Prepare to be enchanted by these incredible Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies! Each cookie is generously sized, boasting a chewy texture and a soft center that promises a truly delightful snacking experience.
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When you are in the mood for something chocolatey and peanut buttery, you may wish you had a cookie laying around. Don't even bother to buy them at the store. You have to make these Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies!
I had originally (Jan 2011) found these cookies on Smitten Kitchen and she titled them The Best Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies. I was very curious if they were truly the best and I also wrote this back in 2011 in this post:
"When you title a recipe The BEST…you are setting yourself up for criticism. Everyone interprets a recipe differently. What I think is The BEST, you may think is utter rubbish. This is not rubbish, and this is not a joke. The Best Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies are truly the accurate name for these cookies!"
So now as I'm updating the photos and a printable recipe for all of you I went back to Deb's post to see if I missed anything from her post and she's taken out "The Best" from her recipe. As with most of Deb's posts, there are almost 600 comments. I just scrolled through comments from 2007 until Dec 2018 and I didn't seem to find anything negative, so not sure why she took out "The Best" from the description. They are truly fantastic cookies!!
Back to what I wrote back in the 2011:
I have been craving a reallllly good peanut butter cookie recipe. Why do I go to Costco and by the ginormous Nutella and the ginormous peanut butter? Just telling you upfront, no Nutella in this cookie. But I do like the idea!
Every time I open my baking cupboard I see this huge peanut butter container. All 48 oz of Skippy Creamy Peanut Butter. I started to search for a peanut butter cookie recipe. I browsed through my baking books. Not satisfied with what I had here, I then perused the internet until I came across Smitten Kitchen's recipe which she titles The Best Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies from 2007. They have had almost 300 comments on this recipe and almost each one is singing its praises. I knew I had to make these fast!
Jump To
- 💖Why we love these peanut butter chocolate chip cookies
- 🛒 Ingredients for these Bakery-Style Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Equipment you need to make this recipe
- 🍽️ How to make peanut butter chocolate chip cookies
- 🫙 Leftover and Storing
- 📃 Substitutions & Variations
- ☑️ Lora's Tips
- ❓ FAQ'S
- Some other recipes you'll love:
- 📖 Recipe
- Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies
💖Why we love these peanut butter chocolate chip cookies
- Versatile Ingredients: The combination of smooth or chunky peanut butter and the option to use white chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips makes this recipe adaptable to different tastes and preferences.
- Perfect Texture: The use of both granulated and light brown sugar, along with the precise mix of baking soda and baking powder, ensures a perfect balance between chewy and crispy.
- Customizable Crunch: Rolling some cookies in turbinado sugar before baking introduces an amazing crunch factor that elevates the texture experience.
- Simple Yet Flavorful: Despite the straightforward process and common pantry ingredients, these cookies boast a complex flavor profile, thanks to the blend of peanut butter, vanilla, and chocolate.
- Comforting Classic: There's something deeply satisfying and nostalgic about peanut butter cookies, especially when they're homemade and filled with chocolate chips, making them a hit for all ages.
🛒 Ingredients for these Bakery-Style Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for the cookies, forming the base of the dough.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: These leavening agents help the cookies rise and spread, giving them a desirable texture.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors of the other ingredients and balances the sweetness.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds richness, contributes to the tender texture, and carries flavor.
- Peanut Butter: The star ingredient that imparts a deep, nutty flavor and creamy texture. Whether smooth or chunky, it affects the cookie's texture and taste.
- Sugar (Granulated and Light Brown Sugar): Granulated sugar helps the cookies spread and gives them a crisp edge, while brown sugar adds moisture, chewiness, and a slight molasses flavor.
- Egg: Acts as a binding agent, providing moisture and structure, helping to create a uniform texture.
- Milk: Adds moisture to the dough, making it easier to mix and contributing to the tender crumb.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor of the cookies, adding a subtle background note.
- Peanut Butter Chips or White Chocolate Chips: Adds bursts of peanut or creamy, sweet flavors in every bite, creating texture contrasts.
- Chocolate Chips: Introduce a rich chocolate flavor that complements the peanut butter, offering gooey, melty pockets when baked.
- Sugar for Sprinkling (Regular or Superfine, Optional Turbinado Sugar): Provides a sweet, crunchy topping that contrasts the soft, chewy texture of the cookies.
Equipment you need to make this recipe
- Large Mixing Bowls: For combining the dry ingredients and mixing the cookie dough.
