The Best Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

What happens when you’re craving a chocolate chip cookie but also a peanut butter cookie but can’t decide on which one you want? There are so many flavors and options and you need to choose because you need to satisfy that craving ASAP. Well, this cookie is your solution! It starts with the best peanut butter cookie recipe as the base. Then, it’s STUFFED and TOPPED with chocolate chips.

It’s literally the perfect combination between the two classics and something that deserves its moment of glory. Maybe I sound too biased, but that’s only because I just made it and ate some, and it tastes really, really good. Just give it a shot and see for yourself. But be careful, they’re highly addictive.

Since you are here and love cookie recipes, check out these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, these Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies, or these Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Ingredients for these chewy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this twist on a classic peanut butter cookie recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for the detailed ingredient measurements. 

• Unsalted Butter: provides moisture, richness, and a chewy texture to the warm cookies.
• Creamy Peanut Butter: adds a nutty flavor and contributes to the soft and dense consistency.
• Light Brown Sugar: adds sweetness and moisture for chewy cookies.
• Granulated Sugar: sweetens and adds a slight crispiness to the cookie edges.
• Egg: acts as a binding agent that gives structure and stability to the soft peanut butter cookies.
• Vanilla Extract: enhances the flavor to make perfect cookies.
• All-Purpose Flour: provides structure and stability.
• Baking Soda and Baking Powder: help the cookies spread and rise slightly, creating a tender texture.
• Salt: balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors of the peanut butter and chocolate.
• Semisweet Chocolate Chips: brings rich chocolate goodness to complement the peanut butter. You can also use milk chocolate in this recipe but just make sure to reduce the granulated sugar amount to ¼ cup.

How to make this easy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies recipe

This is how you can make the best peanut butter cookies. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post for the oven temp, baking time, and complete step-by-step instructions! 

1. Preheat your oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mats for easy cleanup.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed or stand mixer with paddle attachment until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
3. Mix the egg and vanilla extract into the flour mixture in the large mixing bowl and stir until everything is smooth.
4. Add in the flour, baking soda, and salts to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
5. Gently mix in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
6. Place two-three tablespoons of dough for each cookie on the prepared baking sheet with at least two inches of space between them. Bake until the edges turn a light golden brown. The centers may seem slightly underdone but will firm up as they cool. Pull them out and press a few extra chocolate chips on top of each cookie.
7. Allow the cookies to rest on the cookie sheet for before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy warm or at room temperature!

Pressed down cookies vs non pressed down cookies

Depending on your preference you can either press your cookies down a little so they spread a little more. I prefer them a little thicker so I kept them as it. You can see the difference in the photos below!

Tips and Tricks for Best Results

• Don’t over-mix the dough to keep the cookies soft and tender. Overmixing can lead to dense cookies.
• Use a kitchen scale to weigh your flour for better accuracy than measuring cups.
• Make sure your refrigerated ingredients are at room temperature before mixing to create a well-blended dough.

Why you need to make this best peanut butter chocolate chip cookie recipe!

• This easy cookie recipe doesn’t require any extra effort than a normal cookie recipe would.
• It’s a creative and delicious way to spruce up your favorite peanut butter cookie recipe.
• Homemade peanut butter cookies are always better than store-bought.
• The combination of chocolate and peanut butter creates the best cookies ever.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ

Can I use different types of chocolate chips?

Absolutely! I prefer semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use dark chocolate or milk chocolate chips for less or more sweetness. You could try white chocolate chips for an entirely different flavor or peanut butter chips to double down on the nutty peanut butter flavor. Or you can swap out the chocolate chips for a chopped up chocolate bar to make peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies.

Should I use regular or natural peanut butter?

I suggest a commercial-brand regular peanut butter like Skippy or Jif for this recipe only because they have binding and emulsifying ingredients that make the product easier to work with. If you want to use natural peanut butter, stir it well before using; if the dough seems too wet, add a tablespoon of flour to help balance it.

Should I use crunchy or smooth peanut butter?

Smooth peanut butter is usually the baseline. Using crunchy peanut butter is for adventurous and exciting people who like to spice up their life. If that sounds like you, then give it a shot! And if you really want to get crazy, try using different nut butters like almond butter or hazelnut. Just keep in mind that the crunchy peanut butter might make your cookies a little thicker so reduce the amount of flour just a tad bit if you decide to go with that.

Can I make these peanut butter chocolate chip cookies gluten-free?

You sure can! Just substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend.

Can I make these chocolate chip peanut butter cookies ahead of time?

Absolutely! You can refrigerate the cookie dough for up to 48 hours before baking or freeze it raw for up to two or three months. You can bake the cookie dough balls directly from frozen, just add some extra minutes to the cooking time.

If you do decide to go with this option, make sure to flatten your cookies slightly so they spread a little better.

How do I store leftover cookies?

You can store your cookies in an airtight container or ziplock freezer bag. They can be kept at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the fridge up to a week or two and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Any other mix-ins I can add?

Add chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts (lightly toast them before mixing them into the dough for better flavor). You can also add oats for chocolate chips and peanut butter oatmeal cookies. Just reduce the flur amount slightly since the oats will also absorb some of the moisture and affect how much the cookie spread.

The Best Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

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