The Best Soft Batch Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Cookies are made with creamy peanut butter, brown sugar, and plenty of chocolate chunks! Packed with flavor, these cookies are outrageously good. A must try for peanut butter lovers!
Peanut Butter Cookies
If you love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, today’s post is dedicated to you!
I’ve been working on perfecting this cookie recipe for a few months now. And after many fails, I finally found a recipe that turned out great over and over again! It’s already a new favorite recipe!
Because these cookies are:
- ultra thick
- crispy at the edges
- exploding with peanut butter flavor
- not cloyingly sweet
- made in one bowl
- loaded with gooey chocolate chunks
- easy
- and AMAZING
They’re everything you could want in a peanut butter cookie and more!
Fact: nothing hits the spot quite like a warm from the oven peanut butter cookie that’s OOZING with melted chocolate chunks! Especially when it’s chased with a warm cup of coffee.
So let’s get down to all the need-to-know details. Just hold on one second. Gotta take this bite ↓↓↓
Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
Today’s recipe was inspired by a recent, and much needed, pantry clean out. After discovering a surplus of peanut butter (why do I have 9 unopened jars?!), making peanut butter cookies with a no-brainer. I also happened to have a ton of chocolate bars, so I decided to chop them up and make these cookies into a delicious chocolate + peanut butter situation. But if you don’t have chocolate chunks on hand, feel free to use chocolate chips! Because peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are JUST as delicious as peanut butter chocolate chunk!
For these peanut butter chocolate cookies you’ll need:
- unsalted butter
- vanilla extract
- creamy peanut butter
- light brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- eggs
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- and chocolate chunks.
How to make Peanut Butter Cookies
Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success
- The butter must be at room temperature before creaming. Then you’ll combine the butter, peanut butter and vanilla in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until they’re light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed. Or you can use a large bowl and hand mixer. This step will take about 2 minutes. I know that may seem like a long time, but it’s worth it.
- Add in both sugars and beat the butter and sugar mixture until it’s pale in color and very fluffy. You should scrape down the sides as needed.
- Next you’ll add in your eggs! Make sure your eggs are at room temperature, and add them to the cookie dough one at a time. And allow each egg to fully incorporate before adding the next one in.
- When you add the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl, lightly toss them together on top of the wet mixture before fully incorporating them into the batter. And as always, be sure not to over mix.
- Although I used dark chocolate in these cookies, you can use milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or even a combination of both.
- And finally, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. But you can keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days! If you refrigerate the cookie dough for more than 30 minutes, you’ll need to bring it back to room temperature before baking.
- Then preheat the oven to 350 and bake!
Pro Tip: I like to top all of the cookie dough balls with a few extra chocolate chunks before baking. Too much chocolate…? NEVER. I used Extra Dark Chocolate
The finishing touch is a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Totally optional but sooooo good. The sea salt adds a wonderful crunch and really helps balance out the flavor. If you like salty/sweet treats, you’ll definitely want to include it. I use Maldon Sea Salt Flakes.
Enjoy, chocolate peanut butter lovers!
More Peanut Butter Recipes:
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Thick and Chewy White Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondies
- Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies
- Easy Peanut Butter Fudge
If you try this recipe for peanut butter choc chunk cookies, let me know! Leave a comment below and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #bakerbynature on Instagram! Seeing your kitchen creations makes my day. ♥
Soft Batch Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Cookies
Prep
Cook
Inactive
Total
Yield 2 dozen cookies
Ultra thick soft batch peanut butter cookies loaded with chocolate chunks! Perfect with a cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk. These are the best peanut butter choc chunk cookies!
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (bleached or unbleached will work fine)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (kosher or table salt)
- 8 ounces chocolate, chopped into chunks (see post for reference)
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt (see post for reference)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add in the peanut butter and vanilla and beat until smooth; about 2 minutes.
- Next add in both sugars and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed, about 2 minutes.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Turn mixer off.
- Add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk the ingredients together lightly before turning the mixer back on low and mixing in the dry ingredients until just combined. Be sure not to over mix here.
- Turn mixer off and use a spatula to fold in the chocolate chunks.
- Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes, or up to 2 days. If you refrigerate the cookie dough for more than 30 minutes, you will need to bring it back to room temperature before baking.
When ready to bake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop two tablespoon sized mounds of dough onto the prepared cookie sheet, leaving a few inches between each cookies for spreading.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers have set. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Notes
The total time above includes chill time.
Courses Dessert
Cuisine Cookies
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1-2 cookies
Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
% Daily Value |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Cristelle says
February 3, 2016 at 6:35 amThese look so yummy! Thanks for the great recipe.
bakerbynature says
February 3, 2016 at 2:58 pmYou’re very welcome, Cristelle! Enjoy 🙂
Genise says
October 13, 2016 at 4:53 amThese cookies are the best soft batch chocolate chunk peanut butter I ever tasted. Thank you.
bakerbynature says
October 16, 2016 at 6:35 pmThat’s awesome, Genise! Thank you so much for letting me know 🙂
Sabra Giacinto says
April 12, 2017 at 7:26 pmThese cookies are SO DARN GOOD!!!!!!!!! Unbelievable
Janet says
February 3, 2016 at 2:49 pmThese cookies look so good! Noticed when reading thru instructions there are 2 baking times shown – 9 minutes, then 12-14 minutes. Which is correct? Thank you!
bakerbynature says
February 3, 2016 at 2:57 pmHi Janet. Thank you for catching that – the recipe has been corrected. It’s 12-14 minutes 🙂
Jessica Robinson says
February 4, 2016 at 12:04 amthese look great!~ Cannot wait to try them!
bakerbynature says
February 4, 2016 at 3:55 pmI think you’re going to love them, Jessica!
Laura says
February 4, 2016 at 5:12 pmAbsolutely the best cookies I’ve ever made!!! I was out of baking soda so I added 1 1/2 tsp of addition baking power and didn’t add the salt. They are soooo soft and delicious!! Definitely a recipe I’ll keep!
bakerbynature says
February 4, 2016 at 5:13 pmAWESOME!!! So happy to hear this, Laura! Thanks for letting me know how much you enjoyed these cookies 🙂
Elvira says
February 14, 2016 at 10:32 amAm going to try and make these today
bakerbynature says
February 14, 2016 at 2:53 pmYay! Hope you love them, Elvira.
Laura says
February 23, 2016 at 4:11 amI finally got a chance to make these tonight and they are SO GOOD!! We can’t stop eating them! Thank you so much for the amazing recipe! This was my first recipe from your site and I am really looking forward to making lots more!
terisa says
April 15, 2016 at 1:42 pmCan i use chocolate chips?
bakerbynature says
April 15, 2016 at 2:01 pmAbsolutely, Terisa!
Alex says
April 16, 2016 at 10:38 pmI just made these. Another keeper recipe. Amazin!! Followed the recipe exactly.
Nikki says
April 21, 2016 at 2:25 amThese look delicious and I cannot wait to make them this weekend!
Michele says
May 13, 2016 at 11:54 pmWhen do you add the sea salt? After baking?
bakerbynature says
May 14, 2016 at 12:31 amYes! Just sprinkle it on top 🙂
Cindy B says
May 14, 2016 at 11:02 pmI didn’t chill the dough…. but they look amazing! I’ll see if it changes the flavor/texture of the cookies… but I doubt it!
They are really pretty if you use a scoop … I didn’t make mine quite so big…. they look perfect! They also smell heavenly! Thanks for the recipe…. They would have been my father’s favorite- he loved peanut butter cookies! <3
bakerbynature says
May 16, 2016 at 12:19 pmHi Cindy! I’m so happy you’re enjoying the peanut butter cookies 🙂
joanna says
June 7, 2016 at 2:27 pmMay i ask is chilling the dough necessary? What is the purpose anyway? Thanks cant wait to bake these 🙂
Malena Lopez says
June 10, 2016 at 11:31 pmCan i leave them in the fridge overnight? What should i do next?
bakerbynature says
June 11, 2016 at 7:41 pmHi Malena. You can leave the dough in the fridge for up to two days, but you’ll need to thaw it a little before rolling and baking the cookies. Or you can roll them after 30 minutes of chilling. All of the baking details are in the recipe box at the end of the post 🙂
Kai says
August 10, 2016 at 5:05 pmCould I use chunky peanut butter instead, how different would it be in terms of the chewiness factor ?
