Soft Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I’ve been making these peanut butter chocolate chip cookies on repeat lately, and I’m convinced they’re the perfect treat when you need something sweet and comforting. The combination of creamy peanut butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips creates such an irresistible flavor that my family can barely wait for them to cool before diving in. Trust me, once you try this recipe, it’ll become your new go-to cookie!

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 4000-4300
• Protein: 55-65 g
• Fat: 190-210 g
• Carbohydrates: 540-570 g

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 4 oz unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk (room temperature)
• 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Preheat

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt—this dry mixture is your foundation for tender cookies with good rise.

Measure out the chocolate chips and set aside.

Having everything prepped and ready before you start mixing ensures a smooth workflow and prevents overmixing the dough.

Step 2: Create the Peanut Butter Wet Base

• 4 oz unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder

In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter with the creamy peanut butter, stirring until smooth and well combined.

Add the granulated sugar and firmly packed brown sugar, mixing until the mixture is creamy and well blended—the combination of both sugars creates depth of flavor and the perfect texture.

I like to dissolve the instant espresso powder directly into this mixture; it enhances the chocolate notes without making the cookies taste like coffee, adding complexity to each bite.

Step 3: Incorporate Eggs and Vanilla

• 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
• 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Add the room temperature eggs and egg yolk to the peanut butter mixture along with the vanilla extract.

Mix until fully combined and the mixture is light and slightly fluffy—this incorporation of eggs adds moisture and helps create a tender crumb.

Room temperature eggs emulsify better with the fat, creating a smoother dough.

Step 4: Bring Dough Together

• dry ingredient mixture from Step 1
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips from Step 1

Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 1 to the wet mixture, folding gently with a spatula until just combined—do not overmix or your cookies will be tough rather than tender.

Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

The dough should come together without being sticky; if it feels too dry or crumbly, add milk one tablespoon at a time until you reach a cohesive dough that holds together.

Step 5: Shape and Flatten Cookie Dough

• dough from Step 4

Using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop or measuring spoon, portion the dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Gently flatten each ball into a disc about 1/2-inch thick using the bottom of a glass or your palm.

I find that lightly flattening the dough before baking encourages even browning and creates a more consistent texture—the edges will crisp while the centers stay chewy.

Step 6: Bake and Cool

Bake for 12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown but the centers still look slightly underdone—this is key to achieving that perfect chewy-crispy texture.

Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, which allows them to set without hardening, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

The residual heat during that 5-minute rest continues to bake the bottoms gently.

Soft Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Delicious Soft Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings: 24 cookies

Calories: 4150

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 4 oz unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk (room temperature)
• 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt—this dry mixture is your foundation for tender cookies with good rise. Measure out the chocolate chips and set aside. Having everything prepped and ready before you start mixing ensures a smooth workflow and prevents overmixing the dough.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter with the creamy peanut butter, stirring until smooth and well combined. Add the granulated sugar and firmly packed brown sugar, mixing until the mixture is creamy and well blended—the combination of both sugars creates depth of flavor and the perfect texture. I like to dissolve the instant espresso powder directly into this mixture; it enhances the chocolate notes without making the cookies taste like coffee, adding complexity to each bite.
3. Add the room temperature eggs and egg yolk to the peanut butter mixture along with the vanilla extract. Mix until fully combined and the mixture is light and slightly fluffy—this incorporation of eggs adds moisture and helps create a tender crumb. Room temperature eggs emulsify better with the fat, creating a smoother dough.
4. Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 1 to the wet mixture, folding gently with a spatula until just combined—do not overmix or your cookies will be tough rather than tender. Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough. The dough should come together without being sticky; if it feels too dry or crumbly, add milk one tablespoon at a time until you reach a cohesive dough that holds together.
5. Using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop or measuring spoon, portion the dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each ball into a disc about 1/2-inch thick using the bottom of a glass or your palm. I find that lightly flattening the dough before baking encourages even browning and creates a more consistent texture—the edges will crisp while the centers stay chewy.
6. Bake for 12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown but the centers still look slightly underdone—this is key to achieving that perfect chewy-crispy texture. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, which allows them to set without hardening, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. The residual heat during that 5-minute rest continues to bake the bottoms gently.