These are the chewiest peanut butter cookies, loaded with peanut butter and chocolate chips, and ready in under 30 minutes.
These cookies are soft and chewy (not crispy), similar in texture to peanut butter blossom bars, and they stay tender for days. Chopped peanuts are optional and add crunch, but I prefer them with peanut butter chips and a few chocolate chips so the peanut butter flavor shines.
If you like, dip half the cookie in melted chocolate and add sprinkles to match a holiday or celebration. They make an easy, crowd-pleasing treat.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Taste: Chewy like a classic chocolate chip cookie but with a rich peanut butter base and peanut butter chips. Use fewer chocolate chips so the peanut butter remains the star.
- Ease: Beginner-friendly — mix by hand, with an electric hand mixer, or a stand mixer.
- Time: About 10 minutes to mix and 8–10 minutes to bake per batch — roughly 25–30 minutes total.
Ingredient Notes
- Peanut butter: Use regular (not natural) creamy peanut butter. Natural varieties can make the dough oily and crumbly; crunchy peanut butter may make cookies crumbly too.
- Salted butter: Adds flavor — combined with peanut butter you only need a small amount of added salt.
- Chocolate chips: Keep these moderate so they don’t overpower the peanut butter. Peanut butter chips are a favorite addition.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts.
Tip: Using more brown sugar than white gives deeper flavor and helps produce a chewier cookie.
Substitutions & Variations
- Chopped peanuts: optional for added texture and flavor.
- Try white chocolate chips, toffee chips, or dark chocolate for a different flavor profile — but peanut butter chips remain my top pick.
Instructions
- Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. In a mixing bowl, cream together softened salted butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar until smooth, 2–3 minutes.
- Step 2. Add the egg and vanilla and mix on medium speed until creamy and slightly fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Step 3. Add the flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix until the dough forms and no flour pockets remain, about 1 minute. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky — resist adding extra flour.
- Step 4. Fold in peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, and chopped peanuts if using.
- Step 5. Scoop dough with a 2.5 tablespoon cookie scoop onto the prepared sheet, flatten slightly into a hockey-puck shape, and bake 8–10 minutes. Remove when edges are just beginning to crack and centers still look slightly underdone.
Pro tip: Do not overbake. The cookies finish setting as they cool, so take them out while the centers are a touch soft.
Troubleshooting
- Too dry or crumbly: Add 1–2 tablespoons of beaten egg or reduce flour by 1/4 cup.
- Spreading too much: Chill the dough for 1 hour or add 1/4 cup flour.
- Not spreading enough: Flatten the dough balls slightly before baking.
Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips
These cookies are easy to prepare ahead of time.
Freeze: Flash-freeze raw dough balls on a baking sheet for 30 minutes, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen 12–14 minutes at 350°F (175°C).
Frequently Asked Questions
The peanut butter typically gives these cookies structure. If you experience excessive spreading, reduce the peanut butter to 1/2 cup (about 130 g) instead of 3/4 cup.
No—this recipe is designed to bake without chill time so you can make cookies quickly.
Natural peanut butter tends to make the cookies oily and crumbly. Stick with regular creamy peanut butter for best texture.
Properly creaming the butter and sugar and avoiding extra flour are key to a chewy texture.
More Chewy Cookie Recipes
Baklava Cookies-
Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies
-
M&M Oatmeal Pudding Cookies
-
White Chocolate Biscoff Cookies
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating and a comment below the recipe card — it helps other bakers and I love reading your feedback. Share with friends and family if you enjoyed them!
Printable Recipe
Chocolate Chip & Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Electric mixer (or a sturdy hand mixer)
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup peanut butter chips
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped peanuts (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Cream together the softened butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar until smooth, 2–3 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla; mix on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add the flour, salt, and baking soda and mix until the dough comes together. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky — do not add extra flour.
- Fold in peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, and chopped peanuts if using.
- Scoop 2.5 tablespoon portions onto the prepared baking sheet, flatten slightly, and bake 8–10 minutes until edges begin to crack. Remove while centers are slightly underdone and allow to cool on the baking sheet.
Notes
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 3–4 days for best texture.
Nutrition
Hi, I’m Sara!
Registered nurse by day, food blogger on the weekend. I love testing dips and hunting for great snacks. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.