Using this recipe, you’ll enjoy ultra-soft and thick bakery-style peanut butter chocolate chip cookies that are filled to the brim with chocolate chips. I make them with a whopping 2 cups of peanut butter, so you’re guaranteed mega flavor in every single bite.
I originally published this recipe in 2016 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more helpful success tips.
One reader, Katelyn, says: “This is hands down my favorite cookie recipe of all time. I’ve baked and loved Sally’s recipes for years and this is my new favorite! I ate 3 at a time. 3 separate times. Then brought them to friends who also ate 3 apiece. Everyone agreed they were the best peanut butter cookies they’ve ever had. Highly recommend! ★★★★★”
You don’t have to go another day without experiencing what some bakers have called “one of my favorite recipes on this site (and in general)” and “the best cookies I’ve ever made.”
While there’s a recipe for classic peanut butter cookies in my Sally’s Cookie Addiction cookbook and I have my super-soft peanut butter cookies on this website, today’s cookies are EXTRA thick and absolutely loaded with peanut butter and chocolate chips. This IS peanut butter dessert perfection, after all.
These Bakery-Style Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Are:
- Huge—3 Tablespoons of dough per cookie
- Soft for days
- Crinkly & crackly on top
- Loaded with chocolate chips
- Thick & 100% irresistible
- Relatively quick—only 1 hour of chill time
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies: What Works & What Doesn’t
This is a simple recipe, and the same base dough as my white chocolate peanut butter cookies. When developing the recipe several years ago, I learned a couple tricks and am happy to share my findings:
- Embrace a creamy cookie dough. 1 cup of butter, 2 cups of peanut butter, and 2 eggs make for an extremely creamy cookie dough. Embrace it; you do not want to add more flour. When the dough hits the oven, peanut butter acts somewhat like a dry ingredient and gives the cookies structure.
- Chill the cookie dough. You might remember from my How to Prevent Cookies from Spreading page that chilling cookie dough is important. Luckily this dough is thick and stable, which means it doesn’t need hours in the refrigerator before baking. A quick 1 hour of chilling prevents the cookies from over-spreading. My brownie cookies (and the jazzed-up version—peanut butter-filled brownie cookies) have a super-quick chill time, too.
- Flatten the dough. Make sure you slightly flatten each cookie before baking, as this will help the cookies spread a bit in the oven. If you think about it, it’s a common step when making peanut butter cookies—you flatten those with a fork prior to baking. Here, you can just use the back of a spoon or your hands.
Grab These Ingredients:
Selecting the right ingredients is important, especially when it comes to peanut butter. This recipe calls for more peanut butter than any other recipe that makes an equivalent amount of dough. So without question, you’re guaranteed an intensely flavored cookie.
- Peanut butter: As mentioned, these cookies have—front and center—highly concentrated peanut butter flavor. To achieve this, use a commercial brand of creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy, the same I recommend for my peanut butter balls, big giant monster cookies, and peanut butter fudge puddles.Though it’s wonderful for eating and cooking, natural-style peanut butter isn’t ideal here. The cookies will be too crumbly and, depending on the brand, may even have an oily texture. Crunchy peanut butter produces the same crumbly results. If you want to use natural-style peanut butter in a cookie recipe, try these flourless peanut butter oatmeal cookies instead.
- Room-temperature butter: Make sure your butter is cool to the touch. Here’s what room-temperature butter really means. You’ll it to properly cream the butter and sugar.
- More white sugar than brown: In these peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, you’ll notice there’s more granulated sugar than brown sugar. When making basic chocolate chip cookies, I recommend using more brown sugar than white sugar because it produces a softer cookie. The addition of peanut butter already makes today’s cookies soft, and using more brown sugar made them EXTRA soft—to the point where they were falling apart. As a result, I learned it was simply too much of a good thing.
- Chocolate chips: Just like with peanut butter half moon cookies, the chocolate complements the intense peanut butter. I recommend semi-sweet chocolate chips because they add a balanced flavor, and just the right amount of sweetness.
One reader, Paige, says: “What is this magic? I was a little hesitant this whole process…. two cups of peanut butter? Three-tablespoon-sized cookies? No way! But this works and the cookies are incredible. ★★★★★“
You can even replace some of the chocolate chips with peanuts, which makes for a wonderfully chunky cookie with extra peanut flavor. You can also roll the balls of dough in granulated sugar (before slightly flattening them) for some sparkle, just like these peanut butter blossoms.
I also have a recipe for unapologetically big and fat peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that boast the same great flavor, and have the added chew from oats.
Use a commercial brand of processed creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. Though it’s wonderful for eating and cooking, natural-style peanut butter won’t do this dough any favors. The cookies will be too crumbly and, depending on the brand, may even have an oily texture.
