If you’re a fan of the classic chocolate and peanut butter combo, these chocolate peanut butter cookies are about to become your new favorite treat! Rich, fudgy and downright irresistible straight from the oven—or with a glass of cold milk!
Why this recipe works
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!
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.
RELATED – 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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Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
SHORTENING – Regular or butter flavored shortening will work for this recipe. You can substitute butter in a pinch but it will change the texture of the cookies.
FLOUR – It’s always important to properly measure your flour when baking. It’s best to use the scoop and sweep method. Gently scoop flour into a measuring cup using a spoon until it’s overflowing. Use the flat end of a butter knife to sweep off the excess flour. Do not pack the flour or tap the measuring cup on the counter, you will end up with more flour than needed!
COCOA – 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.
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. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- 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.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Serving Suggestions
Serve warm with a tall glass of cold milk or a hot cup of coffee for the perfect anytime treat.
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 Whoopie Pies
- Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Pin It Rate ItIngredients
- ½ cup shortening or butter flavored shortening
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 ¼ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa DO NOT pack into measuring cup, scoop and sweep only
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- 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.
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.1/2 cup shortening, 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar, 3 Tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 large egg
- Combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 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.
Nutrition
This post originally appeared here on Apr 6, 2011.
Amanda Davis
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Holly says
my review is mixed, I make a fantastic peanut butter criss-cross cookie. I was I terestwd inteying this recipe. (have done the added choco6 via Hershey kiss etc. noi have to say not bad and it’s growing on me. the family gave great reviews! I am always ready to try new things and twists on the classics. I also ALWAYS roll my cookie balls in sugar before they get the criss-cross. it started so my son could help me bake. he rolled in sugar and did the criss-cross.
Amanda Davis says
They look great! Thanks so much for sharing!
Mel says
These were a huge hit with my husband and son. They taste like a cookie version of a Reese’s cup, we had them with vanilla ice cream when they were still hot, so good!
Shelly says
I was looking for an easy to make recipe that I could make with my 3 yr old. We had all the ingredients on hand. We substituted the shortening for butter and followed the rest of the ingredients. Cooked for 6 min and they came out perfect! They are soft l, kind of like a brownie. I very much enjoyed the flavor of them as well!
Marta says
I followed the instructions exactly. My cookie scoop is a little larger than a tablespoon so I cooked them for 9 minutes. They were excellent. I’ll definitely make them again.
Mary Lu says
Easy to make but I wish the flavor was a little richer
Kelly says
Just made these! I browned the butter and switch out the brown sugar for 2/3 cup honey and they were fantastic! Definitely will be making again!
Paul Grim says
I like dark chocolate so I put in 3/4 cocoa and half the sugar. Yum. I wonder why the egg is mixed separately? Just curious. Thank you.
Clayton III says
Used all the ingredients and followed the process as listed…. Used an accurate oven thermometer to verify temperature and used a kitchen scale for precise ingredient measuring.
They burned a char black and were completely inedible even before the 6-minute mark.
Verified oven temperature again with a laser thermometer and it was indeed accurate.
No idea how any of these other comments were having any success with this recipe.
Amanda Davis says
Yikes, are you sure you didn’t miss an ingredient or something? I’ve made these several times and never had a problem. Sorry you had trouble, wish I knew what it was (other than your oven).
katy Searles says
Great recipe, but it would be good to include info on when (and even whether!) to add the egg, especially for new bakers. It’s not there at present.
Amanda Davis says
Hi Katy. It’s there. :) In the printable recipe card it’s in step 1 – “Add egg. Beat just until blended.” It’s also listed above the recipe card with the step photos. Hope this helps!
AMK says
Just made these, I followed directions to a T, very good will definitely make again
Paula says
Used butter and didn’t crisscross as we like softer cookies and sprinkled crystal sugar on top before baking. They were very good!
emily says
these did not taste very good… not very sweet..would not recommend
Bonnie Bing says
They turned out great!