Big, Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Madison Reid
Published June 17, 2024. Updated June 18, 2024

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Peanut butter and chocolate- a match made in heaven! These perfect cookies are for all the peanut butter lovers out there. Big, soft, and chewy, these peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are loaded with flavor and the perfect balance of sweet and salty. Each bite melts in your mouth with a burst of rich, creamy peanut butter and pockets of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Whether for a cozy evening treat or a delightful party snack, these chewy peanut butter cookies will satisfy your cravings and leave everyone reaching for more.

If you enjoy these chocolate chip peanut butter cookies, you should also check out my Peanut Butter Swirl Frozen Custard Ice Cream Recipe and my Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies. Or if you want to do a taste test and find out which is the best peanut butter cookies try all my cookie recipes:

Freshly baked peanut butter chocolate chip cookies

The Chemistry of Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

The science behind these big, soft, and chewy cookies lies in the balance of ingredients and the preparation method. The combination of granulated and brown sugar ensures that the cookies are sweet with a hint of molasses, which adds depth of flavor and moisture. Peanut butter contributes fat, which helps create a tender texture. Baking soda acts as a leavening agent, giving the cookies a slight rise and contributing to their chewy texture. Finally, the semi-sweet chocolate chips add bursts of chocolatey goodness that complements the peanut butter perfectly.

What is in a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie recipe?

Unsalted Butter

It is always important to use unsalted butter when baking. If you use salted butter, you have no way of knowing how much salt you are adding to your dough or batter and it will result in an overly salted treat.

Butter adds fats to your dough or batter which helps with moistness, flavor and texture. Butter melts at body temperature, which creates a ‘melt in your mouth’ sensation.

When baking with butter the temperature is important. If the butter is too warm your treat will melt down too fast and overspread in the oven, leaving you with a greasy, flat mess. If your butter is too cold it will have the opposite problem and not melt down enough, leaving your treat too thick.

Peanut Butter

Adds another fat into your dough or batter that melts easily, allowing your treat to spread a little more. It will also add a creamy texture & rich flavor to your treat.

Granulated Sugar

Adds sweetness, provides a caramelized flavor and crisp texture. Sugar assists with rising when creamed with butter. It helps add moisture to your treat and helps it evenly spread as it melts into a liquid in the heat of the oven. Sugar also helps with naturally preserving your baked treat.

Brown Sugar

Is granulated sugar with a little molasses mixed in. Molasses is a somewhat smoky flavored natural sweetener, which makes brown sugar a bit sweeter than granulated sugar. Brown sugar draws more moisture into your treat, keeping it softer for longer. It’s also more acidic, which means it will help activate your baking soda.

Vanilla Extract

When using pure vanilla extract, as opposed to imitation flavoring, it will add the deep rich flavor that everybody wants in a treat.

Eggs

Adds both a protein (egg whites) and fat (egg yolks). The egg whites help with rising because, when foamed, little air pockets get trapped inside the egg white mixture. The water content in egg whites encourages steam while baking, which helps with gluten formation, resulting in nice and thick treats. Egg yolks have emulsifying properties that bring batters and doughs together and help them from collapsing. Unless otherwise specified, always use large eggs.

All-purpose Flour

Builds structure as it absorbs liquids and expands. All-purpose flour falls in the middle of bread flour (high in gluten) and cake flour (low in gluten). It’s exactly what it is named, all-purpose, the most universal flour that can be used in most baked goods.

Baking Soda

Elevates the pH level of your batter or dough. It increases the spread in your treat and encourages browning, which gives the crispy outside and soft inside texture that everyone loves. Baking soda needs both an acid and a liquid to react. Things that will activate your baking soda are: vinegar, fruit juice, molasses, brown sugar, tartar, buttermilk and sour cream. Baking soda only reacts once, which is right when it’s mixed into your batter or dough. The soda creates little air bubbles all throughout your treat. When the air bubbles get heated up in the oven, they expand.

Fine Sea Salt

Enhances flavor, adds balance, masks any bitter flavors. Salt is the most powerful and oldest preservative. Always make sure to use fine sea salt so it melts down at the right speed in the heat of the oven. If you use larger granule salt, it will not melt down fully when baked and will leave salt crystals throughout your treat, making it crunch like you dropped it into sand.

Chocolate Chips

Is a form of chocolate. Chocolate chips are not pure chocolate, they are typically made up of cocoa, sugar, emulsifier and vanilla. Chips are good for baking because they do not melt completely in the oven like pure chocolate would. That way you get confined pockets of chocolate throughout your treat.

How do you make peanut butter chocolate chip cookies?

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. The convection setting is great for cookies!
Add butter, peanut butter, white sugar, and brown sugar to a standing mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix at medium speed until combined, then whip at high speed for 2-3 minutes until it is lighter in color and texture. If you do not have a stand mixer, you can use a large bowl with a hand mixer.
Add vanilla and eggs, stir until combined
In a separate bowl mix together flour, soda & salt
Turn standing mixer on low speed and slowly pour in the dry ingredients
Mix dough just until it comes together
Fold in semi-sweet chocolate chips
Scoop cookie dough balls with a cookie scoop out onto a light metal cookie sheets that is lined with parchment paper
Place in the preheated oven and bake for 9 minutes, until lightly golden brown
Let cool on pan for 10 minutes before removing

Storage Tips

To keep your cookies fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you need to keep them longer, refrigerate them for up to a week or freeze them for up to 3 months. This will maintain their soft and chewy texture.

These cookies are best enjoyed within the first few days of baking when they are at their softest and chewiest. At room temperature, they will stay fresh for up to 5 days. Refrigeration can extend their shelf life to about a week, but freezing is the best option for long-term storage.

Freezing Options

To freeze the cookies, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag. This method prevents the cookies from sticking together. Thaw the cookies at room temperature or in the refrigerator before serving.

Making Ahead

These cookies are perfect for making ahead of time. You can prepare the dough and freeze it in scooped portions. When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen dough balls on a cookie sheet and bake as directed, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time if necessary.

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Why make peanut butter chocolate chip cookies?

These soft peanut butter cookies are a dream come true for peanut butter and chocolate lovers alike. With their perfect balance of rich peanut butter flavor and delightful texture, they are sure to become your favorite peanut butter cookie recipe.

My love for cookies goes back to childhood baking sessions with my dad, who also loves peanut butter! This recipe is a homage to those days – capturing the essence of indulgence and warmth. There’s something incredibly comforting about a freshly baked cookie, and these peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are my go-to when I need a bit of that comfort. I hope they bring as much joy to your home ad they do to mine.

FAQs

Can I use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy?

Yes, you can use chunky peanut butter if you prefer a bit of crunch in your cookies. The texture will be slightly different, but the flavor will be just as delicious. I would not recommend using natural peanut butter; it will drastically change the texture of the cookies.

Can I make these cookies gluten-free?

Absolutely! You can substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend. Make sure the blend is suitable for baking to achieve the best results.

How should I store these cookies?

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate them for up to a week or freeze them for up to 3 months.

Can I use different types of chocolate chips?

You can experiment with different chocolate chips, such as milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or even white chocolate chips. Each variation will give the cookies a unique flavor twist.

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Big, Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

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The Chemistry of Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies