Picture a tray of golden cookies emerging from the oven, edges gently crisp, centers plush and velvety, ribbons of melting chocolate marbling into warm peanut butter.
Imagine the aroma—nutty, toasty, a whisper of vanilla—filling the kitchen and softening even the busiest day into something tender and calm.
These cookies matter to me because they’re the kind of small comfort that turns an ordinary afternoon into a memory: simple to make, reliably delicious, and always welcomed with a grin.
They’re perfect for quick wins on busy weeknights, as a sweet finish after Sunday suppers, or packed into lunch boxes for midweek boosts.
I once baked a double batch during a stormy power flicker; the oven held steady long enough to deliver warm cookies that kept my family gathered, talking, and unhurried—exactly what we needed.
This recipe is unfussy, cozy, and time-smart.
Ready? Let’s cook!
Why You’ll Love It
- Delivers bold, nutty peanut butter with pockets of melty chocolate
- Bakes fast: dough to cookies in about 35 minutes
- Uses pantry staples and simple, reliable techniques
- Stays chewy with crisp edges; customizable texture
- Freezes beautifully for fresh cookies anytime
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter — room temp for easy mixing (choose a smooth, high‑quality brand)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened — not melted (good European-style butter adds richness)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar — fine cane sugar dissolves evenly (avoid super coarse crystals)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed — adds moisture and chew (fresh, soft sugar)
- 1 large egg, room temperature — binds and enriches (use fresh, Grade AA)
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature — extra tenderness (separate cleanly, no whites)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract — flavor depth (real vanilla, not imitation)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour — 190–200 g by weight (unbleached for best flavor)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda — proper lift (check freshness/date)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder — balanced rise (aluminum-free preferred)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt — enhances flavor (fine grain disperses evenly)
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips — 50–60% cacao (choose a quality brand)
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips (optional) — sweeter contrast (mix sizes if desired)
- 2 tablespoons milk (optional, as needed) — only if dough seems dry (whole milk preferred)
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling (optional) — finish after baking (use a light hand)
Step-by-Step Method
Preheat & Prepare
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set out a wire rack. Assure butter, egg, and egg yolk are at room temperature. Gather equipment and measure ingredients.
This prep speeds mixing and ensures even baking. If your kitchen is warm, plan to chill dough 30 minutes to reduce spreading.
Whisk Dry Ingredients
Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and fine sea salt in a mixing bowl until evenly combined. Break up any flour clumps for a smoother dough. Set aside.
Accurate mixing here helps the leaveners distribute properly, giving cookies lift and tender interiors. If using a scale, aim for 190–200 g flour for consistent results.
Cream Fats & Sugars
Beat creamy peanut butter, softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and packed light brown sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Aim for a light, fluffy mixture with slightly paler color.
Proper creaming aerates the dough for better texture. Scrape the bowl and paddle as needed to prevent pockets of butter or peanut butter.
Add Eggs & Vanilla
Beat in the large egg, egg yolk, and pure vanilla extract until smooth and fully combined. Mix on medium-low, stopping to scrape the bowl.
The extra yolk enhances chewiness and richness. Assure no streaks of egg remain. Avoid overmixing once combined to prevent excess gluten formation in later steps.
Combine Wet & Dry
Add the dry ingredients to the mixer on low speed. Mix just until a soft dough forms, stopping when no dry flour remains.
If the dough seems crumbly or dry, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time, up to 2 tablespoons total. Keep the dough soft but not sticky. Overmixing can toughen cookies and reduce tenderness.
Fold In Chips
Fold in semisweet chocolate chips and optional milk chocolate chips with a spatula until evenly distributed. Scrape the bottom and sides to capture stray chips. Balance is key for consistent chocolate in every bite.
If the kitchen is warm or dough feels loose, cover and chill 30 minutes to control spread.
Scoop & Space
Use a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion dough onto the lined sheets. Space mounds about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
Lightly press the tops to flatten slightly for even baking. For make-ahead convenience, freeze scoops on a tray until firm, then store in a bag up to 2 months.
Bake Carefully
Bake one sheet at a time for 9–11 minutes. Look for set edges and centers that appear slightly underdone. Pull earlier for chewier cookies; bake to light golden brown for crisper edges.
Oven temps vary, so start checking at 9 minutes. Rotate the sheet once if your oven has hot spots.
Finish & Cool
Cool cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes to set structure. Sprinkle flaky sea salt, if using, while warm. Transfer to a wire rack and cool 10 minutes more.
The carryover heat finishes the centers without overbaking. Store cooled cookies airtight up to 4 days, or bake frozen scoops adding 1–2 minutes.
Ingredient Swaps
- Dairy-free: use vegan butter and dairy-free chocolate chips; replace milk with oat or almond milk if needed.
- Egg-free: substitute 1 egg + 1 yolk with 1/4 cup aquafaba or 1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water) plus 1 tbsp plant milk if dough seems dry.
- Gluten-free: swap all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend; chill 30 minutes to reduce spread.
- Nut variations: use crunchy PB for texture, or replace up to 1/2 cup PB with almond or sunflower seed butter (for nut-free); note sunflower butter may cause green tint—harmless.
