Enjoy 2 soft-baked cookies in 1 with every bite of these thick peanut butter chocolate swirl cookies. A swirly batch features the greatest dessert flavor duo out there: peanut butter and chocolate. Shaping the dough is super simple, and don’t forget all the chocolate chips!
I originally published this recipe in 2013 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more success tips.
While the likes of apple pie, carrot cake, and oatmeal raisin cookies will always be my favorite desserts, there’s no hiding my adoration for a good peanut butter and chocolate combo. And I know many dear readers share that love! These no-bake peanut butter bars are a quick and easy year-round favorite, and this towering chocolate peanut butter cake is a popular showstopper.
So when it came to developing a top-notch peanut butter and chocolate cookie combination, I turned to 2 of my very best recipes: soft and thick peanut butter cookies and double chocolate chip cookies. And when combined, they’re totally epic.
I’ve been making these cookies for years, and I haven’t changed the recipe at all. You just don’t mess with perfection. 😉
It doesn’t get much better than this:
Why Everyone Loves Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Cookies
Today’s 2-for-1 combo cookies have been a favorite since day 1. Whenever I serve them, tasters flock to the cookie tray. Here’s why:
- The cookies have soft-baked, extra-thick centers with slightly crisp edges.
- They’re ginormous and loaded with chocolate chips.
- Eye-catching, mesmerizing swirls!
- You can have 2 cookies at the same time. Who doesn’t want that?!
One reader, Sally, commented: “This is such a tasty cookie! Followed the recipe exactly… Visually striking and ultra tasty! Pillowy and rich. I love having bites of both silky peanut butter and rich chocolate. Thanks so much! ★★★★★“
Combine 2 Stellar Cookie Recipes
Yes, you’re making 2 cookie doughs today. I promise both are very easy!
If you’ve been visiting my website over the years, chances are you’ve tried both cookie doughs before; I use them all over the website. If you haven’t had a chance to try them, let me make a quick introduction.
Peanut Butter Cookie Dough
These soft and thick peanut butter cookies are my flagship peanut butter cookies, serving as the base recipe for 6+ other cookie recipes on my site. They’re PACKED with peanut butter flavor and not dry/crumbly like similar recipes can be. It’s the same dough I use in peanut butter blossoms, peanut butter M&M cookies, and these peanut butter jam thumbprints. Let me just say: this recipe has the hearts of peanut butter lovers everywhere. Many readers say they taste like the inside of a peanut butter cup!
Chocolate Cookie Dough
Then comes my go-to chocolate cookie dough. My recipe for double chocolate chip cookies also makes appearances as inside-out chocolate chip cookies, chocolate crinkle cookies, and salted caramel dark chocolate cookies. When it comes to Christmas cookies, I use it for peppermint mocha cookies, Andes mint chocolate cookies, and peppermint frosted cookies. This is one versatile cookie dough!
Naturally, I knew it would be the perfect chocolatey half of these cookies, too. It’s soft-baked, chewy, and oh-so-fudgy.
Key Ingredients in Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Cookies
For both cookie doughs, you need the usual lineup of cookie ingredients. Pay special attention, though, to these 2:
- Peanut Butter: For the peanut butter dough, I recommend using creamy processed peanut butter, like Jif or Skippy. Whether you’re making today’s cookies, peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter snickerdoodles, big giant monster cookies, or really any peanut butter-based cookies, processed creamy peanut butter will give you the best taste and soft-baked texture.
- Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder: Did you know that not all cocoa powders work the same in baking recipes? And most of it depends on the leavening agents. If you’re interested in the science behind it, I go into plenty of detail in my post on the difference between Dutch-process and natural cocoa powder. Because you’re using baking soda in the chocolate cookie dough, reach for unsweetened natural cocoa powder. If you’re looking for ways to use up a jar of Dutch-process cocoa, try my chocolate buttercream or these homemade brownies (there’s no leavening in either).
Swirling the Dough
Moving on to those pretty cookie swirls! The assembly process is actually quite simple:
- Take 2 Tablespoons (about 40g) of chilled peanut butter cookie dough and roll into a ball.
- Take 2 Tablespoons of chilled chocolate cookie dough and roll into a ball.
- Take both the peanut butter and chocolate cookie dough balls, and gently press them together. Using your hands, roll them into 1 large cookie dough ball. (They will be big—about 1/4 cup of cookie dough (80g) per cookie!)
That’s it! Even easier than my peanut butter-filled brownie cookies or peanut butter fudge puddles… both of which you absolutely have to try sometime.
The cookies will look very soft when they come out of the oven, but they set as they cool. While they’re still warm, feel free to top with a few extra chocolate chips like I do with my chocolate chip cookies. This is optional and purely for looks!