- Electric Mixer (Hand or Stand Mixer): To cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars together until fluffy, and to mix the dough thoroughly.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: For accurately measuring all the ingredients.
- Spatula: To fold in the chocolate chips and scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Baking Sheets: To bake the cookies. No need to grease them according to the recipe.
- Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mat (Optional): For easy cookie removal and cleanup, though not required by the recipe.
- Fork or Small Offset Spatula: A fork is traditionally used to create a criss-cross pattern on the cookies, or an offset spatula to keep the tops smooth, as mentioned.
- Cooling Rack: To cool the cookies after baking, ensuring they don't become soggy.
- Teaspoon or Tablespoon (for scooping): To portion out the cookie dough. The recipe mentions using rounded teaspoonfuls or larger tablespoon-sized scoops for bigger cookies.
🍽️ How to make peanut butter chocolate chip cookies
Here is how to make these easy cookies (the full recipe is below!):
- Step 1: Preheat the Oven Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it's ready for baking the cookies.
- Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set this bowl aside for later use.
- Step 3: Cream Butter and Peanut Butter In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened unsalted butter and peanut butter together until the mixture is fluffy.
- Step 4: Add Sugars Gradually add the granulated sugar and firmly packed light brown sugar to the bowl, continuing to beat until the mixture becomes smooth.
- Step 5: Incorporate Egg Beat in the large egg to the mixture, ensuring it's fully integrated.
- Step 6: Mix in Milk and Vanilla Add the milk and vanilla extract to the mixture, beating again to combine all wet ingredients evenly.
- Step 7: Combine with Dry Ingredients Slowly add the dry ingredients you set aside earlier to the wet mixture, beating thoroughly until the dough is consistent and smooth.
- Step 8: Fold in Chips Stir in the peanut butter chips (or white chocolate chips) and the chocolate chips with a spatula, making sure they are evenly dispersed throughout the dough.
- Step 9: Prepare for Baking Spread the remaining tablespoon of sugar on a plate. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls (or tablespoonfuls for larger cookies) of the dough in the sugar, then place them on ungreased baking sheets, leaving space between them.
- Step 10: Indent Cookies Gently press each dough ball with a fork to create a criss-cross pattern (or use the back of a small offset spatula for a smooth top) without flattening them too much.
- Step 11: Bake Place the cookies in the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Be careful not to overbake; they should still appear slightly underdone when they are actually perfect.
- Step 12: Cool Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 1 minute before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, allowing them to set properly.
📃 NOTE: Recipe card with detailed instructions are below! Print it out for later!
🫙 Leftover and Storing
Short-Term Storage:
- Cool Completely: Before storing, ensure cookies are completely cooled to room temperature to prevent condensation, which can make them soggy.
- Airtight Container: Place the cookies in an airtight container. You can layer them between sheets of parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Room Temperature: Keep the container at room temperature in a cool, dry place. Properly stored, the cookies should last for up to 5-7 days.
Long-Term Storage:
- Freezing: For longer storage, peanut butter cookies freeze well. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze individually, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Thawing: When ready to enjoy, remove the cookies from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours or overnight.
Reviving Cookies:
- If cookies have become slightly stale or you want to rejuvenate them, you can warm them in a preheated oven at 300°F for 5-10 minutes or just until they're warmed through. This can help restore their texture and enhance their flavor.
Note: Be mindful of any add-ins that might not freeze as well (such as certain chocolates that may bloom or change texture), but generally, peanut butter cookies, including those with chocolate chips, freeze and thaw beautifully. Enjoying your homemade cookies at their best is easy with these storage tips!
📃 Substitutions & Variations
Substitutions:
- Flour Alternatives: For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend. Ensure it's a 1:1 baking blend for the best results.
- Sugar Alternatives: Replace granulated sugar with coconut sugar or a sugar substitute that measures like sugar for baking. For brown sugar, a DIY mix of white sugar with molasses can work, or use a brown sugar substitute if needed.
- Butter Alternatives: Use vegan butter or coconut oil as a dairy-free alternative to unsalted butter. Keep in mind that coconut oil may alter the flavor slightly.
- Egg-Free: To make the cookies without eggs, use a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit for 15 minutes) or a commercial egg replacer.
- Dairy-Free Milk: If adding milk, use almond milk, soy milk, or any plant-based milk as a dairy-free option.
- Peanut Butter Alternatives: For those with nut allergies, sunflower seed butter or tahini can replace peanut butter, though the flavor profile will change.
