Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

If there’s one flavor combo I can never say no to, it’s chocolate and peanut butter. There’s just something about that rich, slightly salty peanut butter mingling with deep, fudgy chocolate that hits every craving. And when you bring those flavors together in cookie form? Total game-changer.

These Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies are everything I want in a cookie—soft in the center, just the right amount of chew, and packed with flavor. They come together easily, no chilling required, and they bake up beautifully every single time. Whether you’re baking for a cookie exchange, whipping up a quick dessert for your family, or just need a sweet treat to sneak from the counter throughout the day (we’ve all done it), this recipe checks all the boxes.

Let me tell you a little backstory—this recipe was born out of a craving. I wanted something chocolatey, but I didn’t want to commit to full-blown brownies. I wanted peanut butter, but I wasn’t in the mood for classic peanut butter cookies. So I played around with some ratios, added cocoa powder to my go-to peanut butter cookie base, and these beauties came to life. Now they’re a staple in my kitchen and a favorite among friends and family.

And if you’re into easy baking wins, you’re in luck—this dough comes together in one bowl (well, technically two, but who’s counting?), and no mixer is required if you’ve got a little elbow grease.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll need to make these soft and chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies:

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

• ¾ cup brown sugar

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• ¼ tsp salt

• ½ cup chocolate chips (optional but highly recommended!)

Pro tip: If you love a little extra texture and richness, go ahead and toss in those chocolate chips. You can also swap them for peanut butter chips if you really want to double down on that nutty goodness..

STEPS

1️⃣ Preheat the oven

Let’s start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This not only keeps your cookies from sticking but also makes cleanup a breeze.

2️⃣ Cream the butters and sugars

In a large mixing bowl, combine your peanut butter, softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and well-blended. You can use a hand mixer here, but a sturdy spoon and a little muscle will do the job just fine if you prefer.

What you’re looking for here is a light and fluffy texture—that’s what helps give these cookies their perfect soft bite.

3️⃣ Add the wet ingredients

Next, crack in your egg and pour in the vanilla extract. Beat until everything is fully combined. The dough should look glossy and cohesive at this point, and the vanilla will give it that classic, warm cookie aroma.

4️⃣ Mix the dry ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Make sure your cocoa powder isn’t clumpy—you want everything to be evenly distributed so the cookies bake consistently.

Alright, now that we’ve got the dough mixed and ready, let’s bring these cookies to life! This next part is where all that rich chocolate and creamy peanut butter flavor really starts to shine. The dough is thick, deeply chocolatey, and smells incredible even before it hits the oven. And trust me—once they start baking, your whole kitchen is going to smell like a chocolate dream.

One of the best parts about this recipe is how low-stress it is. You don’t need to chill the dough, you don’t need fancy equipment, and you don’t need to worry about the cookies spreading too much. Just mix, scoop, and bake. It’s that easy.

Let’s pick up right where we left off—with our dry ingredients ready and waiting.

5️⃣ Combine the mixtures

Now it’s time to bring everything together. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. You don’t want to overmix here—stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour. The dough will be thick and a little sticky, and that’s exactly what we want.

If you’re using chocolate chips (and I highly recommend you do), now’s the time to fold them in. Just a quick stir to distribute them evenly throughout the dough. You could even mix in some chopped nuts or peanut butter chips if you want to get creative.

6️⃣ Shape the cookies

Using a tablespoon or a small cookie scoop, portion out the dough and roll it into balls. Place each one on your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie. These cookies spread just enough, so spacing them helps them bake evenly without merging into one giant cookie (though, let’s be honest, that doesn’t sound terrible either).

Once you’ve got them all lined up, gently flatten the tops with your hand or the back of a spoon. This step helps the cookies spread evenly and bake into that perfect soft-but-chewy texture.

7️⃣ Bake

Pop the trays into your preheated oven and bake for 8–10 minutes. Keep an eye on them—you’re looking for the edges to be just set, while the centers should still look a little soft. They’ll continue to bake slightly on the hot baking sheet even after you take them out of the oven.

And please, resist the urge to overbake. That soft center is what makes these cookies so irresistible, and if you wait until they look fully done in the oven, they’ll end up overcooked as they cool.

8️⃣ Cool and serve

Once they’re out of the oven, let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. This lets them firm up just enough to move without falling apart. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely—if you can wait that long!

At this point, your kitchen smells like a chocolate-peanut butter bakery and you’ll be tempted to eat one straight off the tray. Go ahead. You’ve earned it.

Tips for Cookie Success

Here are a few quick tips to help you get the absolute best results every time:

• Use creamy peanut butter, not the natural kind. The oils in natural peanut butter can mess with the texture of the dough and cause the cookies to spread too much.

• Measure your flour correctly—too much flour will make the cookies dry and crumbly. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife for the most accurate measurement.

• Don’t skip the salt. Even though it’s a small amount, it balances the sweetness and brings out the richness of the chocolate and peanut butter.

• Try with different chips—semi-sweet, dark chocolate, peanut butter chips, or even white chocolate all work beautifully in this recipe.