I perfected a Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe using a surprising ingredient trick that recreates bakery-style results at home.

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I wasn’t aiming to reinvent cookies but these amazing Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies snuck up on me. They’re soft like bakery treats yet with a peanut punch thanks to creamy peanut butter and pockets of molten semi sweet chocolate chips that make you pause, like wait is this real?

I kept testing temperature, timing, stupid little tweaks, and every time someone walked in they almost attacked the plate, no joke. I even think of them as Good Healthy Recipes because they feel somehow right, yet i half expect folks to ask for the recipe like it’s a secret and i’ll shrug it off.

Ingredients

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Peanut butter adds protein, its rich and creamy, makes cookies extra chewy
All purpose flour gives structure, lots of carbs so not super light, but familiar
Brown sugar brings moisture, caramel notes, makes them sweet and soft, kinda sticky
Butter adds richness, flavor and browning, gives tender crumb, but adds lots fat
Chocolate chips add chocolatey bursts, sugar and fat, they melt or hold shape
Eggs bind ingredients, add protein and moisture, yolks make them richer
Cornstarch softens, makes cookies tender and thick without extra flour, small trick
Vanilla brightens flavor, tiny bit goes a long way, makes cookies taste homey

Ingredient Quantities

2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup (240 g) creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar

1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 to 2 cups (255 to 340 g / about 9 to 12 oz) semi sweet chocolate chips

Flaky sea salt for sprinkling, optional

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside. Measure 2 cups (250 g) flour by spooning into the cup then leveling it or just weigh it for best results.

2. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a bowl: 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt. Set that aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup (115 g) softened unsalted butter, 1 cup (240 g) creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar and 1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar until light and a little fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes with a hand or stand mixer. Scrape the bowl down once or twice cause stuff sticks.

4. Add 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the butter mix, beat until combined and smooth. Room temp eggs help it mix easier.

5. Add the dry mix to the wet in two additions on low speed, mixing just until you dont see streaks of flour. Overmix and you’ll get tough cookies, so stop when combined.

6. Fold in 1 1/2 to 2 cups (255 to 340 g) semi sweet chocolate chips with a spatula, reserving a handful to press on top before baking. If the dough seems super soft chill it 30 to 60 minutes so cookies spread less.

7. Use a cookie scoop or two tablespoon to three tablespoon portions and place dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. Press a few reserved chips on top and sprinkle flaky sea salt if you like that sweet-salty hit.

8. Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for about 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set and centers still look slightly soft. Smaller scoops ~9 minutes, big bakery-size ~11 to 13 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway if your oven is uneven.

9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 4 to 6 minutes so they set, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. They firm up as they cool but are heavenly warm, so grab one while its still melty if you cant wait.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven set to 350°F (175°C), preheated so it’s ready when you are
2. Baking sheets plus parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, at least one sheet per batch
3. Kitchen scale (best) or measuring cups and spoons for flour, sugars, etc
4. Mixing bowls, one large for creaming and one medium for dry ingredients
5. Hand mixer or stand mixer, or a sturdy whisk if you wanna do it by hand
6. Rubber spatula for scraping and folding, and a wooden spoon for sturdier mixing
7. Cookie scoop or 2 to 3 tablespoon spoons for portioning dough
8. Wire cooling rack so cookies finish firming up properly
9. Oven mitts or potholders, safety first, you’ll thank me later

FAQ

Q: What temp and how long do I bake these cookies? A: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 9 to 12 minutes. Pull them when the edges are set and the centers still look a tiny bit underbaked, they'll firm up as they cool.

Q: Do I need to chill the dough? A: You should, yes. Chill 30 minutes for easier handling, 1 to 2 hours for thicker cookies, or up to 24 to 72 hours in the fridge for deeper flavor. If you skip chilling expect more spread.

Q: Can I use natural or chunky peanut butter? A: Yes but expect differences. Natural PB (oil separated) can make the dough looser and the cookies spread more, so stir it well, chill longer, or add a tablespoon of extra flour. Chunky works fine, just gives more peanut bits.

Q: How do I get chewy cookies not flat and crispy? A: Use more brown sugar, keep the egg yolk (it adds chew), include the cornstarch, don't overmix, and chill the dough. Also don't let butter get too melty before mixing, that causes excess spread.

Q: Can I change the amount or type of chocolate? A: Yep. The recipe works with 1 1/2 to 2 cups of chips, use more for big chocolatey pockets. Semi sweet, dark, or chopped chocolate all work, just watch bake time if you add big chunks.

