Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft, chewy, and they turn out perfect every time! Start with an amazing peanut butter cookie recipe and add chocolate chips to take these cookies to the next level!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies have become a staple around my house since I discovered this recipe. I know, I know. Everyone says that their cookie recipe is the best and that doesn’t always mean much, but I promise that this is the BEST peanut butter cookie recipe you have ever tried.
It is my absolute favorite peanut butter cookie recipe. I can say this because I have tried dozens and dozens of peanut butter cookie recipes and was never very excited about any of them. Until I tried this one. It seems like a lot of the peanut butter cookie recipes turn out really crumbly and dry. Not this one!
This recipe is not only my favorite Peanut Butter Cookie recipe, but my favorite cookie recipe. Period. It is really that good. Just try it! I always add chocolate chips to mine, but they are good without also…totally up to you! And call me strange, but I usually prefer mini chocolate chips to the regular sized ones. I think it’s because I actually prefer cookie dough to baked cookies, and I like just a hint of chocolate mixed with the cookie – I don’t like my cookie dough to be overshadowed by too much chocolate!
How do you make homemade peanut butter cookies?
Making homemade peanut butter cookies is easy! Here are a few tips to getting perfect cookies every time!
- Make sure you use softened butter – DON’T melt it! One of the most common errors in cookie making is using butter that is either really cold and hard, or using butter that is too warm and melted. If you have time, just leave butter out on the counter for about 1-2 hours before making your cookies. If you are like me and don’t plan your cookie cravings that far in advance, just place the butter in your microwave and soften in 5 second intervals, being very careful to pull it out before it melts. I actually like to use the defrost setting on my microwave to soften butter- I don’t know the technical reasons behind it, but it seems to soften the butter more evenly and takes a little bit longer so I’m less likely to start melting it!
- Most cookie recipes require that you mix the dry ingredients separately before adding the wet ingredients. This is an important step! And be sure not to over mix the dry and wet ingredients together. Just mix until combined and then stop! To mix cookies, I usually use an electric mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Make sure to slightly press peanut butter cookies on the top with a fork before baking.
Why do peanut butter cookies always have fork marks on the top?
Peanut butter makes cookies more dense, so they need to be slightly flattened before baking so that they can cook more evenly. There is nothing worse than a cookie with burnt edges and a doughy middle! My kids like to help make the criss-cross pattern on the tops of the cookies, but if you don’t like the pattern, you can just use the back of a wooden spoon to slightly flatten the tops before placing the peanut butter cookies in the oven.
Ingredients in Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut butter: For best results, use a regular peanut butter. Every time I have made these cookies I have used a regular creamy peanut butter (like Jif or a store-brand alternative). Several readers have commented that the cookies do not turn out as well when using a natural style peanut butter.
Butter: I use salted butter, but you can use unsalted if you prefer. No margarine! Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature, but not melted before adding to the recipe.
Sugar: Can’t leave this one out – kind of an important ingredient in cookies!
Brown sugar: Also an important cookie ingredient. Make sure your brown sugar isn’t dried out or stale.
Egg: We only need 1 large egg, but it helps to bind the dough together so that the cookies cook properly and don’t crumble.
Milk: Just a little bit of milk, but it is needed to add a bit of moisture to the cookie dough. Any type of milk will work just fine!
Vanilla: I suggest using a good quality vanilla extract or a Vanilla Bean Paste.
Flour: I usually use all purpose flour, but you can use bread flour, or even pastry flour in this recipe.
Baking powder: Leavening agent in the cookies. Make sure your baking powder isn’t old or expired for best results.
Salt: Just a little bit, but don’t leave it out!
Chocolate chips: I usually use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but milk chocolate chips are fantastic as well. Or dark chocolate. Or throw in some peanut butter chips. A combination of chocolate works too! I like to swap out the regular sized chips for mini chips sometimes too! Or you can leave them out completely – peanut butter cookies are great on their own too!
How to make Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies?
With a hand mixer on medium speed, cream together the peanut butter, butter, white sugar and brown sugar until blended. Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla.
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture and mix together.
Stir in chocolate chips at this point if desired. Scoop tablespoonfuls of dough and roll into balls.
Place the balls of dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets or cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Press each cookie ball once with a fork.
Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375°. Don’t overcook! These cookies are much better soft and just barely cooked all the way through!
THE BEST PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Ingredients
- 1 cup peanut butter
- ½ cup butter softened
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 3 Tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- With a hand mixer, cream together the peanut butter, butter, white sugar and brown sugar until blended.
- Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla.
- Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl.
- Add flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture and mix together. Stir in chocolate chips at this point if desired.
- Scoop tablespoonfuls of dough and roll into balls.
- Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets (I used parchment paper since my cookies tend to burn on my darker pans). Press each ball once with a fork.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375. Don’t overcook! These cookies are much better soft and just barely cooked all the way through! Enjoy!
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Can you freeze peanut butter cookies?
Peanut butter cookies are easily frozen, either before or after baking them. I prefer to form the cookie dough balls and freeze those so that I can pull them and bake them whenever I need them. This way the cookies will be warm and fresh every time!
FREEZING COOKIE DOUGH
To freeze the cookie dough, place the balls on wax paper on a cookie sheet and freeze for about 30-45 minutes. Then you can place all of the frozen cookie dough balls in an airtight container or Ziplock freezer bag. When you are ready to bake them, just pull them out and place on a cookie sheet, let them thaw for about 10-15 minutes and then bake as usual.
FREEZING BAKED COOKIES
You can also freeze the cookies once they have been baked. Just make sure they have cooled all they way to room temperature and then place them in an airtight container in the freezer. I like to wrap them in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer bag or airtight container to make sure to prevent freezer burn. If stored properly, peanut butter cookies will stay good in the freezer for 2-3 months.
