Prepare for an unparalleled culinary adventure with these remarkable Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. Far from your average cookie, these decadent treats are a symphony of flavors and textures, boasting rich cocoa notes intertwined with luscious peanut butter and generous bursts of semi-sweet chocolate chips in every single bite. They are undeniably unforgettable and destined to become a staple in your baking repertoire.
Beyond the Bake: Discover More Delectable Desserts
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- Healthy Fudgy Double Chocolate Muffins
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Why You’ll Fall in Love with These Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Few combinations ignite joy quite like chocolate and peanut butter, and these cookies are a testament to that timeless pairing. Get ready to experience a cookie that transcends the ordinary, offering a special treat that’s both comforting and incredibly indulgent. Each bite delivers a harmonious blend of sweet and salty, rich and decadent flavors that dance on your palate.
Beyond their exceptional taste, these cookies are surprisingly easy to whip up, making them a perfect project for bakers of all skill levels. They are packed with an abundance of chocolate and peanut butter goodness, ensuring every morsel is a delight. But why stop there? Elevate your baking game by personalizing these cookies with extra mix-ins! Imagine the delight of adding white chocolate chips for a contrasting sweetness, chopped peanut butter cups for an extra layer of nutty bliss, or even a salty pretzel on top for an intriguing crunch. These simple additions are sure to satisfy even the most demanding sweet tooth and make your cookies truly unique.
Our passion for peanut butter and chocolate runs deep, and we’re always eager to share more masterpieces. If you’re as obsessed as we are, you’ll definitely want to try these other fan favorites:
- Sheet Pan Peanut Butter Chocolate Blondie Dream Bars
- Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
- OMG Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
So, if you’re ready to create something truly special, tie on that apron, preheat your oven, and prepare for an unforgettable baking experience. With our comprehensive tips and tricks, you’ll be crafting the best Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies in no time, leaving a trail of happy faces in your wake.
Essential Ingredients for Your Fudgy Masterpiece
Crafting the perfect cookie begins with the right ingredients. For these double chocolate peanut butter sensations, we’ve carefully selected components that ensure a rich, fudgy texture and an explosion of flavor. Pay attention to the details, and you’ll be rewarded with cookies that are truly extraordinary.
For the Ultimate Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies:
- Unsalted Butter: Ensure your butter is at room temperature. This is crucial for proper creaming with the sugars, creating a light and airy base for your cookies.
- Granulated Sugar: Contributes to the overall sweetness and helps create a slightly crisp edge.
- Brown Sugar: Packed tightly, brown sugar is key for moisture and chewiness, giving these cookies their signature fudgy texture.
- Eggs: One whole egg and one egg yolk add richness, structure, and bind the ingredients together seamlessly.
- Vanilla Extract: A touch of pure vanilla extract enhances all the other flavors, especially the chocolate. We recommend a quality extract like Nielsen-Massey for superior taste.
- All-Purpose or Gluten-Free Flour: Provides structure. Using a good quality all-purpose flour works wonderfully, or a gluten-free blend can be substituted for dietary needs without compromising texture.
- Unsweetened Dark Cocoa Powder: The secret to the deep, rich chocolate flavor and fudgy interior. We achieve the best results with Ghirardelli 100% unsweetened cocoa powder. Feel free to adjust the amount slightly for your preferred chocolate intensity.
- Baking Soda: A leavening agent that helps the cookies spread and become tender.
- Baking Powder: Works in conjunction with baking soda to provide lift and contribute to a softer crumb.
- Salt: Essential for balancing the sweetness and enhancing the chocolate and peanut butter flavors.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: These are folded into the dough, melting into pockets of pure chocolate bliss. Use a generous “heaping cup” or more if you desire an extra chocolatey experience.
- Peanut Butter Chips: The star of the show for that intense peanut butter flavor. A “heaping cup” ensures a powerful peanut butter punch, but feel free to add more if you’re a true peanut butter enthusiast.
For the Irresistible Peanut Butter Drizzle:
- Peanut Butter Chips: These are melted down to create a smooth, pourable drizzle that adds an extra layer of peanut butter decadence.
- Canola Oil: A small amount helps thin out the melted peanut butter chips, giving the drizzle a perfect consistency for decorating.
Or a Simpler Drizzle Option:
As an alternative, you can simply use creamy peanut butter for melting. This offers a slightly different texture but is equally delicious and incredibly easy to prepare.
Step-by-Step: Crafting Your Perfect Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Embark on your baking journey with confidence! Follow these detailed instructions to create consistently delicious and fudgy double chocolate peanut butter cookies that will impress everyone who tries them. Precision in baking leads to perfection in taste.
