These delicious peanut butter chocolate chip cookies add a nutty flavor to a classic sweet treat! Creamy peanut butter and chopped pieces enhance the taste.
For more amazing treats, give my sugar cookies or M&M cookie recipes a try.
Recipe Science
- All-purpose types of flour create a chewy and thick structure, while baking soda leavens, accelerates browning, and yields crisp edges.
- Choose creamy peanut butter like Skippy with some added hydrogenated oils for an even consistency and to avoid dryness.
- For peanut-based cookies, flatten dough balls into 3/4-inch discs. Peanuts add extra solids, reducing spread versus regular cookies.
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Why It Works
It isn’t easy to choose between peanut butter cookies and chocolate chip cookies. Why not have both? This peanut butter chocolate chip cookie recipe combines iconic flavors for the ultimate experience! I use two types of peanuts, so each bite bursts with nutty notes, complementing the melty cocoa-infused chips.
The cookie dough base is made using brown butter. Taking a few extra minutes to toast the milk solids in the butter creates butterscotch flavors to complement the chocolate and nuts. The delightful crunchy edges of the cookie complement the dense and chewy centers. These are great for making ahead and serving warm or giving as a tasty holiday gift.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour for a moderate protein level (10 to 13%) to give the cookie structure.
- Leavening Agent: Baking soda prevents the cookies from becoming too dense, while giving crisp edges.
- Butter: I use melted butter to create a chewy cookie texture. I brown the butter for a toffee-like flavor in the peanut butter chocolate chip cookie dough.
- Sugars: A combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar creates crisp edges and soft centers and adds a hint of molasses flavor.
- Eggs: Whole eggs and an egg yolk help to aerate the cookie dough, bind it together when baking, and add richness.
- Flavoring: Vanilla extract creates sweet baked aromas. Salt prevents the cookies from tasting bland.
- Chocolate: Semi-sweet chocolate chips provide the right balance of sweetness and cocoa flavor.
- Peanuts: Creamy peanut butter is smooth and easy to incorporate into the cookie dough. Chopped peanuts add extra crunch to each bite.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie recipe is easy to customize! Experiment with these tasty ingredient options:
- Make it Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free baking flour instead of wheat flour.
- Chocolate Swaps: Instead of semi-sweet, try milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or chocolate chunks. Coarsely chop a dark chocolate bar for a gourmet taste and appearance.
- Nut Butter Options: If you enjoy bits of nuts in the dough, use chunky peanut butter. I’ve even used natural peanut butter and homemade peanut butter. These will give a slightly drier texture because they don’t contain added vegetable oils. Alternatively, try almond or cashew butter.
- Nut Substitute: Add chopped walnuts, cashews, pecans, or almonds for texture.
How to Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients
Whisk the flour and baking soda together to disperse the fine particles together. This will ensure it’s evenly incorporated when mixing with the wet ingredients
Ingredient Chemistry: All-purpose flour gives the cookie a slightly chewy texture and thick structure. Baking soda is added to leaven the cookie, accelerate browning, and yield crisp edges.
Step 2: Melt the Butter
Melt pieces of unsalted butter on the stovetop until the milk solids become golden brown and toasted. The process takes less than 5 minutes and completely transforms the flavor, so don’t skip it! This creates a sweet aroma and adds toffee-like flavors to the cookie dough.
Tips for Perfect Execution: Stir a few tablespoons of cool butter into the warm brown butter to stop the cooking process. Once the milk solids turn golden, they will char quickly if not closely monitored.
Step 3: Mix the Butter and Sugars
Use the whisk attachment on a stand mixer to dissolve the brown sugar and granulated sugar in with the warm brown butter. This breaks down the sugar into simple monosaccharides, glucose, and fructose. These simple sugars carmelize much quicker in the oven, adding a sweetener flavor to the cookies during the short baking time.
Step 4: Whisk and Rest
This recipe uses a unique whisking and resting technique when incorporating the eggs into the butter mixture.
The eggs are briefly whisked in, and then the mixture rests for three minutes. This gives the sugars time to dissolve in the eggs’ moisture fully. Repeat the process a total of four times.
Expert Tip: Multiple whisking steps help to create a better emulsion with the butter fat and lecithin (an emulsifier) in the eggs. The mixture should be thick and shiny.
Step 5: Add the Peanut Butter
I use creamy peanut butter because the smooth texture is more easily incorporated into the cookie dough. Whisk it into the butter mixture until just incorporated.
Step 6: Add the Flour and Mix-ins
Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Stir by hand with a spatula until the flour is hydrated.
