My family loves my soft peanut butter cookies and my Nutella peanut butter cookies, so I decided to create a chocolate version of this fave. That was easy to do by just substituting some of the flour with cocoa powder. Nice and soft and full of chocolate peanut buttery flavor, yum!
Why we love these
I love this dough. It’s such an easy recipe and comes together nicely. This recipe adds just enough chocolate to the peanut butter to make them awesome.
You’ll also love my Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies. With a subtle hint of cinnamon and chocolate combined, you’ll be in cookie heaven!
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Ingredients for this recipe
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
- 1/2 cup shortening or butter flavored shortening (you can substitute butter but the texture may be a little different)
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa (measure by scoop and sweep, do NOT pack into cup)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. Please scroll down to simply print out the recipe!
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Combine shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixer at medium speed until well blended.
- Add egg. Beat just until blended.
- Combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.
- Drop by heaping tablespoons (using a cookie scoop works great) 2 inches apart onto ungreased insulated baking sheet.
- Flatten slightly in crisscross pattern with tines of fork.
- Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown. DO NOT OVERBAKE.
- Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to Wire cooling racks to cool completely.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- You can substitute butter for the shortening, but the texture may be a little different.
- I have used both regular shortening and butter flavored shortening, both with great results.
- Just like with flour, you have to be careful when measuring cocoa. If you pack it into the measuring cup or scoop it out of the container using the measuring cup, it will be way more than the recipe intends, causing your dough to be too dry.
I hope you love these as much as we do!
What others are saying about these cookies
Absolutely phenomenal recipe! These cookies are wonderful and as a baker myself, the dough is the easiest cookie dough I have ever worked with. Follow the recipe as it is posted and you will not fail! I have made these cookies twice now in just one week’s time! So thankful I found it!
~ Janice
This cookie recipe was perfect! First peanut butter cookies I ever made! Love that cocoa was included to give them a kick of chocolate with the peanut butter. They turned out perfectly! Super yummy! 💗
~ Kristina
I just finished a batch of these. I substituted the shortening for butter. After I put the dough on the cookie sheets, I put the pans in the freezer for about 15 minutes. I love a soft cookie and these have a great soft texture.
~Laura
More Cookie Recipes
- Chocolate Mint Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Filled Peanut Butter Cookies
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup shortening or butter flavored shortening
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa DO NOT pack into measuring cup, scoop and sweep only
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
Things You'll Need
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Combine shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add egg. Beat just until blended.
- Combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.
- Drop by heaping tablespoonsful (using a cookie scoop works great) 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Flatten slightly in crisscross pattern with tines of fork.
- Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to racks to cool completely.
Video
Expert Tips & FAQs
- You can substitute butter for the shortening, but the texture may be a little different.
- Just like with flour, you have to be careful when measuring cocoa. If you pack it into the measuring cup or scoop it out of the container using the measuring cup, it will be way more than the recipe intends, causing your dough to be too dry.
Nutrition
This post originally appeared here on Apr 6, 2011.
Amanda Formaro
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Kaitlyn says
Great recipe! I’m definitely a novice baker and these came out edible. Would try again, but with an electric mixer like the recipe calls for.
CA Snodgrass says
I made these cookies last week. They were really good. Next time I make these I will leave the salt out. I thought they tasted a little too salty. Peanut butter has salt and soda makes things a little salty.
I do love peanut butter and chocolate.
Jordan says
These are the best cookies I’ve ever made, and so easy. Usually my cookies come out burnt on the bottom but these were perfect. I used smart balance instead of shortening (1/2 cup once melted in microwave) and they still came onto great. Also threw in half a bag of dark chocolate chips – highly recommend!
Valeria Iannone says
I made this last week when I was out for a snow day because of the Northeast blizzard. They were super easy and came out tasting awesome. I changed nothing about the recipe except I put some red/ green sprinkles and jimmies before baking to make them festive. My hubby can’t keep his hands off of them. I’m afraid they’ll be gone before Christmas.
Deborah Poole says
Is it okay to use Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Cocoa?