Apurva says
October 4, 2016 at 1:36 amHey has anyone tried making it without eggs. Any replacement. I am Vegetarian… Any suggestions would help… Really want to try them.
plasterer bristol says
October 11, 2016 at 8:15 amOh yummy. These are just delicious. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Simon
Cloey says
November 5, 2016 at 10:47 pmThese cookies look so amazing! So glad I stumbled apon this recipe!
Courtney says
December 6, 2016 at 7:00 pmJust made these and they are great! I did not chill the dough as I didn’t have the extra time. Used semi-sweet chocolate chips. So good!
Katie J says
December 7, 2016 at 10:33 pmSo good! Used an icecream scooper and they came out nice, big, and golden brown. I did have to cook them for 16 min but they were well worth the wait! I really enjoy your recipes, thanks for sharing.
Katie says
December 8, 2016 at 3:49 pmCan I use peanut butter that has no added oils or sweeteners, just peanuts? Like the kind you would get from those machines at whole foods?
daisy says
December 14, 2016 at 4:25 amCan you freeze unbaked cookie dough? If so, how do you bake them from frozen?
terisa says
February 3, 2017 at 3:24 pmI use the the organic peanut butter that has the oil in it I have to mix. Did you use that kind of pb or the other? If i use the oily kind do i have to change the recipe at all?
terisa says
February 5, 2017 at 12:24 pmI really need to know soon…..does it matter if i use the natural, oil on the top kind of peanut butter…and if so do I have to adjust the recipe?
bakerbynature says
February 6, 2017 at 10:23 pmHi Terisa. I’ve only used no stir creamy peanut butter for this recipe, but I think the oil on top kind should work if you stir it really well so it’s combined. If that makes sense?
terisa says
February 11, 2017 at 1:25 pmThere is a difference between natural and regular peanut butters…and it does affect the recipes. You should only use the regular peanut butter in this recipe.
bakerbynature says
February 11, 2017 at 2:02 pmDid you end up trying the recipe?
Cloé says
February 13, 2017 at 5:51 amI made these for my boyfriend for valentines day and they’re amazing thank you!
bakerbynature says
February 14, 2017 at 1:18 amYAY! Lucky boyfriend 😉 Thanks for letting me know!
Leelo says
February 26, 2017 at 5:48 pmMade these today,mine were burnt in d bottom n raw on d top.. while baking these cookies nly d bottom rods of d oven should b used or top n bottom,both?
Dawn Berube says
March 1, 2017 at 6:51 amThis is a delicious soft batch recipe! I can never leave a recipe alone though….I added a bag of toffee pieces and dark chocolate with caramel in it!
Audrey Whyde says
May 16, 2017 at 1:12 amHi, what if I do not have parchment paper? Can I just grease the pan and will it be ok?
Lauren says
June 2, 2017 at 2:44 pmRecipe looks great! Can I divide and freeze the dough?
bakerbynature says
June 5, 2017 at 8:05 amHi Lauren. I haven’t tried freezing this dough, but I think it should work. I would scoop it onto a cookie sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer mounds to a freezer safe ziplock bag. You may need to add an extra 1 to 2 minutes onto the bake time.
Aseem Batra says
July 14, 2017 at 2:58 amHi Ashley!
Can I replace eggs with something else ?
Regards ☺
Erin M. says
September 13, 2017 at 10:07 amI made these a few weeks ago and they got rave reviews!! Thank you!!
Katherine says
October 8, 2017 at 1:51 amHow do you get the chocolate chunks to be so gooey? Is it the chocolate you used? Did you do anything special in that picture with the oozing chocolate chunks? They look so delicious, I’ve got to try them!
Jette says
October 14, 2017 at 10:34 pmI made a little over 5 dozen decent sized cookies with this recipe. I didnt double it or anything, just followed the recipe to the T. Used coarse salt instead of flakes, tastes great. Thanks for sharing! Im going to have some people feeling lucky to be my friends soon!!
bakerbynature says
October 15, 2017 at 8:29 pmSo happy they were a hit, Jette!
