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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LLA says
I liked the texture but for our tastes I’ll cut back on the salt next time to maybe 1/2 tsp, but otherwise I thought they were good!
Isabelle says
These were delicious!!!! I added in some M&Ms to some of the cookies and they were great! The cookies had a stronger chocolate flavor than peanut butter and they were a little dry, but the taste was still good! I definitely recommend, but maybe add a little extra peanut butter.
Amanda Formaro says
Glad you enjoyed them and love the M&M addition. They will dry out if you cook them too long, that’s because of the cocoa powder. If you make them again, take them out a minute or 2 sooner :)
Sabrina says
My husband loves peanut butter cookies but I was craving chocolate. Found this recipe and it’s so good! He took one bite and asked me to make another batch already. It’s a winner.
Amanda Formaro says
Awesome, so glad you guys loved them, thank you!
Kate says
This recipe is perfect as written. The cookie were delicious. I made a double batch. The dough was easy to work with. The grandkids had fun making the balls and the the crisscross with a fork.
Amanda Formaro says
Hooray, thanks so much Kate! I’m so glad you guys loved them :)
Ali says
Awesome. Made these last night and had to review!
Amanda Formaro says
So glad you liked them, thank you Ali!
Cece says
So rich and yummy. So quick and easy. Also had everything on hand. I am saving this recipe
Amanda Formaro says
So glad you loved them, thank you!
Patricia Long says
I followed it step by step and many different things went wrong due to the dough being too flaky.
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Patricia. It sounds like your measurements must have been off somewhere. You have to be careful when measuring cocoa, and I’m guessing that might have been the issue. 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.
Kathy says
Best. Cookies. Ever!!
Amanda Formaro says
Awesome, thanks Kathy!!
Sarah R says
Simply delicious. They’re like brownies! I raise pigs and always have rendered fat for cooking/baking and this recioe makes me want to try it in all my cookies instead of butter. Thank you!
Kjerstin says
I liked these, but the cocoa was much stronger than the peanut flavor, like the ratio was off. I added Peanut butter frosting on the top and it helped a lot
Amanda Formaro says
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. It sounds like, based off of your description, that you had too much cocoa.
Betsy says
The flavor was spot on, however, taste dry in your mouth. Thinking maybe add in another egg? I measure by spooning ingredients into cup. The cocoa may be sucking up some of the moisture? Would love to make again, but with tweaks to create more moisture.
Any suggestions?
Matilda says
I highly recommend these delicious cookies.
Well done :D
Amanda Formaro says
Yay!!
Hillary says
I’m looking forward to making these later today as I have craving peanut butter cookies for weeks! Would I be able to substitute Coconut Oil for the shortening — it has the same solid texture before baking, so was thinking it could work?
Amanda Formaro says
I have not tried that. I did find this on the web:
“If you want to use all coconut oil 3/4 cup of coconut oil should work as a substitute for 1 cup of shortening.”
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!