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Thick & Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

4.89 from 316 votes
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I have discovered a couple of tricks to bakery-style cookies and the result was these crazily decadent, thick & chewy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies!

Thick & Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Thick & Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

We all know that I love a good chocolate chip cookie recipe and there is nothing like a crispy peanut butter cookie. But hey, I also love chocolate chip and peanut butter so these cookies were next on this list!

I am pretty sure that I have discovered a couple of tricks to bakery-style cookies. Or maybe not. This may not be the way that bakeries get those huge yet flat cookies that are all the same shape and thickness, all the way around. However this is the way that *I*  will now get those perfect cookies at home without using shortening ( the usual trick for commercial bakeries) or huge ovens that bake perfectly.

  • Butter – softened for the best results
  • Brown sugar – always make sure it’s packed for proper measurements
  • Egg– large
  • Vanilla extract – using a little more vanilla amplifies the taste of the chocolate in baked goods
  • Peanut butter– creamy or chunky up to you
  • All purpose flour
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips – you can do dark chocolate as well but milk chocolate would be very sweet!
smooth peanut butter on a spoon

How to Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • Cream the butter and sugar together.
  • Mix in the egg until combined, then add in the peanut butter and vanilla
    extract. Mix well.
  • Whisk the dry ingredients together then add to the butter mixture, mixing
    together thoroughly.
  • Mix in the chocolate chips by hand until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
  • Place by rounded cookie scoop onto parchment lined baking sheets.
  • Bake in the oven for 14-15 minutes, or until golden brown all over.
peanut butter chocolate chip cookies in cooling rack

Don’t flatten them AT ALL before baking.

Even if they stay a dome shape – which they will on non-humid days – don’t worry. The trick to not having the edges brown too much like the ones on the left is to start them out in the ice cream scoop size. If they are still a dome shape you simply take a spatula or a flat flipper/turner and slowly press down on the freshly baked cookie, right when they come out of the oven. That’s how you get those beautiful crinkled little edges that the cookie on the right has. If you are baking on a humid day, odds are that your dough will be stickier than usual. Try adding another 2- 3 tablespoons of flour to make it less sticky but odds are they are still going to bake up thick and chewy if you still adhere to the DO NOT FLATTEN BEFORE BAKING RULE.

cookies showing the difference between the two flattening methods

Oh, did I say ice cream scoop a few seconds ago?

Yes, I did. And ice cream scoop is the perfect size to make these large and in charge cookies. Yes, you only end up with 12-16 cookies from this recipe, but they are huge cookies.

rounded cookie scoops in parchment lined baking sheet

Also: If all else fails, cut the butter.

Less butter has always meant thicker, chewier cookies and is the secret to my popular Thick & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies.

If these aren’t as thick as you want, cut the butter down to 1/3 cup of a cup. Cookies are a persnickety lot. If you live somewhere humid, they’ll spread out and flatten like a pancake.

Yesterday, these turned out perfectly and I had to use a flipper to flatten them into the thick, chewy, delicious delights below. They were PERFECT DOMES that didn’t even shift from their original shape.

Today I used the same recipe to make sure that they are still great and they flattened out all on their own because it’s snowing here in Edmonton. I could have added that 2-3 tablespoons of flour, but to be honest they turned out just as great as the ones below.

close up peanut butter chocolate chip cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Tips & Tricks

  • Now, I know that YOU know this, but the secret to the best cookies is to under bake them slightly. These just need to be browned all lovely on the outside and under baked on the inside. Fifteen minutes were perfect for mine, but watch yours and see. If you over bake them, they will still be delicious, but not chewy!
  • So in order to get these cookies that thick, you are going to have to work a little. Try one out on your cookie sheet and if it flattens, add some more flour to the dough. Odds are that we are going to have more humid days than not, now that winter is here.
  • If flour doesn’t work, cut that butter down to 1/3 of a cup in your next batch. You might have to eat a few batches before you get the feel for what your dough should be like ( it’s not a super-sticky dough, by the way) and I know that taste testing thick and chewy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies is going to be a hard job.

More great cookie recipes:

  1. Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe: Thick N’ Chewy
  2. The Perfect Cookie Dough for “Stuffed Cookies”
  3. No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
  4. Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Cookies

You got this.