Variations:
- Chocolate Overload: Mix in both dark and milk chocolate chips for a richer chocolate experience.
- Nutty Delight: Add chopped nuts such as peanuts, walnuts, or pecans for extra crunch and flavor.
- Spice It Up: Incorporate spices like cinnamon or nutmeg into the dough for a warm, spicy twist.
- Sea Salt Finish: Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top of the cookies before baking for a sweet and salty contrast.
- Drizzle Finish: After the cookies have cooled, drizzle them with melted chocolate or a simple glaze (powdered sugar mixed with milk) for an extra decorative touch.
☑️ Lora's Tips
- 1. Choose Quality Ingredients: The flavor of your cookies largely depends on the quality of the ingredients used. Opt for high-quality peanut butter, real vanilla extract, and good-quality chocolate chips to ensure the best taste.
- 2. Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your butter, egg, and peanut butter are at room temperature before starting. This helps to mix the ingredients more uniformly, resulting in a smoother dough and more consistent cookies.
- 3. Creaming Technique: Properly cream the butter and peanut butter with the sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step is crucial as it incorporates air into the dough, contributing to a lighter texture in the final cookies.
- 4. Do Not Overmix: Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix just until the flour is incorporated. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to tough cookies.
- 5. Consistent Size: Use a cookie scoop or measuring spoon to ensure all your cookies are the same size. This promotes even baking and ensures that all your cookies will be done at the same time.
- 6. Chill the Dough: If you have time, chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking can help the flavors to meld together and prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- 7. Watch the Baking Time: Oven temperatures can vary, so start checking your cookies a couple of minutes before the recommended baking time. They should be just set and slightly underbaked in the center for a chewy texture.
- 8. Let Them Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This helps them set and makes them easier to move without breaking.
- 9. Storage: To keep cookies soft, add a slice of bread to the container where you're storing the cookies. The bread provides moisture that the cookies will absorb, keeping them softer for longer.
- 10. Experiment with Add-Ins: Feel free to customize your cookies with different mix-ins such as nuts, dried fruit, or different types of chocolate chips to create a variety of flavors based on this basic recipe.
❓ FAQ'S
Yes, you can prepare the dough ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 3 days or freeze it for longer storage.
The weird taste could be due to old or rancid peanut butter, incorrect ingredient ratios, or using artificial flavorings.
Using the correct ratio of leavening agents (baking soda or powder) and creaming the butter and sugar properly contribute to fluffier cookies.
hey may be falling apart due to too much dry ingredients, not enough fat, or because they haven't cooled enough before handling.
Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies might turn out crumbly due to a few common issues, such as over-baking, which dries them out, or not having enough fat in the dough, which is crucial for moisture and binding the ingredients together. To ensure your cookies are moist and hold together well, avoid over-baking and ensure the dough has adequate fat content from sources like butter and peanut butter.
Yes, you can use crunchy peanut butter in your cookies. It will add a nice texture and extra peanut bits for more flavor. However, the texture of the cookies might be slightly different from those made with smooth peanut butter, with a bit more crunch and nut pieces.
The best peanut butter for baking is generally a commercial creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. These types are stable and consistent in texture and fat content, making them reliable for baking recipes. Natural peanut butter, which often separates and has a different fat content, can lead to inconsistent results in baked goods.
Some other recipes you'll love:
- Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie: A delightful dessert that combines the creamy consistency of peanut butter with the crunchy texture of pretzels, enhanced by cream cheese and whipped cream for richness and a light, airy element. It's finished with a chocolate drizzle for an extra flavor contrast .
- Peanut Butter Pretzel Energy Bites: These no-bake energy bites are a perfect snack, combining creamy peanut butter, crunchy and salty pretzels, and a bit of sweetness from maple syrup and chocolate chips. They're simple to make, freezer-friendly, and can be gluten-free if needed .
- Easy Spicy Peanut Brittle: This recipe offers a classic sweet and salty peanut brittle with a spicy kick from cayenne pepper. It's an easy-to-make candy that could serve as a great holiday gift idea. The recipe involves simple steps and ingredients for a delicious treat .
Recipe Notes:
I added white chocolate chips and mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. The recipe calls for peanut butter chips. Next time I will try it with them to see the difference. I scooped out some portions at 1 teaspoon as the recipe directs.