I don’t recommend crunchy peanut butter in these cookies because, like natural-style, it produces a crumbly cookie. Feel free to swap some chocolate chips for peanuts to achieve that crunchy peanut butter texture.
You may have over-baked them. Bake just until the edges are set; the centers will still look quite soft. Give them at least 10 minutes to cool on the baking sheets before transferring to a cooling rack.
More Favorite Cookie Recipes
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Soft & Thick Monster Cookies
- Sugar Cookies
- Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- Peanut Butter Snickerdoodles
Bakery-Style Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 32 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These big bakery-style peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are super thick, ultra-soft, and filled with chocolate chips. It’s best to use creamy peanut butter, and be sure to chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour before baking.
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 cups (500g) creamy peanut butter*
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (360g) semi-sweet chocolate chips*
- optional: 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars together on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add the eggs and beat on high until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the peanut butter and vanilla, then beat on high until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. With the mixer running on low speed, add the chocolate chips. Dough will be thick and soft.
- Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour and up to 3 days. If chilling for longer than a few hours, though, allow the dough to sit out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking because the dough will be quite hard and the cookies may not spread that much.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
- Scoop cookie dough into large balls, about 3 Tablespoons of dough per cookie (about 60g, it’s a lot!), and, if desired, roll the balls in granulated sugar. Coating in sugar is optional. Place 8 balls onto the cookie sheets. Gently press down on each ball to *slightly* flatten.
- Bake each batch for 14–15 minutes, or until the edges appear set and lightly browned on the sides. The centers will still look very soft.
- Cool cookies for 10 minutes on the baking sheet. During this time, I like to press a few more chocolate chips into the tops of the warm cookies. (This is optional and only for looks.) Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will slightly deflate as they cool.
- Cover leftover cookies tightly and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow to come to room temperature, then continue with step 5. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Here’s how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Cooling Rack
- Can I Halve this Recipe? Yes, absolutely. Halve the recipe by halving all of the ingredients. The instructions remain the same.
- Peanut Butter: It’s best to use a commercial, processed brand of peanut butter like Jif creamy or Skippy creamy. I do not suggest using natural-style, oily peanut butter. Avoid using crunchy peanut butter because it makes the cookies extra crumbly.
- Chocolate Chips: You can replace 1/2 cup (about 90g) of the chocolate chips with chopped peanuts for extra peanut flavor.
- Check out my top 5 cookie tips before beginning. It includes how to prevent cookies from over-spreading and why room-temperature ingredients make a difference.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I loved this recipe so much but I was wondering the nutrition facts such as calories
Hi Maddie, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Did this replace the Big Bakery Style Peanut Butter Chunk Cookie recipe? My family (and book club!) really loved those cookies – can we just leave out the chocolate chips and roll them in sugar?
Hi Stephanie, this is the same recipe, just updated recently with new photos and success tips. You can certainly leave out the chocolate chips and roll them in sugar instead. Enjoy!
I was disappointed my cookies are crisp! The only change I made was to use a 2 tsp scoop.
Hi Mim, did you reduce the making time at all for the smaller size? The time as written is for 3 Tablespoons of dough, so the bake time would need to be reduced for 2 teaspoons of dough or they will come out quite crisp.
These are hands down the best peanut butter cookies I’ve ever had. The texture soft and the taste was very rich.
Made these without peanut butter but extra chocolate chips- substitute coconut sugar and HOLY COW soft and less sweet. These are now my go to cookie recipeeeee thank youuuu
Can I still bake these if I don’t have a stand mixer?
Hi Dee, absolutely. A handheld electric mixer works just as well!
Delicious cookies! But wow does it make a huge batch; I will make a half recipe next time. I bought an entire jar of the recommended peanut butter and used the whole jar plus a scoop of my usual natural PB! I am glad I made 2 tbsp cookies as those were just the right size. Also glad I let them bake a bit longer; 16-17 min at 325 convection setting was perfect, crisp edges and fully cooked middles.
I followed this recipe perfectly. The cookies were dry. What can I do to alter the recipe so it holds together better, (not so crumbly) and is not so dry? More peanut butter? Less flour?
Hi Francey, you can reduce the flour and/or peanut butter. (Perhaps reduce both by 2 Tbsp.) What type of peanut butter are you using?
Can biscoff spread be used instead of peanut butter. Can’t use peanuts due to allergy.
Hi Dee, we haven’t tested it, so aren’t sure of the result. My best guess is that it would be very sweet. Have you tried using sunflower seed or pumpkin seed butter in cookies in place of peanut butter? I think that would be a better sub here.
I’ve never really been a fan of peanut butter cookies, but I made these for my dad for Father’s Day and Oh. My. Gosh. These were absolutely incredible! Will 100% be making again!
Can you substitute M & M’s for chocolate chips?