Q: How do I store or freeze these cookies or the dough? A: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temp up to 4 days. Freeze baked cookies up to 3 months. For dough, flash-freeze scooped balls on a tray then bag them for up to 3 months, bake from frozen adding 1 to 2 minutes to the time.

Amazing Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All-purpose flour: try whole wheat pastry flour, 1:1 by weight (250 g) — it’ll be a bit denser and nuttier but still great; or use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend (with xanthan gum) same weight, might need an extra minute in the oven.
Unsalted butter: swap with solid coconut oil or vegan butter, 1:1 by volume (use slightly less if using salted butter and cut the recipe salt); cookies may be crisper and have a hint of coconut if using coconut oil.
Creamy peanut butter: use natural peanut butter (stir well, same amount) for a more pronounced peanut flavor and slightly looser dough; for a nut-free option use sunflower seed butter, same amount, but it can darken from a reaction with baking soda.
1 large egg + 1 yolk: make a flax “egg” replacement by mixing 1.5 tablespoons ground flaxseed with 4.5 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes to thicken — good binder for egg-free cookies, dough may be a touch denser.

Pro Tips

1) Weigh the flour, dont eyeball it. Even a little too much flour makes cookies dense, so a kitchen scale is worth it and saves you from sad crumbly results.

2) Chill the dough longer than you think, like overnight if you can. It deepens the peanut flavor, cuts down spread, and gives a chewier center, plus cookies bake more evenly the next day.

3) Use a mix of good chocolate and a few big chunks on top. Big chunks melt slower so you get those gooey pockets without the whole cookie turning into a flat chocolate puddle. Pressing a few extra chips on top right before baking makes them look bakery-level.

4) If you swap in natural peanut butter realize it has more oil, so either stir well and chill the dough longer, or add a tablespoon of extra flour to compensate; otherwise they’ll spread like crazy.

5) Store smart: keep cooled cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread to stay soft, or freeze scooped dough on a tray then bag it so you can bake fresh cookies anytime, no scrambling.

Amazing Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Louise Nightin

0.0 from 0 votes

I perfected a Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe using a surprising ingredient trick that recreates bakery-style results at home.

Servings

servings

Calories

249

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven set to 350°F (175°C), preheated so it’s ready when you are
2. Baking sheets plus parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, at least one sheet per batch
3. Kitchen scale (best) or measuring cups and spoons for flour, sugars, etc
4. Mixing bowls, one large for creaming and one medium for dry ingredients
5. Hand mixer or stand mixer, or a sturdy whisk if you wanna do it by hand
6. Rubber spatula for scraping and folding, and a wooden spoon for sturdier mixing
7. Cookie scoop or 2 to 3 tablespoon spoons for portioning dough
8. Wire cooling rack so cookies finish firming up properly
9. Oven mitts or potholders, safety first, you’ll thank me later

Ingredients

2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (240 g) creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 to 2 cups (255 to 340 g / about 9 to 12 oz) semi sweet chocolate chips
Flaky sea salt for sprinkling, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside. Measure 2 cups (250 g) flour by spooning into the cup then leveling it or just weigh it for best results.
Whisk together the dry ingredients in a bowl: 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt. Set that aside.
In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup (115 g) softened unsalted butter, 1 cup (240 g) creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar and 1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar until light and a little fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes with a hand or stand mixer. Scrape the bowl down once or twice cause stuff sticks.
Add 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the butter mix, beat until combined and smooth. Room temp eggs help it mix easier.
Add the dry mix to the wet in two additions on low speed, mixing just until you dont see streaks of flour. Overmix and you'll get tough cookies, so stop when combined.
Fold in 1 1/2 to 2 cups (255 to 340 g) semi sweet chocolate chips with a spatula, reserving a handful to press on top before baking. If the dough seems super soft chill it 30 to 60 minutes so cookies spread less.
Use a cookie scoop or two tablespoon to three tablespoon portions and place dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. Press a few reserved chips on top and sprinkle flaky sea salt if you like that sweet-salty hit.
Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for about 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set and centers still look slightly soft. Smaller scoops ~9 minutes, big bakery-size ~11 to 13 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway if your oven is uneven.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 4 to 6 minutes so they set, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. They firm up as they cool but are heavenly warm, so grab one while its still melty if you cant wait.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.