push the butter and it makes an indent, but your finger doesn’t easily squish right through.

• Smooth peanut butter

  • Provides a distinct peanut flavor and contributes to the overall moistness and chewiness of the cookies.
  • For this recipe, a standard store-bought jar of peanut butter will work better than all-natural peanut butter without oil or emulsifiers.

• Granulated sugar

  • Sugar adds sweetness and helps achieve a slightly crispy exterior.
  • Note that sugar-free sugar substitutes are not able to caramelize so won’t work the same way.

• Dark brown sugar

  • It adds more sweetness, moisture, and a deeper caramel-like flavor than light brown sugar, contributing to the chewiness of the cookies.
  • Make Brown Sugar at home in no time!

• Egg

  • Eggs act as a binding agent, providing structure and moisture to the cookies.
  • Flaxseeds, chia seeds, applesauce, and mashed bananas from our Egg Substitute Chart will work well in place of eggs.

• Milk

  • Milk adds moisture to the dough, helping to achieve the desired texture.
  • Use full-fat milk for the best flavor and texture. Alternatively, full-fat dairy-free milk such as coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk, or cashew milk will also work well.

• Vanilla extract

  • Vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor, adding a subtle sweetness and depth.

• All-purpose flour

  • All-purpose flour, aka plain flour, provides structure to the cookies, forming the base of the dough.

• Baking powder

  • Baking powder is a leavening agent that reacts with wet ingredients to help the cookies rise and become fluffy.

• Baking soda

  • Baking soda is another leavening agent that makes the cookies spread and achieve a chewier texture.
  • It also contributes to the crinkles top.

• Salt

  • Salt enhances the flavors and balances the sweetness, adding depth to the overall taste.

• Milk chocolate chips

  • Milk chocolate chips add bursts of sweet, creamy chocolate flavor throughout the cookies.
  • If you want to make the Chocolate ChipPeanut Butter Cookies less sweet, you can use semi-sweet chocolate chips.

• Peanuts

  • Roasted, salted, and chopped peanuts add a crunchy texture and a salty contrast to the sweetness of the cookies, enhancing the overall flavor.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

Prep

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line 2 (18×13 inch) cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Make the cookie dough

2. Cream the peanut butter mixture: Using a hand whisk, cream the butter and peanut butter together until soft. You can also use a hand mixer or a stand mixer.
3. Mix in sugars and beat until light and fluffy.
4. Add wet ingredients: Mix in egg, milk, and vanilla well.
5. Stir in dry ingredients: mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until just combined.
6. Lastly, stir in the chocolate chips and peanuts.

Shape the cookie dough

7. Using a tablespoon measure or a cookie scoop, scoop out heaped tablespoons of dough and roll into balls.
8. Press the cookie dough balls down into a 2-inch disc. Leave some space between the cookies as they spread during baking.

Bake the cookies

9. Bake them for roughly  or until lightly golden brown.
10. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool down completely.

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Use salted peanuts in the recipe. The salt gives the cookie extra flavor.
• Be sure not to skimp on the vanilla! Your cookie won’t be the same without it.
• I think milk chocolate pairs best with peanut butter. I would use something around 60% cocoa solids.
• Let your butter come to room temperature and become soft before making the batter. It whips up much easier if it isn’t cold.
• Make the dough, scoop, and freeze for future desserts! Defrost the frozen dough at room temperature for 30 minutes and bake as instructed.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

These cookies are best when you eat them right out of the oven.

• But any leftover chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• The cookie dough can also be kept in the freezer for 6 weeks; check out Pro Chef Tips above!

FAQs

Do I need to chill the dough before baking?

• Chilling the dough is not necessary for this recipe, but you can chill it for about 30 minutes if you prefer thicker cookies.

Can I make these cookies gluten-free?

Yes, substitute gluten-free all-purpose flour or our almond flour baking mix for all-purpose flour.

Don’t Miss More Cookie Recipes:

• 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
• Bakery-Style Peanut ButterChocolate Chip Cookies
• Best-Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Crazy Cookie Dough: One Base Dough, Endless Flavor Possibilities
• 3-Ingredient Shortbread Cookies

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 7/2/2024, to include a NEW STEP-BY-STEP tutorial video, explanations and substitutes of key ingredients, answers to the most frequently asked questions, and more Pro Chet tips. 

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