These chocolate chunk peanut butter cookies are thick, soft and loaded with peanut butter flavor, pockets of melty chocolate and topped a hint of sea salt! If you like peanut butter, try my fluffernutter cookies or peanut butter espresso cookies next.
I have a not-so-secret affection for my fluffernutter cookies. Sure, they’re a bit more work than I would normally want to put into a cookie recipe, but good lord are they worth it.
I adore thin, chewy cookies and they’re exactly what I want in a peanut butter cookie.
… until I want something else. And that something else is a thick, soft peanut butter cookie. But I tend to get bored with only a single flavor, so I add big chunks of chocolate to satisfy my tastebud’s requirement for variety.
And then I also add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt because I also adore sweet and salty combinations. This isn’t a requirement, and not even something I do every time – but it’s a solid assumption that of given the option, I will.
Thankfully, these chocolate chunk peanut butter cookies aren’t difficult to make, and a single batch can yield between 16 and 20 cookies, so it will keep me happy for a while… you know, if I limit myself to one cookie a day.
But let’s be honest – I don’t have that much self control.
Tips for making chocolate chunk peanut butter cookies
Use nonstick spray (aff link) on a measuring cup for your peanut butter. I’ve been doing this trick for years – spray a measuring cup with nonstick cooking spray, spoon in your peanut butter (and level off the top), and then flip it upside down into your bowl.
It should come out easily and your measuring cup will be mostly clean!
Use creamy peanut butter. The natural kind of peanut butter you need to stir could be too oily (but if it’s well combined, you might get lucky), and chunky peanut butter will yield different results, texture wise, potentially creating a more crumbly cookie.
Use room temperature ingredients. Room temperature egg and peanut butter will incorporate more easily.
Fold in your chocolate chunks with a spatula. You can use the lowest speed on your mixer for a few seconds, but I find that it could accidentally overmix the dough – so I always fold them in using a spatula or wooden spoon.
You do need to let the dough chill. Not long – only 30 minutes. If you’re making them the night before and they’re spending that long in the fridge, just let them come back to room temperature a bit (15-30 minutes) before baking.
If they’re too chill, they won’t spread much at all and they’re have a tough time cooking through in the middle without burning on the edges.
Press a chocolate chunk or two into the top. This is really just for presentation’s sake, but I like to set aside 1 ounce of chocolate chunks to add to the top of each cookie before baking.
Add flaky sea salt! I almost always do this, but you don’t have to. Right before baking I add a small sprinkle of Maldon flake salt to the top of each cookie – but don’t overdo it, a little goes a long way.
I brought these to a little gathering with friends shortly after Christmas, and everyone was a huge fan. I swear, I can still smell their intoxicating aroma wafting through my mind.
… that feels like as good a reason as any to go make some more right now. Ready, set, go!
After you’ve made this recipe, please consider coming back to share your experience with others by leaving a comment below with a star rating!
Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder, scant
- pinch of salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 5 ounces chocolate, chunks or chopped (set 1 ounce aside to press into the top of each cookie before baking)
- Flaky sea salt, for topping (optional, but encouraged)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add peanut butter and beat again until smooth.
- Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat again until combined and fluffy.
- Add egg and vanilla and beat until just combined.
- Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined.
- Using a spatula, folk in chocolate chunks until just combined.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with a nonstick silicon mat or parchment paper.
- Use a medium cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) to portion out dough onto prepared cookie sheet a few inches apart. If desired, press a few chocolate chunks into the top of each cookie for presentation's sake. Press down lightly on the top of each cookie to flatten it just a little, then top with a small sprinkle of flaky sea salt, if desired.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are set and the edges have started to turn golden. Let cool on baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