Success Tip: Chill Your Cookie Doughs
Chilling both cookie doughs in the refrigerator is mandatory for this recipe. It’s one of my top tips for how to prevent cookies from overspreading. If you skip the chilling, you’ll lose that pretty swirled dough and end up with peanut butter chocolate cookie puddles. I recommend chilling the dough in the vast majority of my cookie recipes.
Not to mention, dough that has not been chilled will make quite the mess on your hands during the swirling process! I’m not saying your hands won’t get covered in any dough, but the dough is much easier to handle when cold.
More Chocolate Peanut Butter Desserts
Soft-Baked Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Cookies
- Prep Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes (includes chilling)
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Enjoy two soft-baked cookies in one with every bite of these thick peanut butter chocolate swirl cookies. Be sure to chill both cookie doughs, so the doughs are easier to shape, and the cookies don’t overspread.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2/3 cup (55g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk (any kind, dairy or nondairy)
- 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus a few more for topping
Peanut Butter Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (185g) creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/4 cups (156g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Make the chocolate cookie dough: Cream the butter and sugars together with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add the egg and vanilla extract, and then beat on high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour into the wet ingredients. Beat on low until combined. Switch to high speed and beat in the milk, then the chocolate chips. The cookie dough will be sticky and tacky.
- Make the peanut butter dough: Cream the butter and sugars together with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat on high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the peanut butter and vanilla extract and beat until combined. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Once combined, beat in the chocolate chips.
- Cover both cookie doughs tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to 3 days. It’s imperative that both doughs are chilled, otherwise the doughs will be difficult to work with, and the cookies will overspread.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
- Measure about 2 Tablespoons (40g)—or a little less, because the recipe makes *slightly* more peanut butter dough—of chocolate cookie dough. Roll into a ball. Measure about 2 Tablespoons (40g) of peanut butter cookie dough. Roll into a ball. Press the 2 balls together between your hands and roll them into 1 large ball. Repeat for each cookie. The chocolate cookie dough is particularly sticky, so wipe your hands clean after every few balls of dough you shape.
- Bake the cookies for 12–14 minutes or until the edges appear set and the centers still look soft. Tip: If they aren’t really spreading by minute 9, remove them from the oven and lightly bang the baking sheet on the counter 2–3x. This helps initiate that spread. Return to the oven to continue baking.
- Cool cookies for 5 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 doughs and chill in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 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. Read my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Cooling Rack
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Reader Comments and Reviews
How could you not call these the Yin and Yang cookie : )
Absolutely!
Wondering if I could make two ropes and roll them together instead of all those ball( arthritis)? Would it stick together even if it’s not as cute?
Hi Janet, I haven’t tested it but let me know if you do. The doughs are a little sticky, so make sure they have been chilled.
I almost cried when I ate one of these cookies. So good. I didn’t know I could make something so delicious. Thanks Sally!
Could I make these smaller like using 1 T. of each kind of dough?
Hi Darlene, absolutely! Bake time will be slightly shorter for smaller cookies.
I tried making these. I chilled both doughs for the same time (four hours), but when I baked them I found that the chocolate half of the equation cooked earlier and spread much farther than the peanut butter half, resulting in lopsided cookies that looked more like Mt Saint Helen’s post eruption than the pretty yin yangs in the picture. Any idea where I went wrong here? They still tasted pretty good though!
Hi EJ, did you by chance use dutch-process cocoa powder instead of natural cocoa powder? Because that can affect how the cookies rise, since they’re made with baking soda. If you try the recipe again, be sure to use natural and it may also be helpful to add a little more flour so the chocolate cookies don’t spread quite as much. I would add 2-3 extra Tablespoons, about 15-24g.
Sally, I loved this recipe, definitely a keeper..thank you love your recipes
I would like a stronger peanut butter taste, I found I couldn’t taste much peanut butter
I measured perfectly, is there a way to add more peanut butter to get this taste?
Thank you again
Hi Deb, what brand of peanut butter did you use? The peanut butter cookie dough should have a pretty pronounced peanut butter flavor, so it’s possible a different brand may work better for you. Be sure to use creamy processed peanut butter, too. Thanks for giving these a try!
Sally, Sally, Sally! You took me back to my childhood with these cookies! Well…kind of. Growing up ,Green’s Bakery was the place we all went to BEFORE going to school. They made the softest chocolate peanut butter chip cookies ANYWHERE! Now thanks to you I can have both of my favorite cookies in one bite! Though I changed the recipe AFTER making them like yours the first 2 times, I added peanut butter chips in the chocolate part & dark chocolate chips for the peanut butter part. Needless to say, they NEVER stay long. I am so glad I found you years ago & STILL my “go to” place for ALL things sweet!
Hi Marion, Thank you for sharing! We love that you found a cookie that bring you back to your childhood. Happy Baking!
I was wondering that about the chips, too. Thank you for posting that you did it. I do like the dark chocolate choice, too.
Hi! Can I use peanut butter chips for the chocolate dough? thanks!
Hi Michelle, You can try peanut butter chips! Let us know how they turn out.
