Chocolate Cookies With Peanut Butter Chips
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My chocolate cookies with peanut butter chips feature rich, dark chocolate cookies studded with peanut butter chips. Inspired by Levain Bakery, they’re freshly baked in under 15 minutes!
I’m always looking for new ways to reinvent cookies. Since one of my favorite flavor combinations is chocolate and peanut butter, I figured it was about time we paired the two and made the ultimate cookie!
I was inspired by Levain Bakery’s chocolate peanut butter cookies. My partner and I regularly go to their Lower Manhattan store to indulge in them, so of course, I had to try my hand at making them myself, and dare I say they are even better?
It did take a fair bit of testing to get it just right, because adding cocoa powder to a cookie dough can actually dry it out. I drew inspiration from my original Levain cookies recipe and tweaked it until I achieved the ideal texture: thick, gooey, chewy cookies loaded with peanut butter chips in every bite.
Now, these aren’t the kind of cookies you’d eat as your daily dessert, because they are HUGE. But, they’re great for entertaining, cookie exchanges, or, if you’re like me, need to bribe your partner to do the housework.
Table of Contents
Chocolate peanut butter chip recipe highlights
- Bakes in 15 minutes. Yes, some chilling time is involved, but once they’re in the oven, they’re done before you know it.
- Diet-friendly. Already egg-free, I’ve also tested them to make vegan and gluten-free with a few basic swaps.
Key Ingredients
I’m including substitutions, along with my kitchen notes. The complete list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour. I used plain flour, but also tested it out with gluten-free flour, and both work well. I like Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour. Be sure to sift your flour first to ensure there are no clumps throughout.
- Cocoa powder. Dutch-processed cocoa powder or dark cocoa powder. Always use high-quality cocoa powder to really give these cookies a rich, dark chocolate flavor.
- Baking soda. Gives the cookies some rise and helps them from spreading too much.
- Butter. Unsalted butter. If you opt for vegan butter, choose a stick variety, not a tub. Many vegan butter brands add excess water, so look for one with no or minimal added water.
- Oil. Any neutral-tasting oil works well, such as canola, vegetable, or safflower oil.
- Sugar of choice. I used white sugar, as I prefer thicker cookies. If you’d prefer softer, gooier centers, use brown sugar.
- Peanut Butter Chips. The key ingredient! I used vegan peanut butter chips to keep this recipe vegan. However, you can use Reese’s peanut butter baking chips if you don’t follow a particular diet.
- Dark Chocolate. Optional, but adds extra gooey chocolate flavor. Use your favorite chocolate bar, chopped into morsels. Alternatively, use dairy-free chocolate morsels.
How to make chocolate cookies with peanut butter chips
Step 1- Mix ingredients. In a large bowl, add all of the dry ingredients and stir well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, softened butter, and sugar until combined. Add 1 tablespoon of water to the wet ingredients, then whisk again until glossy and smooth.
Step 2- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the peanut butter chips and chopped chocolate. Cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate it.
Step 3- Prep. Preheat the oven and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator. Using your hands or a cookie scoop, form 6 large or 12 small cookie dough balls and place them on the lined sheet.
Step 4- Bake. Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes or until the tops are just done. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Do not overbake the cookies, as they continue to cook as they cool.
- Thicker cookie hack: For Levain bakery cookies, form 6 balls of dough and do not press down into a cookie shape. Cook for an extra 2 minutes, and remove from the oven when the tops are firm.
- You must refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to prevent it from spreading too much. If you refrigerate for more than 2 hours, let the cookie dough sit for 20 minutes before forming into balls.
Storage instructions
To store: Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week. If you’d like them to keep longer, store them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
To freeze: Place cookies in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Make ahead dough
These cookies are great to make ahead of time, as the dough freezes really well. Once you make the dough, shape them into two inch balls and place in a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to two months.
I recommend baking them directly from the freezer and increasing the cooking time by about 5 minutes to compensate.
More easy cookie recipes
Chocolate Cookies With Peanut Butter Chips
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour gluten free, if needed
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons oil canola, vegetable, etc.
- 1/4 cup butter vegan or standard, softened
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 3-4 tablespoon water * see notes
- 1/2 cup peanut butter chips vegan or standard
- 1/4 cup chocolate chopped
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add all your dry ingredients and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together your oil, softened butter, and sugar, until combined. Add one tablespoon of water and whisk again, until glossy and smooth.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold through the peanut butter chips and chopped chocolate. Cover the mixing bowl and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator. Form 6 large or 12 small balls of cookie dough. Place on the lined sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes, or until the tops are just done. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan completely.
Notes
- Water amount: If your batter is too thick and crumbly, add extra water as needed.
- Sugar: For gooey cookies, use a mix of brown sugar or all brow sugar.
- Gluten-free flour: I tested these with Bob’s Red Mill, and they worked successfully.
- Vegan butter: Miyokos or Kite Hill yielded the best texture.
- Leftovers: Keep at room temperature for one week or in the fridge for 2 weeks.
Nutrition
Recipe updated
I originally published this recipe in September 2020, but updated it in November 2025 to include new information and tested dietary swaps. No ingredients or measurements have changed.
Just made a double batch because I already knew they were going to be bomb diggity! This recipe did not disappoint. I used brown sugar, added some vanilla extract and used chocolate chips instead of the chunks (didn’t have any on hand). The key is to under bake them! They came out AMAZING! Thank you!
On a scale of 1-10, these are a 20! Yes, they are that good.
Exceptionally good cookies! Doubles with zero issue. Did mine on 325 convection for 12 minutes and they turned out perfect!
Can I freeze the dough (in ball form) ?
Yes you can! No longer than 2 months though!
These are delicious!! Chocolatey peanut buttery goodness. I used 1:1 GF flour and it worked perfectly for gluten free version.
Excellent recipe: easy and most ingredients on hand! Just added a half pecan to the top of each cookie before baking, otherwise made as directed. A new favourite!
1000% a huge hit with my kids. Literally my ONLY critique is to add SOFTENED to the butter in the ingredients list. It didn’t say that until the directions. I’ve made cookies before that call for cold butter. Minor inconvenience, so it didn’t take away from my 5 star rating! I doubled the recipe the second time bc 12 cookies didn’t cut it the first go-around!
Love that, Holly!
This is an excellent recipe. The gluten eaters gave them rave reviews along with the gluten free friends. I used half almond flour and half Namaste flour blend. I then added 1/4 tsp xanthum gum. I added a mixture of peanut butter/ butterscotch/ white chocolate chips. Instead of the chocolate I added 1/4 cup of cocoa nibs. I very lightly sprinkled cookies with flake salt before baking.
These cookies would be great with no changes. The changes worked well though.
These were the best cookies I’ve ever eaten!
I made them gf with reeses morsels and dairy free dark chocolate morsels. They tasted like a gooey chocolate and pb brownie but in a cookie. Scrumptious!.
My hubby and I loved loved loved them!
Side note: I didn’t have cocoa powder so I subbed cacao and slightly lessened it and then added confectioners sugar to make “cocoa”, worked out great.