Love you more than chocolate,

Karlynn

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Thick & Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

How to make decadent Thick & Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with my method that makes perfect cookies every time! 
4.89 from 316 votes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Total Time
20 minutes
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
American
Servings
16
Calories
321
Author
Karlynn Johnston

Ingredients
 

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter creamy or chunky up to you
  • 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl attached to a stand mixer.
  • Mix in the egg until combined, then add in the peanut butter and vanilla extract. Mix well.
  • Whisk the dry ingredients together then add to the butter mixture, mixing together thoroughly.
  • Mix in the chocolate chips by hand until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
  • Using an ice cream scoop, fill the scoop until it’s full, flattening the bottom until it’s level with the straight edge of the scoop.
  • Place by rounded cookie scoop onto parchment lined baking sheets.
  • Bake in the oven for 14-15 minutes, or until golden brown all over.
  • Remove from the oven.
  • The cookies should still be in a dome shape.
  • Using a flat spatula or egg flipper etc, press each cookie down until evenly flat. They should be about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick.
  • Leave the cookies on the trays to cool completely after flattening.
  • Enjoy your super thick and chewy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies!
  • Store in a container for 3-5 days, but I doubt they will last that long.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 321kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 209mg, Potassium: 212mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 22g, Vitamin A: 205IU, Calcium: 34mg, Iron: 2.2mg

All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

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How to make decadent Thick & Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with my method that makes perfect cookies every time! #peanutbuttercookies #chocolatechips

Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

Learn more about me

Reader Interactions

Comments & Recipe Tips Share a tip or comment!

  1. Tammy says

    Hi, I just want to say a huge Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe with us!
    In reading the comments, I was shocked at some of the comments. If their recipe does not come out great, then why do they think it is your recipe at all? I see several comments here stating that This recipe turned out perfect! So, if yours did not turn out perfect then YOU DID NOT FOLLOW HER INSTRUCTIONS. It’s that simple. I tell you, some people are the worst. I am so thankful for your recipe, I just can’t tell you how thankful I truly am.
    A million Thank Yous! Don’t let those people get to you, these are excellent!5 stars

  2. Brenda Reid says

    Used your recipe today and it’s delightful! My only question is the cooking time..14-15 minutes was way too long and my first batch was over cooked and burnt-ish. I cut the time back to 12 minutes and that worked better. I will say that I used a cookie scoop and not an ice cream scoop so perhaps that’s the difference. Anyways, one batch for my grandkids and one for the garbage man! Lesson learned.

  3. David says

    Ok, I made these. And they were/are my favorite peanut butter cookie on the planet. I will say one thing I did to batch #2: lightly sprinkled the dough balls with Maldon salt. It added another layer of flavor to the cookies. Used the bottom of a drinking glass to flatten them out, worked perfectly. By doing this, was able to package them up for friends and neighbors. Great technique.5 stars

  4. Christine says

    This is going to be my go-to recipe from now on—it’s great!! The dough isn’t a sticky mess AT ALL, super easy to work with. Its a quick easy recipe. I doubled it, but kept the chocolate at 2 cups (and added 6tbsps flour extra, bc rainy Florida), and they came out perfect. My non-junk-foodie husband ate like 7 of them! My only warning is, the heavy dough DID break my cheap hand mixer LoL.5 stars

    • Christine says

      I forgot to add; I made some large and some small (obvi cook less time for the smalls). All came out great; and I don’t own an ice cream scoop so I just rolled them into tall balls (that’s what I meant when I said doughs not a sticky mess). All sizes came out great!5 stars

  5. Suzanne says

    They are delicious, but I’m not sure why they looked better right out of the oven; next time, I won’t flatten them down. 🤤5 stars

  6. Alexandra says

    These are seriously good! They have perfect chewy cookie texture. I will be making them again, and again and again!5 stars

  7. George says

    WOW these were so awesome. followed directions to the tee, well maybe a little bigger in size. Will be making these again sooooon.
    Thanks5 stars

  8. Debra says

    I’VE MADA MANY A PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BUT THESE WERE BY FAR THE BEST. AFTER I SCOOPPED THE DOUGH AND PLACED ON COOKIE SHEET I POPPED THEM IN THE FREEZER FOR A FEW MINUTES TO MAKE SURE THEY DIDN’T SPREAD TOO QUICKLY.

  9. Dave says

    Best tasting cookies ever! Only one concern- I used dark chocolate chunks and when I pressed the cookies down after cooking, the chocolate chunks on top became a gooey mess and not very pretty. I’m wondering how the pictures show nice chocolate chips, not squashed blobs of chocolate?5 stars

    • HS says

      It usually relies on the type of chocolate you use. Like, if you use melting chocolate it will melt. If you don’t want fully melted chocolate you can buy special non-melting chocolate chips for firm holding baking.

