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
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
This post originally appeared here on Apr 6, 2011.
Amanda Davis
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Linea Elken says
My new favorite cookie recipe!
Donna says
Made these today and they are DELICIOUS! Thanks for sharing recipe!
Cathy Streimer says
Dry, hard, too chocolate (I am a chocolate fan). I am an avid cookie baker. I had 3/4 of the cookies to throw away. I checked the recipe twice, followed the directs and this was a loser. Love 99% of Amanda’s recipes but first time commenting. I even put bread slices in the container to help soften.
Amanda Davis says
I’m sorry you had a negative experience with this recipe, especially because so many readers have loved it. I’m not sure where you went wrong, but that’s definitely not the result you should have received. If I had to guess, I would say measuring the cocoa could have been the culprit. You can’t pack it into the measuring cup, you have to scoop and sweep like you do with flour. This recipe has been rigorously tested by us and enjoyed by hundreds. I am sad that you said you love 99% of my recipes but that your first time commenting is a negative comment.
Paul Grim says
I’m thinking you cooked longer than 7-8 minutes?
Cathy says
SO good! I rolled mine in granulated white sugar before flattening. Everything else was to receipe. So tender. Not sure I will go back to the original peanut butter cookie…love the chocolate!
Alison says
I made these exactly as the recipe says. My husband said they remind him of a reese cup in cookie form. However, I used an insulated cookie sheet, and had to increase the bake time to 12 minutes. These are definitely a new family favorite!
Luara says
Amazing
Debbie B says
Awesome and easy to mix, bake and EAT! One suggestion, if using baking stones cook a few minutes longer, like 9-10 minutes. Second batch turned out perfect.
Kristi says
Can gluten free flour be substituted? If so, same measurements?
Amanda Davis says
We have not tested that with this recipe. However, should you decide to experiment we would love to hear your results!
C says
Amazing. Be careful when taking out of oven. They are very soft at first.
Laquetta says
Really a great cookie! Perfect! Don’t change anything!
Sammy Russo says
Great cookies!! Only issue is that I only ended up with 17 not 36 and I used tablespoon sizes. I also ended up having to bake them a lot longer but I think that is due to altitude.
Sparkle says
Easy to make and the kids love them!!
Michael Goddard says
Too much bicarb soda or sugar will cause any baked product to collapse. Be just more careful with your measurements. I prefer to use weights not volume when measuring, for me it seems more accurate.
Rochelle Selbach says
I am allergic to peanuts and would love to try WOW sunflower instead of peanut butter…will I need to make any changes??
Amanda Davis says
We have not tested that with this recipe and don’t have a lot of experience using sunbutters. I would imagine no changes would be needed. However, should you decide to experiment we would love to hear your results!
Tracy Catlin says
Soooo good…. Im making my husband a double batch. I have only used butter and they come out GREAT. Soft n chewy!!
Meg says
The cookies turned out delicious in flavor, but my dough was not as thick as pictured here and cookies turned out quite flat after baking. Any suggestions to improve for next time?
Amanda Davis says
My first question is if you made any changes or substitutions?
Carol says
I made the cookies and they turned out pretty good. I would definitely cut back on the salt next time to 1/2 tsp.
Melissa says
Made them exactly per the recipe and love them! They’re light, fluffy, chocolatey and peanut buttery – exactly what I was looking for.
Stephan Basinski says
I was not very impressed with these cookies. How they received such great reviews yuch. Will never make again.
Heather says
I added white choc chips and chopped pecans to my batch and they turned out amazing! They were the first cookies gone at work!