How do you keep peanut butter cookies soft and fresh?
If you don’t eat all the peanut butter cookies within the first day or two, you can keep them soft and fresh by placing half a slice of white bread with the cookies in an airtight container or Ziplock bag. Make sure the bag or container is sealed well. The cookies will absorb moisture from the bread and stay softer for a longer amount of time this way!
More favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes:
- Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
- Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Mrs. Fields White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Fudge Brownies
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft and chewy, and they turn out perfect every time! Add chocolate chips to this classic peanut butter cookie recipe to take these cookies to the next level!
More favorite recipes to try:
- Smoked Chicken Drumsticks
- Recipes with Jello Mix
- Smoked Meatloaf Recipe
- Garlic Butter Pasta
- Chocolate Donut Glaze
- Raspberry Jello Salad
Kristi says
I made these today and they are very good. I used some peanut butter chips as I ran out of the semi sweet. I’m going to have to double the recipe next time though. These are going to go very fast with my husband and son around!
Jessica says
Glad you liked the cookies- sounds like you should hide some for yourself! 😉
Elizabeth says
I’ve made these cookies at least 10 times in the last 2 months. It’s safe to say I’m addicted. It’s true that it isn’t an intense peanut butter flavor, but the overall flavor and texture is wonderful. I didn’t realize the recipe calls for baking powder instead of baking soda until I’d made them about three times. Since they turned out great with the baking soda I’ve just kept using it! I also increase the vanilla to a tablespoon cause I like it so much. Thanks for the great recipe!
Jessica says
Thank you for leaving this kind note! So glad you enjoy the recipe!!
Renee says
Hi Jessica, I was wondering if your recipe for The Best Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies can be doubled and if you can use margarine instead of butter as that’s all I have? My second question is can I use this recipe for my daughter’s youth group bake sales and my church is trying to raise money to build a church and buy land?I won’t take the credit for the recipe i’d direct anyone asking straight to your site.
Nellie says
I have never actually doubled it, but I’m guessing it will work just fine! I also have never tried margarine, but usually it substitutes well for butter so you shouldn’t have a problem with that either. And yes, you can definitely use the recipe to make cookies for a bake sale – good luck raising money for your church!
Renee says
Thank you for such a quick reply and I will defently use this recipe for my bake sale’s. Again thank you very much.
Shelby says
These are seriously the BEST peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. They were perfect. I cooked them on the short side (my oven bakes hot) and they were perfectly chewy and soft. My husband even said they were the best cookies ever and they don’t even need to be warmed up. Delicious. This will be our go-to cookie recipe.
Jessica says
so glad you enjoy them! 🙂
jean says
these turned out a bit crumbly I usually double butter and less baking powder for chewy chocolate chip cookies, will try that next time the flavor is good just needed to be softer, will update how they turn out when I do. thanks for posting recipe 🙂
Kim says
Can I use half and half instead of milk?
Jessica says
I’ve never tried it but I imagine it’d be just fine!
Cori says
These cookies turned out Awesome! My family loved them ????
Jessica says
So glad you enjoyed them!
Carla B says
Well….. unfortunately these were quite possibly the worst cookie I have ever made. And I followed the recipe to a T. They fell apart, were crumbly, and did not bake well. Even my toddler shook his head at them. The only thing I can think of is that some of us are attempting this using all natural organic peanut butter. I noticed a few other people had the same result. If so that should be noticed in recipe because it was a major bummer to have to throw out the batter after wasting a precious cup of my not-cheap pb. May attempt again using the cheap stuff bc they look and sound delicious.
Nellie says
I’m so sorry these didn’t turn out for you! I am guessing that you are right about the problem being the use of natural peanut butter since I have never tried that in this recipe. I usually use Jif or something similar and they have turned out well every time. I will have to make a note of that in the recipe – thanks for your comments!
kelcie says
i just made these cookies and they are ah-mazing! like seriously…may be my new favorite cookies. the hubby loved them too so that’s a plus! just the dough is my favorite part ????oops! thank you for sharing this recipe!
Nellie says
So glad you liked them as much as I do! The dough is my favorite part too!
Diana says
Just made a batch of these awesome cookies. They turned out PERFECT. I added orange zest to the recipe and they are so good. Thanks for sharing!
Nellie says
I’m so glad that you liked them! I would have never thought to add orange zest – I’ll have to try that next time!
Kristi grant says
the recipe turned out incredible! I even used margarine and not butter 🙂 looking forward to making it again! I’m a bigger fan of milk chocolate than semi sweet but still loved them thank you!
Lauren says
Just made these, definitely not enough peanut butter so I added more!
Lauren says
After reading other comments, it may be because I used natural PB
Michelle says
Why are the two recipes different? One shows milk, the other doesn’t…
Nellie says
The recipe does have 3 Tbsp of milk and it looks like that is showing up in the post and on the printable recipe. Can you tell me where you are seeing the recipe without the milk?
Natalie says
No complaints. I like a soft, chewy cookie and these were terrific. Thank you! <3
Jessica says
I haven’t read through all the comments so someone has likely already mentioned this, but the “add choc chips” step is missing from the instructions 🙂
Nellie says
Thanks for catching this! I’ll correct that right now!
Belinda Smith says
got to make this with my granddaughter shes 4 years old and loves peanut butter how many
dozen does it make.
Rawan says
That’s the best peanut butter chocolate chip cookies recipe I’ve ever made. The kids love it. They are soft and chewy. And very easy to make.
Jessica says
So glad you enjoyed them!