Amanda Formaro says
Yes, that should be fine
Tracy says
What can I use instead of brown sugar, dont have??
Amanda Formaro says
You can make your own. Mix 1 cup of white sugar with 1 teaspoon of molasses – rub together with your fingers.
CookieB says
I wasn’t as impressed as I hoped I would be with these. I made them because I had just enough peanut butter to make them. I measured to the recipe and like many others, the dough was thick and sticky. We will eat them with ice cream later but oh my goodness these are thiiiiiiiiicc. I love bitter flavors so they’re good to me, they’ve got a heavy dark chocolate flavor with a hint of peanut butter. Not too sweet like a normal peanut butter cookie.
Carey Lloyd says
I am excited to try your recipe but I am wondering what kind of cocoa do you recommend?
Amanda Formaro says
I use either Hershey’s baking cocoa or Ghirardelli :)
Victor Rodriguez says
I’m sorry to say but these were absolutely awful!! They were bitter and left an awful aftertaste. Highly disappointed. I followed the recipe to a T. Even carefully considering the proportion amounts of flour and cocoa. The batter was incredibly dry and had an odd texture unlike regular peanut butter cookies. I could tell they were going to taste bad just by looking at the batter and sure enough they did. Stick with regular peanut butter cookies.
Amanda Formaro says
Sounds like you measured the dry ingredients incorrectly. Please refer to the notes in the post explaining how to measure the dry ingredients.
Brenda says
I’ve yet to make these, but I am
Wondering how many cookies this recipe makes… Also thinking of adding peanut M&Ms.
Amanda Formaro says
It makes 36 :)
Rianna says
I followed the recipe to a t and the dough ended up being sticky and a lot thinner looking then the picture then when baking it took 15+ minutes to actually bake, I so certain I didn’t make a mistake because I went back and double checked the recipe and I did everything in order and added all ingredients in the right amounts, I’m only an eighth grader but I bake A Lot so I can tell somethings not adding up here
Amanda Formaro says
How did you measure the flour and cocoa?
JANET BURNETT says
Hi Amanda
I’ve not ever made peanut butter cookies. Eaten a lot. Not seen the chocolate version. Now that I’m “old” lol I said mmmmm dark cocoa. Omg they are so look good. And they are! Don’t even care about the peanut butter. And I eat peanut butter everyday. Very simple cookie to make and very delicious. Thanks for a new cookie recipe!
Patricia A Vasel says
Your cookies came out great!! I had just enough ingredients left to make them. I was trying to find a recipe for my husband so he could take some to work with him tomorrow and you were the very first one I saw. Thankyou so much for sharing this recipe. I also signed up for your newsletter. 😊 Patricia
Julia says
Bitter aftertaste. Followed the recipe exactly. Also, gotta love the instructions that say, “Bake for 7 or 8 minutes…. or just beginning to brown.” So in other words, look for really dark brown batter to start to brown.
Amanda Formaro says
Actually yes I do post all reviews. I’m sorry you had trouble, and that you didn’t like them. Hundreds of people have enjoyed them and I’ve never had anyone say they had a bitter after taste. Maybe one of your ingredients were expired? Not sure without being in the kitchen with you. BUT I would NOT want to be in your kitchen with you after seeing your second comment calling me a “fake ass bitch” – that comment was totally unhelpful and rude, so I did NOT approve that one.
Kat says
I have yet to make these cookies but I’m excited to because I have beloved people in my life who love chocolate and pb together. One of which is a front line worker and her father was just diagnosed so she needs something. I have to say though, which is why I’m commenting, that person above is rude and it’s uncalled for. I’m so sorry they were rude to you. Perhaps they measured wrong or they had really bitter or extra dark cocoa. Or they didn’t add enough sugar or any other possible scenario BUT that does not excuse how they spoke to you. So for that I’m sorry and I can’t wait to try your cookies ❤️
Amanda Formaro says
Thank you very much Kat :) The internet empowers people in ways that they would never do in person. My skin has thickened over the years. ;) But I appreciate SO MUCH when I hear things like this, thank you!