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These 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!
Want more cookie recipes? Try my marshmallow cookies and no bake oatmeal cookies next!
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!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Baked in 15 minutes. Yes, some chilling time is involved, but once they’re in the oven, they’re done before you know it.
- Perfect for chocolate peanut butter lovers. With dark chocolate and creamy peanut butter in every bite, it’s impossible not to love these cookies.
- Diet-friendly. Already egg-free, they’re easy to make vegan and gluten-free with a few basic swaps.
- Better than the original. I was inspired by Levain Bakery’s chocolate peanut butter cookies, but I dare say mine are even better (like my vegan Levain cookies). They’re certainly cheaper, too.
Ingredients needed
- All-purpose flour- I used plain flour but also tested it out with gluten-free flour, and both work well. 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 a good quality cocoa powder, to really give these cookies a rich, and dark chocolate flavor.
- Baking soda– Gives the cookies some rise and helps them from spreading too much.
- Salt– Brings out the sweetness of the cookies!
- Butter– Unsalted butter and preferably from a stick. Many vegan butter brands have excess water added to it, so look for one that has no or minimal added water.
- Oil– Any neutral-tasting oil works well, like canola oil, vegetable oil, or safflower oil.
- Sugar of choice– I used white sugar, as I prefer thicker cookies. If you’d prefer softer and more gooey centers, use brown sugar.
- Water– To mix everything together! You may not need the full amount, as water will only be added should the dough need it.
- Peanut Butter Chip- 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
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
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 one tablespoon of water to the wet ingredients and 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 place it in the refrigerator.
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 briefly, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Do not overbake the cookies, as they continue to cook as they are cooling down.
- 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 overspreading. 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 2 weeks. If you’d like them to keep longer, store them in the refrigerator.
To freeze: Place cookies in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More cookie recipes you’ll love
Chocolate Cookies With Peanut Butter Chips
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour all purpose or gluten free
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon oil canola, vegetable, etc.
- 1/4 cup butter vegan or standard, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar white, brown, or coconut 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.
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.