Stir in the chocolate chips and chopped peanuts. The little nutty bites enhance the peanut butter flavor.
Pro Tip: Hand mixing will give the cookies a soft and chewy texture, with just enough gluten development so that they don’t become tough.
Step 7: Chill the Dough
Briefly chill the dough in the refrigerator or freezer for about 15 minutes. This helps firm up the butter and fat in the peanut butter to prevent the cookies from overly spreading.
The dough should reach between 65 to 70ºF (18 to 21ºC). When it doesn’t feel excessively sticky, that’s a good indication the flour has been fully hydrated and ready to shape.
Step 8: Preheat the Oven
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Heat the oven to a moderate 350°F (177ºC). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 9: Roll Out Dough Balls
Measure out 3 tablespoon-sized cookie dough balls. Press them into 3/4-inch flattened discs. Due to the additional solids from the ground peanuts, the cookie dough won’t spread as much as typical chocolate chip cookies. They need to be flattened, or they will stay very thick and tall. Press some chocolate chips on top to expose more pieces.
Step 10: Bake the Cookies
Place the dough balls on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, eight per tray. Bake one pan at a time at 375 degrees; the edges should be set and the centers puffy and slightly underbaked, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Step 11: Let Them Cool
Let the cookies sit on the warm baking sheet for no more than 5 minutes to finish cooking, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool. The chocolate chip peanut butter cookies taste delicious at room temperature when the sugars crystallize on the surface for extra crispness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Creamy peanut butter like Skippy or Jif creates the best texture. It’s been processed until very smooth. The added hydrogenated vegetable oils prevent the fat from separating when baked. This gives a more even consistency and prevents the cookie texture from tasting dry. If you like pieces of nuts in the cookies, use chunky peanut butter, or stir in some chopped peanuts.
The pureed nut is naturally dry to taste due to the protein and fat in the peanut butter, creating a pasty texture. Using the proper ratio of butter, sugar, and eggs in the cookie dough prevents a dry and crumbly consistency.
The extra fat in the nut butter will make the cookies crispier, so don’t let them sit on the warm cookie tray for longer than 5 minutes. Otherwise, they will get too crunchy and hard and taste drier.
Almond butteror cashew butter are delicious substitutes for peanut butter. Because almonds contain less fat than peanuts, they may taste slightly drier in cookies.
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ cup peanut butter, creamy
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
- ½ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Mix the Dry Ingredients – In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Set aside.
- Melt the Butter – Cut the butter into 14 even-sized pieces. In a skillet, melt 10 tablespoons over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling the pan constantly until golden brown and a nutty aroma forms, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter until completely melted.
- Mix the Butter and Sugars – In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the melted butter to the mixing bowl. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla. Whisk on medium speed (setting 5) until combined, 30 seconds.
- Whisk and Rest – Add the whole egg and yolk. Whisk on medium-high speed (setting 8) until smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let the mixture stand for 3 minutes.Repeat the whisking and resting process 3 more times: 30 seconds mixing at medium-high speed and 3 minutes of rest. After four total times, the mixture should be thick, smooth, and shiny.
- Add the Peanut Butter – Whisk in the peanut butter on low speed (setting 2) until just combined, about 30 seconds.
- Add the Flour and Mix-ins – Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 ¼ cups of chocolate chips and chopped peanuts, giving the dough a final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
- Chill the Dough – Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and transfer it to the refrigerator or freezer. Chill until the dough firms up, around 65 to 70ºF (18 to 21ºC), about 15 minutes.
- Preheat the Oven – Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Heat to 350°F (177ºC). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll Out Dough Balls – Divide the dough into 18 portions, each about 3 tablespoons. Firmly press the dough into balls. Arrange at least 2" apart on lined baking sheets, 9 per tray. Flatten the balls into ¾" discs. Press the sides together to create rounded edges. Use the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips to press some on top of the dough.
- Bake the Cookies – Bake one tray at a time for 5 minutes, then rotate the baking sheet. Continue baking until the edges are golden brown and the centers are just set, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Let Them Cool – Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Cool completely to set the structure. Bake the remaining tray once the oven is back to temperature.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Salt Substitution: Use ¾ teaspoon table salt for kosher salt.
- Make Ahead: Refrigerate dough balls for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 2 months. Bring to room temperature before pressing and baking.
- Storing: Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Store in a resealable plastic bag or airtight container for up to 1 month.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Dave says
Try using dark chocolate chips.
Jessica Gavin says
Great idea! What kind of dark chocolate chips do you like?