- Prepare Your Oven and Baking Sheets: Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper. This prevents sticking and ensures even baking, making cleanup a breeze.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, combine the softened unsalted butter with both granulated and brown sugars. Start on low speed until they are just incorporated. Then, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and significantly lighter in color and volume. This creaming process incorporates air, which is essential for a soft, tender cookie. Remember to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula at least once or twice to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
- Incorporate Eggs and Vanilla: Add the egg and then the egg yolk, one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated. This gradual addition helps to emulsify the mixture, preventing a curdled appearance. Stir in the vanilla extract until just combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour(s), unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk thoroughly for about 30 seconds to ensure the leavening agents and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour. This prevents pockets of unmixed ingredients in your final cookies.
- Mix Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet butter and sugar mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies. Once combined, gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips and peanut butter chips with your spatula until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Scoop Your Cookies: Using a large cookie scoop (approximately ¼ cup), portion the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets. For extra thick and fudgy cookies, consider scooping two smaller portions of dough and placing one on top of the other, forming a “double scoop.” For an even greater flavor burst, nestle a few extra peanut butter and chocolate chips between the scoops and press a few more onto the top of each cookie.
- Space for Spreading: Ensure there is at least 2 inches of space between each cookie dough ball on the baking sheet. Aim for about 6 cookies per standard sheet to allow for proper spreading without them merging.
- Bake to Perfection: Bake for approximately 12-14 minutes. We find 12 minutes is often perfect for a fudgier center. The cookies are ready when the edges are set and lightly firm, but the centers still look soft and slightly underbaked. They will continue to cook slightly as they cool.
- Cooling Process: Remove the baking sheets from the oven and allow the cookies to set on the hot tray for 2-3 minutes. This crucial step helps them firm up without becoming brittle. After a few minutes, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Storing for Freshness: Ensure the cookies are completely cool before storing them to prevent condensation and sogginess.
The Perfect Peanut Butter Drizzle:
- Melt Peanut Butter Chips: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine ½ cup peanut butter chips with ½ teaspoon canola oil. Microwave for 20 seconds, stir well, then microwave for an additional 15 seconds if needed, stirring until completely smooth and melted.
- Drizzle and Decorate: Transfer the melted peanut butter mixture to a small ziplock bag. Snip a tiny corner off the bag, and artisticallly drizzle the peanut butter back and forth across the cooled cookies.
Alternative Drizzle Method:
- Melt Peanut Butter: Simply melt ½ cup creamy peanut butter in the microwave for about 20 seconds, stirring until smooth.
- Drizzle and Finish: Transfer to a ziplock bag, snip the end, and drizzle over the cookies.
- Add Sprinkles: For an extra festive touch, immediately add your favorite sprinkles before the drizzle sets. Allow the drizzle to fully harden before storing the cookies.
This recipe yields approximately 18-22 cookies, depending on the size of your scoops. Feel free to adjust the size to your preference. Now, go grab that frosty milk! It’s time to enjoy your amazing creations!
Storing Your Irresistible Cookie Creations
To ensure your Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies remain as delicious as the day they were baked, proper storage is key. Following these simple guidelines will help preserve their fudgy texture and rich flavor:
- Room Temperature Storage: Once completely cooled, store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay wonderfully fresh and enjoyable for up to 3 days. Placing a slice of bread in the container can sometimes help keep them softer longer.
- Refrigeration: For a slightly longer shelf life, you can store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you prefer them warm and soft, simply pop them in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.
- Freezing Baked Cookies: These cookies freeze beautifully! Once fully cooled, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for about an hour until solid. Then, transfer the frozen cookies to a freezer-safe airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag. They will maintain their quality for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, simply thaw them at room temperature or warm gently in the oven or microwave.
- Freezing Cookie Dough: For future spontaneous baking sessions, you can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough balls. Scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe bag. When you’re ready to bake, place them directly on a baking sheet (no need to thaw) and add an extra minute or two to the baking time.
The Secret to Thicker Cookies: Chilling Your Dough
While chilling isn’t strictly necessary for this particular cookie dough to hold its shape, it’s a fantastic technique to master if you desire cookies with an exceptionally thick, fudgy center and minimal spread. Chilling the dough can transform your cookies from good to gourmet. Here’s why and how:
- Why Chill Dough? Chilling cookie dough solidifies the butter in the recipe. When butter is cold, it takes longer to melt in the oven. This slower melting process means the cookies spread less, allowing them to rise higher and retain a thicker, chewier texture. It also gives the flour more time to hydrate, resulting in a more complex flavor and better texture.
- How to Chill for Best Results: If you opt to chill your dough for those coveted super thick cookies, we recommend scooping the dough balls first. Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then place the entire sheet in the refrigerator for 10-20 minutes. This short chill time is usually sufficient to achieve the desired effect. For longer chilling, you can refrigerate the scooped dough for up to 24-48 hours, covering the sheet loosely with plastic wrap.