Kim Stearns says
December 15, 2017 at 3:50 pmgoing to try these today! Granddaughter requested PB cookies w/chocolate chips as her special request for Christmas goodie mailing. ?? NEVER has MiMi made this SO after searching everywhere for a recipe I have decided on yours. Looks amazing and reviews are wonderful!
do have a ? Does the salt go on before or after baking?? Plus- do you flatten before baking or leave mounded?
I am getting the butter soft now I will appreciate your prompt reply.
sincerely,
Kim 🙂
bakerbynature says
December 15, 2017 at 4:06 pmHi Kim. You put the 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt in the cookie recipe, and use the flaky sea salt after baking. I don’t flatten mine, but you can for thinner cookies 🙂
KIm says
December 15, 2017 at 5:54 pmThank YOU So much for your prompt response I will let you know how they turn out!
Have a nice day!
🙂
Sandy says
January 16, 2018 at 6:28 amHi,
I just made this recipe but mine didn’t come out like the picture. I’m not sure if I did anything wrong. I did use regular brown sugar instead and chunky peanut butter. But they are just flat and only slightly soft in the middle. Did I maybe mix the batter too much? Thank you !
Terry Shelton says
February 21, 2018 at 6:38 pmThese look delicious!
Do you use natural peanut butter (the kind you have to stir – I like Whole Foods brand) or regular peanut butter? Also can you use crunchy instead of smooth.
bakerbynature says
February 22, 2018 at 11:45 amI use regular peanut butter 🙂 I think crunchy could work, but I’ve never tried so I can’t say for sure.
Caitlin says
March 20, 2018 at 8:40 pmDO you think I could substitute the peanut butter for almond butter as I have to consider some nuts allergies….
Anisha Mohinani says
April 1, 2018 at 4:48 pmHi I made these yesterday and I found that the dough was dry. So when baked they are not chewy. What else can I add if that happens again?
Thanks
Mary Dwyer says
August 19, 2018 at 6:18 amBaked a batch today and wow I don’t think they will last long!! Will try the maldon sea salt next time. Thanks for this great recipe:)
Liz says
October 12, 2018 at 5:46 pmThese were so good, they were so soft and chewy and a big hit with everyone. I will be making these again and again 🙂
zee says
November 15, 2018 at 10:21 pmcan I use dark brown sugar instead?
bakerbynature says
November 17, 2018 at 3:41 pmYes 🙂
zee says
November 15, 2018 at 10:22 pmcan you use dark brown sugar instead ?
bakerbynature says
November 17, 2018 at 3:41 pmyes:)
Megan says
January 2, 2019 at 10:49 pmSo, I made this recipe. SEVERAL TINES! This is an absolute wonderful recipe! I made them to cater in for work during the Christmas month and EVERYONE absolutely loved them. 2 batches gone just like that lol. My 2 guys at home won’t let me forget that we have run out of cookies lmbo! Absolute perfection!!!! Ty so much for sharing this recipe!
Carine says
February 12, 2019 at 9:59 pmHello ! I’m french so first, excuse my poor english.
I’ve been looking for a long time for a cookie recipe that could make me feel baked in the middle of the USA. Thanks to you, there it is !!! ❤️ they are AMAZING !!!! À little taste of America in the middle of France !
Anita says
April 23, 2019 at 10:49 pmHello !
Thank you for all.
I hace a ?
How many gr aré 2 sticks or 8 onces?
Dan Berkey says
May 14, 2019 at 3:29 pmI finally got around to making these this weekend, and they were super awesome. My wife and I have been on our summer body program the last couple of months, but decided these looked deserving enough to be our cheat meal! lol And….they did not disappoint! 🙂
Raven says
June 18, 2019 at 2:11 pmOh my God! These are without a doubt the BEST cookies I’ve ever made!!! I followed your recipe exactly and all my friends have praised them. Everyone’s asking for the recipe now!! Thank you so much for sharing and keep up the good work!!!