Sooooo ok. I’ve been trying to learn more about baking with cacao powders and trying different chocolate cookies – I *thought* I’d found the most awesome recipe, but then found this. This is heaven – the combination of dark chocolate and peanut butter in a rich, soft cookie – omg. Being a relatively noobish baker, it took me longer to do the prep, but that will come with repeated practice (which I intend to follow through on. Frequently.)
Used almond milk and it turned out great. I also wanted to try using black dutch process cacao for the extra 2 tablespoons and WOW did it make a difference when added to the regular!
I now also understand why it’s important to make sure to refrigerate the dough – after the first batch was in the oven I put it right back in to the fridge so it firmed up again. Thank you for this important note.
Hands down (and chocolate-covered), the best cookie recipe I’ve ever tried. Thank you!
Can you use oatmilk for this recipe as a substitute for milk?
That should be fine, Jessica!
These are AMAZING! I just finished making them and half are already gone. We’re a cookie loving family! They’re easily the best cookies I’ve ever made! Thanks for the recipe.
These cookies are great! I used natural peanut butter because that was all I had and it worked out completely fine, but I was prepared to add and egg, oil and some half and half as someone mentioned above. I was quite short on time, so I put the chocolate dough in the fridge right after I made it, which worked well because the peanut butter dough needed much less chilling. (It only managed to chill for 1.5 hours, and It was only a little sticky.) When rolling them I rolled all the peanut butter dough balls first, and then as I rolled the chocolate ones I combined them, which eliminated the need to wash your hands as much.
These cookies were such a hit and very pretty. You know you brought in good cookies when you get thank you notes from your friends. 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!
Love LOVE these cookies and I’ve made them several times. I decided to try to use the chocolate recipe to make a chocolate peppermint cookie for the holidays. I doubled it, but used 1.5 cups of chocolate chips and 1 cup of crushed candy canes. I dipped the top of the chilled balls in more crushed candy canes before baking. Well, the melting candy inside the cookie messed with the texture and they were completely flat and thin. I was disappointed until I tasted them. OMG they are like chewy brownie edges! I think if I made them again I’d use less candy and add in peppermint extract to try to save the look of them. Then again, if they are ugly then I don’t have to share them.
I have made many cookies over the years. This recipe is one that I come back to often. It has to be one of our favorites at our house. Thank you!
I just made these, fantastic recipe, followed it to a tee and they came out perfect, nice trick with the chips, the cookies look so nice like that! seriously fantastic cookies, and fun to make with the kids! thank you for sharing!
I made these last night as written, but with the addition of a miniature peanut butter cup stuffed inside. Madness! They’re so big! I’m sending them across the country to my Dad for Father’s Day. Thanks for another great recipe!
These are by far the best cookies I have ever made from an online recipe! My husband LOVES these cookies. They are soft, easy to make and oh, so, delicious! Definitely our family’s favorite!
Hi Sally, I have made these cookies a few times and it’s always a hit. I wanted to make these, but I am wondering, can the dough be made and chilled a few days in advance? If so, how many days ahead of time can I keep the dough chilling before I bake them? Thank you so much and Merry Christmas!
Hey Brittney! You can chill the dough for up to 3-4 days.
I just made these and they are absolutely delicious! Another Keeper from Sally!
Amazing recipe! Turned out exactly as pictured. A definite crowd pleaser. Thank you, I’ll definitely bookmark your site. Greetings from New Zealand.
I tried this recipe and really loved it. Will make it again and again. Excellent recipe. Five stars.
These are fantastic and my family has taken to calling them yin yang cookies!!
Oh my gosh, I love how these cookies look and I really want to give them a try. Though I do have one question: For the chocolate dough and the dark chocolate chips, I really want the cookies to have a real Yin-Yang feel to them, so is it okay to substitute white chocolate chips in the chocolate cookie batch, or will the white chocolate affect how they bake?
White chocolate chips in the chocolate dough would be just fine!
Sally, these cookies turned out phenomenal!!! Thank you 🙂
These turned out FANTASTIC Sally, One of my all time favorite cookies now, Thank you sooooo much!!!!!!!!
I just made these cookies last night, and they are so soft and delicious. I used the “tall” cookie ball that you talked about in another post and the cookies are wonderfully thick!
Every recipe from your blog that I’ve tried has been fantastic! I can’t wait to make these cookies, and more, again!
Hello Sally! I absolutely adore these cookies!! They are just lovely! My whole family loves them! My question for you is, could I substitute your chewy chocolate chip cookies for the peanut butter cookies in this recipe? Would it bake up the same? Both recipes are so yummy, and my family really likes the chocolate chip and chocolate/brownie combo. Thank you!!
Hey Eleanor! You sure can – I’ve done it before. They will bake up the same.
These cookies are amazing! They don’t last an hour in my home! The salted double chocolate chip cookies are a big hit too…we love your cookies!