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!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
I love this dough. It’s such an easy recipe and comes together nicely. I haven’t substituted butter for the shortening, so if you decide to do that I’m afraid I can’t offer up any experienced advice. I have used both regular shortening and butter flavored shortening, both with great results.
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
- 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
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
Helpful kitchen tools
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- 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 tablespoons (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.
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
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
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.
Expert Tips & FAQs
Nutrition
This post originally appeared here on Apr 6, 2011.
Amanda Formaro
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Becky says
Can’t wait to try these! Can I substitute butter of the shortening? If so, how much?
Amanda Formaro says
In theory you can substitute the same amount of butter for the shortening. It may change the texture of the cookie slightly but should be fine :)
Aimée says
These were so good!
Sharyn Halonen says
In your recipes, can you try to and conversions 2 g because not all of us live in the USA. Some of us use the metric system most of the world other than the USA I think. I’m excited to try this recipe today if I can figure out the proper conversions
Amanda Formaro says
I’m afraid that my recipe card program does not have that option. However, here is a handy guide! https://whatscookingamerica.net/equiv.htm
MIchelle says
Can/have you replace the shortening with coconut oil?
Amanda Formaro says
I have not tried that and would assume it would make for a very different texture.
Anonymous Baker says
Is the cocoa sweetened or unsweetened. I only have sweetened but I could buy unsweetened
Amanda Formaro says
Unsweetened! :)
Janice says
Absolutely phenomenal recipe! These cookies are wondeful 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!
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks so much Janice! I really appreciate the positive review and feedback! :)
Marlene says
I love peanut butter cookies and chocolate, but I was wondering if I can substitute the flour for almond flour??
Amanda Formaro says
All purpose flour and almond flour behave very differently. I have NOT tried that substitution. But I found this on a reputable website:
There is no standard conversion when using almond flour as a substitute for all-purpose flour.
A few avid bakers have suggested the following:
(i.e. 1 cup of almond flour in place of 1 cup of all-purpose flour).
1:2 ratio (i.e. ¾ cup all-purpose flour = 1 ½ cups almond flour)
Kristina says
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! 💗
Amanda Formaro says
So glad, thank you Kristina!
Laura says
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.
Amanda Formaro says
Thank you so much Laura, so glad you liked them!
Cheryl says
I was going to ask if anyone tried that. I don’t like baking with shortening. Thanks!
Heather Best says
Very good cookies. Made them tonight. I added some hot pepper to them for a little kick.
Amanda Formaro says
Oh love the hot pepper idea!
Just a guy says
Made em, loved em! Family devoured them. Great balance of salt and sweet.
Amanda Formaro says
Awesome, so glad you enjoyed them as much as we do!
Rusty says
Can you use white sugar instead of brown sugar?
Amanda Formaro says
Yes, it may change them just a little in chew factor.
Dee says
I’m an avid baker and thought theses looked good, but was a little disappointed in these. They have good flavor, but were a little dry. Adjusted time to see if that was the case, but still are a little on the dry side.
Amanda Formaro says
Sorry to hear that! If they were dry, it could have been from how you measured out the cocoa and/or the flour. Did you use the scoop/sweep method?