  10. Katie Kern says

    I made these and substituted dairy free butter and dairy free chocolate chips so my children can have them and they are delicious!

  11. Tess Savage says

    Absolutely incredible!! I started making these for my family a few years ago and it’s their favourite treat!! you are fabulous, keep up your amazing work!5 stars

  12. Rosemary Cagle says

    These cookies are over the top and outrageous 👍I added chopped walnuts-they are the best ever!!!!!!!

  13. Sara says

    I’ve been experimenting with cookie recipes for years, and I think these are number one for taste, texture, and visual appeal! Thank you very much!5 stars

  14. Barbara says

    Should this cookie dough be chilled before baking and is 375 cooking temperature with a regular oven or baking convection oven?

    • Sara says

      I chilled for about an hour before cooking in a regular oven at 375 for 15 minutes. Perfect!

  15. Carol Baker says

    Made these several times – they are my son’s favourite. They turn out great every time.5 stars

    • Sue says

      Super easy, quick and delicious! I’ve made these twice in 1 week. I did decrease the cookie size and reduced the cooking time. Still taste delicious. Thank you!5 stars

  16. Trell says

    This has been my go to recipe since finding it! They come out perfect every time. It’s also easy for when you want a quick good cookie fix.5 stars

  17. Tawna says

    I have been using your recipe a kazillion times over the past 1-1.5 years, this makes my fave cookie! I’d like to know what is considered a “serving” for the 321 calories? I sure hope it’s more than 1 cookie! Please let me know if you can. Thanks!

  18. Meghan Price says

    We love these! Make them at least once a month.5 stars

  19. Sara says

    These turned out perfectly!! I think a little sea salt on top would be good too!

    Thanks for the recipe and cookie method – this is a keeper!

  20. Laurie Diane Hartweg says

    5 Stars ALL THE WAY! My family LOVED these AND they turned out looking just like the photos and tasted FABULOUS! Thanks for a great GO TO cookie recipe!5 stars

    • Karen Marshall says

      These are simply perfect. I have made these over and over and receive rave reviews every time. I’ve changed it up twice…once replacing the 1/2 cup peanut butter with 1/2 cup Nutella and another time I replaced the 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips with 1 1/2 cups of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. I use an extra-large cookie scoop to measure out my dough and 15 minutes cooks them perfectly. My scoop yields me 14 bakery size/style cookies. YUMMY!5 stars

  21. KG London says

    These were DELICIOUS. Better than chocolate chip cookies alone, and sublime when sandwiching some pistachio gelato. Thank you for making our night!!5 stars

  22. J.haag says

    These are the worse cookies I’ve ever baked and I bake cookies twice a week and everyone raves my baking

    • Rose says

      Hi, I’ve made these 2x now (and they’re delicious!) But they came out flat both times. I thought maybe there was a typo and it should be 2-1/4 cups flour…but I see other people have made these many times with no issue. Any idea what my problem might be? Thanks!

      • Karen Marshall says

        I know my cookies tend to go flat with the high humidity here in Southwest Florida. If I am baking cookies on an extremely humid day, I usually add two extra tablespoons of flour to my recipe. I am NOT a professional baker, but I have found this to help me keep my cookies from flattening. That’s my two cents worth. 🙂

  23. kim says

    the cookies were so good I wouldnt change one thing about them they were rich and tasteful and pretty easy to make I loved them and am definetly going to use this recipe again five starts all the way!!!!!!!!!!5 stars

  24. Katelynn F says

    These are insanely delicious. We have made this recipe at least three times since discovering it this past month. I see no reason to ever make another kind of cookie haha. We used chunky peanut butter and dark chocolate chips. Did not change anything else about the recipe. Pure perfection.5 stars

  25. Suzy Bills says

    I made this recipe for my best friend, and he said they were the best peanut butter chocolate chip cookies he’s ever had. Thanks for the great recipe!5 stars

  26. KA Ryan says

    I made these today and they are SOOOOO good! It is pouring rain here and the restore was correct when it said that the cookies are flatter in humid conditions. Ours came out of the oven without domes so I did not flatten them. They are PERFECT! And half the sugar than my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. I will definitely be making these again!5 stars

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