Yes, sure can!
Guess who made this recipe without reading the tips regarding the type of peanut butter to use? Yup, this girl! I used organic natural peanut butter from Costco…. and while my dough was chilling I read the notes that said to specifically not use natural peanut butter. So I decided to just go with it and you know what? They turned out just fine! Not oily, not dry, not crumbly. Just big and soft and peanut-buttery. Thanks for such a great recipe!
Love the flavor, but dry and crumbly…what did I do wrong? I followed the room temperature butter instructions (using the exact instructions for the hot water microwave method). I did,.however, use creamy peanut butter with honey…it was all.I had…
Hi Jennifer, the peanut butter could be the culprit. Anything but creamy processed peanut butter with sugar can sometimes result in dry and crumbly cookies. Be sure to also spoon and level (or use a kitchen scale) your flour and be careful not to overbake the cookies, as that can dry them out. Hope this helps for next time!
i was ready to give these a low rating. my first batch came out as some other reviewers. crumbly and a little powdery/dry. the second batch i let cool on the baking sheet, i didn’t get around to the wire rack, but it made a world of difference. i was just to impatient with the first and wanted to get the others in the oven. added chocolate and pb chips to the tops. their delicious. followed the exact recipe. remember to let them cool.
That is helpful. I am going to undercook the rest of the batch to see if it helps with the dryness.
Simply outstanding! I followed the recipe exactly and they were perfect. I’ve made a lot of flourless nut-based cookies so I knew what to expect in handling the dough. Also, I’ve learned to not expect much, if any, browning. I’ve overbaked some in the past and that ruins the texture.
Do you ever include high altitude instructions?
We have no experience baking at high altitude, but some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
Love this recipe! I was a bit concerned initially with the amount of peanut butter but they are delicious!!! I used chunky so I’d get bits of peanuts. Crunchy outside/soft inside they are perfect !!!
Really loved this recipe! Gave the cookies as a thank you, and they were enjoyed!
These are the very best cookies! They make a ton, I freeze them and my grandkids eat them right out of the freezer…as does the rest of the family. Ha.
Delicious!! Beautiful, thick cookies with a tasty peanut butter flavor and the right amount of chocolate chips! Thank you for your tip about the proper peanut butter to use. I live at 6,000 feet so I adjust all of my recipes for baked goods according to the suggestions on the website for King Arthur Flour. I always love your recipes; thank you!
Horrible recipe. Way too dry and crumbly. Will never make again.
Thick, soft in the middle and oh so good. 1st time making but will definitely make again and again! Thanks, Sally and your team for another winner.
Followed the directions exactly and they were still too dry and crumbly. Wound up tossing the last third of the dough. I have had great results with all of Sally’s recipes before, so I guess I was due a failure.
Hi Ellen, I have found if the dough is dry, it needs a little more moisture. So I add a tablespoon of water or milk while mixing and you can see it start to come together.
my cookies turned out very oily although big and good. I had to throw out last batch due to too much oil as they fell apart when baking, is this from the peanut butter? They had a circle of crust around each one like the oil just oozed out when baking
Hi Kathy! This can happen when you start with butter that is too warm, or if you used natural-style peanut butter, which is too oily for these cookies.
This recipe is awesome, I swapped out sugar for stevia, ad added peanut butter protein powder jus two scoops, it’s.my second time making them, love it.
Thank you for sharing
I make these every week for a friend of mine who just loves peanut butter cookies and b we cause he loves peanut butter so much, he prefers the peanut butter chips rather than the the chocolate chips.. Best peanut butter cookie recipe ever!
Can I use almond flour
Hi Suz, we don’t recommend it. Almond flour has very different baking properties than all purpose flour and isn’t necessarily a 1:1 swap. If you’re looking for a gluten free cookie, you might like these flourless peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies instead.
I used my home-made peanut butter made in my VitaMix. Cookies were fantastic!
I am usually a loyal fan of this site and have baked 40 plus years but these pb choc chip cookies did not turn out to my liking… they were very crumbly. Ended up adding several Tbsp of cream to rest of the dough & that was better but I’ll pass! Normally recipes I’ve tried from this site are top notch ( in my opinion)
Another winner! These cookies were delicious. I doubled the recipe (oh wow that’s a lot of cookies) and made them smaller (probably around 35g each) and baked for 12 minutes. I chilled for almost two hours and the dough was still nice and soft to scoop! Perfect. Scrumptious.
Had the same issue with dry and crumbling cookies as most of the reviewers. Followed the recipe exactly, even weighing my ingredients per usual. In my opinion, the recipe calls for too much flour. They taste ok but fall apart in your hand even when cooled. I’m lucky that my household loves cookies and don’t mind the texture. Needless to say, I won’t be making this recipe again.