Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

These Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies are an over-the-top treat that’s easy to make and packed with delicious chocolaty peanut butter flavor! This recipe has you meeting your new favorite cookie in under an hour!

 

Deliciously Soft Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies 

Everyone knows that chocolate and peanut butter are top contenders for being the best dessert flavor combination out there! And one bite into these deliciously soft chocolate peanut butter stuffed cookies may earn them that #1 spot!

These deep, rich homemade chocolate cookies are studded with Reese’s Pieces and Reese’s peanut butter chips. But the goodness doesn’t stop there! The chocolate peanut butter chip cookies have a sweet yet salty creamy ball of peanut butter waiting on the inside – think the filling of a peanut butter ball!

To put the finishing touch on these cookies, they’re then rolled in Reese’s Pieces and Reese’s peanut butter chips before baking up to soft, sweet perfection!

You Will Love These Peanut Butter Stuffed Cookies

These cookies were inspired by the Double D Cookie by Fat & Weird Cookie! They are such a delicious gourmet cookie packed with the perfect blend of peanut butter and chocolate flavor.

The peanut butter center is so fudge-like and the cookie dough bakes up tender and rich – a truly perfect cookie!

Unsweetened and Black Cocoa Powder

When scanning the ingredients list, you may have noticed that this peanut butter chocolate cookie recipe calls for two types of cocoa powders. I opted to combine the unsweetened cocoa powder and black cocoa powder in this recipe to give them their deep dark brown/black color without too much bitterness or Oreo cookie flavor.

If you want, you can choose to use all of either one; the cookies will still turn out incredibly yummy! The next important ingredient that’s worth mentioning is the peanut butter.

In this recipe, it’s best to use a creamy peanut butter such as Jif or Skippy. I wouldn’t recommend using all-natural peanut butter since the recipe isn’t tailored to handle the extra liquid that often comes with all-natural peanut butter.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie Variations

• Whole Milk – If needed, feel free to try using whatever milk you already have on hand in place of whole milk.
• Powdered Milk – Powdered milk can be omitted from the cookie dough if you prefer. Leaving it out won’t impact the structure of the cookie, but it will alter its final flavor as the powered milk gives these cookies a wonderful depth of flavor.
• Pudding Mix – Instant chocolate pudding mix can be used in place of instant chocolate fudge pudding mix.
• Cocoa Powder – Instead of using both unsweetened cocoa powder and black cocoa powder, you can use all of either one.
• Salted Butter – If you have unsalted butter on hand, you can use that instead of salted butter. You will need to add an additional 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the cookie dough to balance the flavor back out.
• Chocolate Chips – You can replace the Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips in the cookie dough with chocolate chips. Or you can top the cookie dough with chocolate chips before baking!
• Peanut Butter Drizzle – After the cookies have been baked, melt some peanut butter in the microwave and then drizzle the cookies with the melted peanut butter! This will dress the cookies up even more while adding a bit more peanut butter flavor!
• Mini Version – This recipe yields 9 very large cookies! However, if you prefer, you can make this recipe into a mini version by portioning the dough into 2-ounce cookies with a .5-ounce peanut butter ball in the center.
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup – Instead of the homemade peanut butter filling, feel free to use Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups or Thin Cups instead.

How To Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Step 1: Prepare the peanut butter filling by beating the peanut butter, powdered sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and whole milk together in a medium bowl. Set this aside.

Step 2: Prepare the cookie dough by first whisking the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, black cocoa powder, box of instant chocolate fudge pudding mix, powdered milk, salt, and baking soda together. Set this aside.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, cream the granulated sugar and salted butter in a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.

Step 4: Beat in the large egg until combined, then add in the additional large egg yolk, whole milk, and pure vanilla extract. Mix again until just combined.

Step 5: Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat only until incorporated. Next, add in the remaining dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined.

Step 6: Fold in the Reese’s Pieces and Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips until evenly combined throughout the cookie dough.

Step 7: Portion out the dough into nine scoops of cookie dough that weigh about 4 ounces each. Gently press the portioned dough flat and shape it into a bowl.

Step 8: Roll an ounce of peanut butter filling into a ball and add it to a cookie dough bowl. Repeat this with the peanut butter filling to fill all the cookie dough bowls.

