This rich, soft, chewy chocolate cookie with peanut butter chips will be your new favorite cookie recipe, whether it's for the holidays or any time of year. After all, isn't chocolate + peanut butter the BEST flavor combination?!
These cookies are made with basic and simple baking ingredients, so you can make them anytime the craving for homemade cookies strikes!
Chocolate and peanut butter cookies
Chocolate and peanut butter go together like, well, chocolate and peanut butter. Hands down the BEST flavor combination for desserts.
These soft, chewy chocolate cookies are kind of like inside out chocolate chip cookies, except that instead of white chocolate chips I use peanut butter chips (which actually have flavor, unlike white chocolate chips.... don't come after me please!).
Biting into a warm, gooey, chocolate cookie is one of the best feelings ever, don't you agree?
Related recipe: Soft Cranberry Sugar Cookies
Chocolate World cookies with peanut butter chips
These cookies are like a copycat recipe of the decadent chocolate cookies with peanut butter chips served at Chocolate World, but I made a couple of small changes to the recipe to make them plumber, chewier, softer, and more delicious.
I use shortening instead of butter, and add juuuuust a touch more sea salt, just to cut the sweetness a little.
Related recipe: Frozen Banana Bites
Related recipe: Easy Desserts for a Crowd
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cocoa powder (not special dark - the regular kind)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup solid vegetable shortening, like Crisco (or use butter, but the shortening helps with the chewy softness in the cookies)
- 2 cups sugar (I've reduced this down to 1.5 cups and it still turns out OK!)
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 10 oz peanut butter chips
You'll also need:
- Cookie sheets
- Parchment paper (I love this unbleached one!)
- Mixer (a stand mixer makes this easier, but a hand mixer works fine too! Stand mixers that are not KitchenAid are not that expensive and so worth it! ;) )
- All the usual baking supplies, such as measuring cups and spoons
Related recipe: Homemade Ice Cream Cake
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2: Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
Step 3: In a stand mixer, beat shortening and sugar together until fluffy (or use a hand mixer and a large bowl). Add eggs and vanilla and continue mixing.
Step 4: Slowly add flour mixture until well combined. Fold in peanut butter chips.
Related recipe: Lemon Blueberry Cookies
Step 5: Form into balls (the size of a rounded tablespoon) and place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake approximately 8-9 minutes until set (but not firm - they will firm up as they cool).
Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool.
Craving more chocolate + peanut butter goodness?? Try this Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Dessert!
Ingredient and baking tips for these cookies
Shortening vs butter: I love the softness that shortening gives these cookies, as opposed to the crispy texture that cookies get from butter. I know, Crisco shortening seems like such an antiquated ingredient, but it really works so well in cookies and is so worth having on hand.
Cocoa: Make sure you use regular cocoa powder in this recipe, and not the special dark/black cocoa powder. I learned the hard way that the dark cocoa powder does not combine with the baking soda in the same way as the regular powder, resulting in a flat cookie.
Do not over-bake these cookies. They should still be soft and gooey when you pull them out of the oven. This ensures that the cookies stay nice and chewy.
Related recipe: Easy Peanut Butter Fudge (one of the most popular recipes on my blog!)
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup vegetable shortening such as Crisco
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 10 oz peanut butter chips one bag
Special equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat shortening and sugar together with a hand mixer or stand mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and continue mixing.
- Slowly add flour mixture until well combined. Fold in peanut butter chips.
- Form into balls (the size of a rounded tablespoon) and place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake approximately 8-9 minutes until set (but not firm).
Notes
- I recommend shortening for softer cookies, but you can use butter instead.
- Do not use special dark cocoa, use the regular kind.