The Best Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I love peanut butter, and my son adores chocolate. I tried for a long time to find the perfect recipe to make both of us happy. This recipe is perfect! The cookies are soft, chewy and thick. A perfect combination. I call them the Best Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie for a reason. You will just have to check them out for yourself!

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I am a BIG fan of peanut butter.  I can eat it by the spoonful.  Anyone else like me?

My family loves desserts and sweets.  My son’s favorite treat are cookies.  He prefers chocolate. He will eat any kind, anyway he can get it!  I was trying to figure out how we could both me happy.  That’s how I came up with this recipe. It combines his love of chocolate and my love of peanut butter!

This The Best Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies recipe will please a crowd because it can be customized in so many ways.

I start with using different types of chocolate. I usually use a combination of different kinds.  Some of our favorites are; M&M’s, mini chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, etc.  As you can see, as long as it is chocolate it will work perfectly!

Another way you can customize this recipe is the peanut butter you choose.  I have tried both creamy and chunky varieties.  Both are delicious.  If you are looking for a little extra crunch, go crunchy!

One of my favorite ways to prepare The Best Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies are with sugar and a kiss. I roll the cookie dough in granulated sugar. When they bake they get a little crust of sugar on the outside.  Talk about delicious!

Now for the kiss!  I like to bake the cookies, and when they come out of the oven I stick a Hershey’s kiss in each cookie. As soon as I put the kisses in, I stick the cookie sheet in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes.  This allows the kiss to set, so it doesn’t melt.

Often one batch is too many cookies for my family.  Another great part of  The Best Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies recipe is that the cookies AND the dough both freeze beautifully!

Ingredients for The Best Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

• peanut butter
• butter
• brown sugar
• sugar
• egg
• vanilla
• baking soda
• salt
• flour

Options

• mini M&M’s
• chocolate chips
• chocolate chunks

How to Make The Best Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

In a large bowl, with a handheld or stand mixer, cream together butter, peanut butter, egg, vanilla and sugars until smooth.    

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. 

Slowly mix in the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture.  

Scrape down the bowl as necessary.  

Mix until totally blended together.  

Add M&M’s, chocolate chips or chunks or nothing at all.  It is up to you.  

Wrap dough in parchment paper and place it in your fridge for at least an hour.

Remove dough from fridge and make rounds or discs of 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch high and 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter.

Spread a thin layer of granulated sugar on a plate and adjust each dough disc until evenly coated in sugar.  This step is not mandatory.  Feel free to skip it if you want.  I never do.  My husband always does.  

Bake until cookies just start to crack and brown around the edges.  They will not look cooked in the middle. 

Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 7-10 minutes before transferring them on to a rack. 

Serve and enjoy every bite!

Option

You can also press a chocolate Hershey’s kiss into each cookie as soon as they come out of the oven and quickly stick the baking sheet in the freezer or fridge.  I usually lay a towel down so I don’t melt the shelf in my fridge or freezer. If you don’t do this the cookies will totally melt the chocolate. 

Leave the cookies in your fridge for about 30 minutes or freezer for about 20 minutes.  Just make sure the cookies are cool when you remove them from the fridge or freezer!  These are delicious too and are definitely worth a try!  

If you are like me and always on the lookout for more cookie recipes, I have included some of my favorites below.  Just in case!

Double Chocolate Espresso Nut Cookies

Chocolaty Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Chocolaty Macadamia Nut Cookies

Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies

Simple Stuffed Cookies

Grandma’s Oatmeal Chocolate Raisin Cookies

Glazed Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

White Chocolate Turtle Cookies

Chocolaty Cherry Cheesecake Cookies

Molasses Oatmeal Chocolate Raisin Cookies

The Ultimate Chocolate Chunk Cookie

White Chocolate Brownie Cookies

Print

The Best Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate, cookie, dessert, peanut butter

Ingredients

• 1 cup peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• Options
• 1 cup mini M&M's
• 6 oz. box semi-sweet, white or dark, chopped
• 1 cup chocolate chips or more

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, with a handheld or stand mixer, cream together butter, peanut butter, egg, vanilla and sugars until smooth.    

2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. 

3. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture.  Scrape down the bowl as necessary.  Mix until totally blended together.  Add M&M's, chocolate chips or chunks or nothing at all.  It is up to you.  

4. Wrap dough in parchment paper and place it in your fridge for at least an hour.

5. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.  Prepare a rimmed baking sheet lightly coated in cooking spray.  

6. Remove dough from fridge and make rounds or discs of 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch high and 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter.

7. Spread a thin layer of granulated sugar on a plate and adjust each dough disc until evenly coated in sugar.  This step is not mandatory.  Feel free to skip it if you want.  I never do.  My husband always does.  

8. Bake for about 16-20 minutes or until cookies just start to crack and brown around the edges.  They will not look cooked in the middle. You do not want these cookies to become hard so do not over bake them.  

9. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 7-10 minutes before transferring them on to a rack.  Serve and enjoy every bite!

A GREAT OPTION

1. You can also press a chocolate Hershey's kiss into each cookie as soon as they come out of the oven and quickly stick the baking sheet in the freezer or fridge.  I usually lay a towel down so I don't melt the shelf in my fridge or freezer.  If you don't do this the cookies will totally melt the chocolate.  Leave the cookies in your fridge for about 30 minutes or freezer for about 20 minutes.  Just make sure the cookies are cool when you remove them from the fridge or freezer!  These are delicious too and are definitely worth a try!  

Recipe Notes

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You also have the option of storing the unbaked cookie dough in the freezer for up to 3 months as well.