Step 9: Gently fold the dough up and around the peanut butter filling using your hands. Once the filling is fully enclosed in the cookie dough, roll it around in your palms to smooth and round it out.

Step 10: Place the rolled cookies sealed side down on the parchment paper lined baking sheet about 3 to 4 inches apart.

To achieve a more finished look on these cookies, you can optionally top them with additional Reese’s Pieces and peanut butter chips to the tops of the cookies.

Step 11: Bake the chocolate peanut butter cookies until the edges are set, and the tops appear to have a matte finish.

Step 12: Allow the baked cookies to cool on the pan before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips For Making Perfect Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cookies Every Time

• Measuring Ingredients Accurately – It’s easy to accidentally over-pack or under-measure ingredients when using measuring cups. This mistake then impacts the cookie’s flavor and texture, often resulting in dry or crumbly cookies! Therefore, for these cookies to turn out their absolute best, I recommend measuring the ingredients with a kitchen scale. However, if you prefer using measuring cups over a kitchen scale, then check out the correct way to measure flour to avoid dry cookies!
• Scraping The Bowl – As the dry ingredients are incorporated into the wet ingredients, it’s likely that some of the flour mixture may settle at the bottom of the bowl. To reincorporate any settled dry ingredients, use a rubber spatula to mix the dough. This will prevent the cookie dough from being over-mixed while also incorporating all of the ingredients so that a cookie or two isn’t overloaded with dry ingredients.
• Sealing The Dough – To make the perfect peanut butter-filled cookies, the filling needs to stay IN the cookie! Therefore, it’s important to get a really good seal on each cookie so that the filling doesn’t come out during baking. I’ve found it works best to flatten the dough and then gently shape it into a bowl. Afterward, I place the rolled-up peanut butter filling into the center of the bowl and then carefully work the cookie dough up and over the filling. If needed, you can pinch the seam together at the top. Lastly, to ensure a good seal on the cookies, roll the cookie dough ball in your palms!
• Baking Sheets – If you don’t have a large cookie sheet, I’d recommend using two 9X13 baking sheets to bake these cookies in batches. This will allow plenty of room for the cookies to spread while also allowing the first batch to cool on the sheet as the second batch goes in the oven. If you only have one 9X13 baking sheet, it will need to cool in between batches so that the cookie dough isn’t placed onto a hot baking sheet, as that would alter the structure of the cookies.
• Baking Time – It’s important to note that these cookies are only baked until their edges are just set. This means that when they come out of the oven, they will look slightly underdone. However, that’s absolutely normal for these cookies, so resist the urge to pop them back in the oven! As the chocolate peanut butter cookies set on the baking sheet and cool on the wire rack, they will firm up to be the perfect chewy treat!
• Additional Topping – If you want to push these cookies over the top, then roll the cookie dough balls in additional Reese’s Pieces and peanut butter chips before baking. This will give them a more finished look while also adding more texture and peanut buttery goodness to them!

Storing Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

These chewy peanut butter cookies are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They can then be enjoyed for up to 3 to 4 days. I have found any longer than that, and the cookies start to dry out a bit.

For longer storage, you can also freeze the baked and cooled cookies. This is a great way to get ahead of party planning and your holiday baking!

To freeze these cookies, first flash freeze them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Then transfer the frozen cookies into a freezer-safe airtight container or Ziploc back with the excess air squeezed out of it.

Store the cookies in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy the chocolate peanut butter cookies, thaw them at room temperature.

Tips For Reheating Chocolate And Peanut Butter Cookies

For a warm, gooey peanut butter cookie, pop your treat in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds or until it reaches your desired warmth!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie FAQs

More Stuffed Cookie Recipes

• Peppermint Mocha Cookies
• Churro Cookies
• Molten Lava Cake Cookies
• Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookies

Let’s Connect!

If you’ve tried this recipe, please let me know how you liked it in the comments below and leave a review. I love hearing from you!

Don’t forget to tag me – @sugarandsoulco – on Instagram and Pinterest with your photos or join our Sugar & Soul Show-offs Community and share them there, where you can join our recipe challenges!