- Budget/regional: use all semisweet chips or chopped bar chocolate; if vanilla is pricey, reduce to 1 tsp.
You Must Know
- Doneness • If edges look set but centers are glossy and puffed, pull the tray; residual heat finishes them in 5–7 minutes on the sheet. This keeps centers chewy; cookies will deflate slightly and matte as they’re done.
- Troubleshoot • If cookies spread thin into puddles, chill dough 30–45 minutes or add 10–15 g flour; warm dough or low flour causes over-spread. Aim for scoops that hold a rounded mound after 2 minutes at room temp.
- Scale • For 12 larger cookies, use 3-tablespoon scoops and extend oven time to 12–14 minutes; for minis (36), use 1 tablespoon and reduce to 7–9 minutes. Keep 2 inches spacing so air circulates.
- Flavor Boost • For deeper nutty notes, toast peanut butter in a skillet on low until it smells like warm roasted peanuts (3–5 minutes), cool fully, then use; light Maillard flavors amplify peanut aroma.
- Make-Ahead • For fresh-baked anytime, portion and freeze solid, then store up to 2 months; bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 1–2 minutes. Sprinkle flaky salt right after they emerge for best adherence.
Serving Tips
- Serve warm with cold milk or vanilla ice cream for a classic combo.
- Plate with a drizzle of melted chocolate and a pinch of flaky sea salt.
- Pair with coffee or hot cocoa; dunk for extra gooey bites.
- Stack in a napkin-lined basket; add sliced bananas on the side.
- Crumble over yogurt or ice cream sundaes for a crunchy topping.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Dough keeps covered in the fridge 2–3 days.
Scoop before chilling for easier baking.
Baked cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temp up to 4 days or refrigerated 1 week.
For make-ahead, freeze scooped dough up to 2 months.
Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes.
Reheating
Reheat gently.
Microwave 8–12 seconds per cookie with a damp paper towel.
Oven at 300°F for 4–6 minutes on a sheet.
Stovetop skillet on low heat, covered, 2–3 minutes.
School Bake Sale Favorite
Often the first tray to disappear at a school bake sale, these peanut butter–chocolate chip cookies bring that irresistible sweet-salty aroma that stops kids and parents in their tracks.
I mix the dough the night before, scoop it with my 1.5-tablespoon scoop, and chill the mounds so they bake thick with soft centers. On sale morning, I bake in steady batches—edges set, middles slightly glossy—then shower a whisper of flaky salt.
The contrast sells itself: warm peanut richness, melting semisweet chips, a few milk chocolate pops for extra sweetness.
I label them clearly, stack them in neat paper sleeves, and keep a small sample plate up front. Price them fairly, but confidently—these cookies fund field trips. Watch them vanish, tray after tray.
Final Thoughts
Ready to bake a batch? Give these a try as written, or tweak them with crunchy peanut butter, a sprinkle of flaky salt, or a mix of your favorite chips to make them your own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Make These Cookies Gluten-Free or Dairy-Free?
Yes—you can. I’d swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and make sure chips are GF. For dairy-free, use vegan butter and dairy-free chips. Expect slightly softer dough; I’d chill briefly and enjoy the warm, melty aroma.
How Do Altitude Changes Affect Baking Time and Texture?
Higher altitude speeds evaporation and expansion, so cookies spread more, dry faster, and bake sooner. I’d reduce leaveners slightly, add a tablespoon of liquid, increase oven temperature 15°F, and watch edges set while centers stay soft and fragrant.
What’s the Best Way to Ship These Cookies Safely?
Pack them snugly: I cool fully, double-wrap stacks in plastic, cushion a rigid tin with crumpled paper, and add a bread slice for softness. I ship priority, avoid weekends, and label “fragile—perishable.” You’ll taste buttery comfort intact.
Can I Add Oats or Nuts Without Ruining Texture?
Yes—you can. I’d fold in 1/2–3/4 cup old-fashioned oats or toasted chopped nuts, reducing flour by 2–3 tablespoons. I watch dough feel: soft, scoopable, slightly tacky. I bake briefly, letting carryover heat set tender centers.
How Do I Scale the Recipe for Large Batches?
Scale by weight: I double or triple ingredients, keep leaveners proportional, and bake one sheet at a time. I cream in batches, combine dough gently, and rotate pans. I also chill dough and test-bake two cookies first.
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- 2 Baking sheet
- 1 stand mixer or hand mixer
- 2 Mixing bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Rubber spatula
- 1 Measuring cups set
- 1 Measuring spoons set
- 1 Cookie scoop 1.5 tablespoons
- 1 wire cooling rack
- 1 Parchment paper roll
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips optional
- 2 tablespoon milk optional, as needed
- flaky sea salt for sprinkling, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a mixer beat peanut butter, softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth and combined.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet on low speed just until a soft dough forms, adding milk 1 tablespoon at a time only if dough seems dry.
- Fold in semisweet and milk chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Scoop 1.5-tablespoon mounds onto prepared sheets spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Lightly press the tops to flatten slightly for even baking.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 9–11 minutes until edges are set and centers look slightly underdone.
- Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, sprinkle with flaky sea salt if using, then transfer to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes more.
Notes