- The Science of Less Spread: Cold dough not only prevents excessive spreading but also concentrates the flavors. The ingredients have more time to meld together, enhancing the overall taste experience. So, if a plush, dense, and gloriously thick cookie is your goal, don’t skip the chilling step!
The Ultimate Treat for Any Occasion
These Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies aren’t just a dessert; they’re a celebration in every bite! Their irresistible combination of rich chocolate and creamy peanut butter makes them perfectly suited for virtually any occasion. Imagine serving them at vibrant birthday parties, cozy family get-togethers, or as a festive highlight during the Christmas holidays. They’re also a fantastic addition to summer BBQs, picnics, or even tailgating parties during football season, bringing a touch of gourmet comfort to casual gatherings.
You’ll revel in the soft, wonderfully fudgy chocolate cookies, each one generously stuffed with delightful peanut butter and chocolate chips. Every bite is an explosion of flavor and texture that will have everyone, especially the kids, going absolutely wild! For an extra layer of indulgence and a playful surprise, dare to add some chopped peanut butter cups into the dough. It’s a simple upgrade that elevates these already incredible cookies to legendary status.
Your New Favorite Cookie Recipe!
In conclusion, this peanut butter chocolate chip cookies recipe offers a timeless and utterly indulgent combination of flavors that are both tantalizing and profoundly comforting. Baking these cookies is more than just following a recipe; it’s a surefire way to create joy and satisfy the cravings of both chocolate and peanut butter lovers alike.
No matter how you choose to bake them – whether you stick to the classic recipe, add extra mix-ins, or experiment with the peanut butter drizzle – this sweet treat is guaranteed to be a hit. Go ahead and give these utterly delicious double chocolate and peanut butter cookies a try; you certainly won’t regret it. They are particularly perfect for adding a special touch to your holiday baking, making spirits bright and tummies happy!
Share your delightful creations on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook!
Explore More Decadent Dessert Recipes
Craving more sweet inspirations? Dive into these other fantastic dessert recipes from our collection:
- Chocolate Heart Peanut Butter Cookies
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Cookie Bars
- Soft Batch Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Candy Corn Double Chocolate Cookies
- Chocolate Reese’s Pieces Cookies Recipe
- Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Brownie Mousse Trifle
- Easy No Bake “Death By Chocolate” Cheesecake
- Cinnamon Pumpkin Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Luscious morsels of peanut butter and chocolate chips are bursting inside these rich and chewy, fudgy double chocolate cookies. For an even more peanut buttery kick, a generous drizzle of peanut butter can be added. Oh my gosh!
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 12 mins
Servings: Approximately 20 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate, chocolate chip, cookies, peanut butter
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose or gluten-free flour
- 1 ¼ cups unsweetened dark cocoa powder (e.g., Ghirardelli 100% unsweetened)
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ heaping cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (use more if desired)
- 1 heaping cup peanut butter chips (use more if desired)
For Peanut Butter Drizzle:
- ½ cup peanut butter chips
- ½ teaspoon canola oil
Or (simpler drizzle option):
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on low speed until mostly incorporated. Increase to medium-high speed and beat for 1-2 minutes until light, fluffy, and increased in volume. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl frequently.
- Add the egg and egg yolk, one at a time, mixing until each is fully incorporated into the batter. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until very well combined.
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.
- Using a large cookie scoop (¼ cup), scoop cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets. For extra thick cookies, scoop one portion and place another on top. You can also press extra chocolate or peanut butter chips onto the dough balls for added flavor.
- Space the dough balls at least 2 inches apart (approximately 6 per cookie sheet).
- Bake for approximately 12-14 minutes. We recommend 12 minutes for a softer, fudgier center. Cookies should be firming up at the edges but still soft in the middle.
- Remove from the oven and let them set on the cookie tray for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Allow to cool completely prior to storing.
For Peanut Butter Drizzle:
- Melt peanut butter chips with canola oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds, stir, then another 15 seconds if needed, stirring until smooth.
- Transfer to a ziplock bag, snip a small corner, and drizzle decoratively back and forth across the cooled cookies.
For Alternative Peanut Butter Drizzle:
- Melt creamy peanut butter in the microwave for about 20 seconds until smooth.
- Transfer to a ziplock bag, snip a small corner, and drizzle back and forth across the cookies.
- Optionally, add sprinkles before the drizzle sets.
Notes
While not strictly necessary for this dough, if your dough is warm or if you desire exceptionally thick cookies, chill the scooped dough balls in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. Chilling helps prevent spreading and results in a chewier, denser cookie. Always use butter that has come up to room temperature. Butter that is too cold will result in a lumpy mixture, while butter that is too soft or melted can lead to greasy, flat cookies.