One teaspoon size is WAY too small. It's more like 1 Tablespoon size and that's how I scooped it out. I prefer them in the bigger scoop size. Next time I bake them, I will start to check them around 8 minutes.
At 10 minutes, the smaller sized cookies were more than done. Even though some were crispier, they were AMAZING! The bigger cookies were crispy on outside and moist on the inside. Truly delectable.
Even on this time baking them (2018), I scooped out Tablespoon portions and I also forgot to check them at around 7-8 minutes. Even though it seemed a bit crispier, these cookies were a hit!! They are soft in the middle and have a crisp exterior.
Tell me your opinion after you try it. I can't stop eating these. I just gave a small container of them to my neighbors. They were excited to hear me knocking at the door. They also agree that they are The BEST. They also could have been not wanting to risk losing their cookie connection.
Post updated with fresh photos from 1/2011.
Did you make this and love it? Please RATE THE RECIPE below:)
I would LOVE IT if you can leave me a star rating and a review down below and let me know your thoughts! It means the world to me to hear how you liked it.
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📖 Recipe
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup peanut butter at room temperature smooth is what we used, but I am pretty sure they use chunky at the bakery
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup peanut butter chips - *I added instead a ½ cup white chocolate chips from Ghirardelli
- ½ cup chocolate chips -*I added instead mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
For sprinkling: 1 tablespoon sugar, regular or superfine *I rolled some in turbinado sugar. Amazing crunch factor.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy.
- Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Place sprinkling sugar - the remaining tablespoon - on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar (*I made ½ cookies 1 tablespoon size scoops), then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion.
- Using a fork, lightly indent with a criss-cross pattern (I used the back of a small offset spatula to keep it smooth on top), but do not overly flatten cookies.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.
- Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
I was so excited to hear that Lindsey had chosen you for the challenge! I love you girls, and I'm glad we all got to participate in this fun. These cookies look pretty amazing, and I love how you used white chocolate chips (my personal favorite!) I've been thinking of you and your sweet self all day today. You have truly blessed me, my dear!
I haven't had peanut butter cookies in such a long time! Yours sound amazing, especially with all those chocolate chips. Yum!!
A bold claim indeed! I've been having a serious craving for peanut butter cookies, I may have to give these a try.
Peanut butter and chocolate are a divine combination. I don't really have a favorite peanut butter cookie recipe because I've never found one I truly love. This may be the one! I'm putting them on my list to try, anyway. 🙂
These look delicious. I love the combo of peanut butter & chocolate!!
This like a reverse Reese's peanut butter cup the way you've done it. I personally like the idea of the two different chocolates instead of peanut butter chips and baking the cookies bigger for less time (there's nothing like a soft center). Thanks for this "best" recipe!
I might just take your word on that post title! These look amazing:)
Im taking your word for it and adding these to the pile of things to bake! 😀 I can't wait to try them.
Oooh, I love the white chocolate chip substitution. Yum! These look so tasty!
They look pretty good to me! I used to make peanut butter cookies when my kids were little and they have asked that I repeat them, but I can not remember for the life of me the recipe or what I did. I am going to try your recipe and hope I can manage to not embarrass you 🙂 If I burn them I promise not to put your name on it 😉
I think I may just have all these ingredients on hand and may have to bake these this afternoon! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Bella Lora, I think you are right, these do look & sound like the best peanut butter and choc chip cookies in the world! 🙂
You can't go wrong with pb and chocolate to begin with! Happy new year Lora!:)
I'm going to bake these for my bambini, I know they'll love them, plus it keeps them away from my Nutella ; ) tee hee xoxo Happy New Year sweets!
Happy New Year, Lora! These cookies will go so well with my Grandma's Hot Cocoa Recipe! It's a hot cocoa with peanut butter kind.
Thanks for sharing!
I'm pretty sure that absolutely everything on the Smitten Kitchen is "the best." These sure don't look like they would disappoint. 🙂
How did you know my favorite combination was peanut butter and chocolate?! I can't wait to try these Lora.. I'll definitely let you know how they turn out 🙂
Those look so wonderful! I can't wait to bake up a batch!
I forgot to email you this morning to tell you that I am in L-O-V-E with my cookbook! I made an appetizer yesterday and it was incredible! I'm looking forward to trying more recipes. Thank you again for hosting that giveaway!
My guy would love to come home to these cookies after a Monday at work. These cookies look so good! Need to make a batch of these and surprise my guy! I've never added chocolate of any sort to my peanut butter cookies and that just sounds like a winning combo.