Soft And Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

I made a Soft Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie so outrageously soft and studded with melty chocolate that I’m seriously considering hiding the batch from everyone.

I’m obsessed with these cookies. I love that they come out soft in the middle and slightly crisp at the edge, gooey chocolate pockets and salty peanut butter in every bite.

Soft Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie is exactly what I yell about when friends show up empty-handed. Choc Peanut Butter Cookies would be the funeral song if cookies had funerals.

I always reach for creamy peanut butter (not natural, for best texture) and semisweet chocolate chips because big melty chunks are non-negotiable. But mostly it’s the melt and chew that ruins diets and makes me smile like a kid.

Ingredients

• Basically creamy peanut butter gives nutty flavor, moisture, and soft chew you’ll love.
• Plus butter adds richness and tender crumb, it keeps cookies soft.
• Brown sugar brings molasses notes and chewiness, makes them satisfyingly gooey.
• Granulated sugar gives crisp edges and straightforward sweet balance.
• Egg plus yolk provide structure and extra chew, makes them sturdier.
• Vanilla adds warmth and rounds flavors, it’s quietly essential.
• Flour is the backbone, creates soft but sturdy cookie texture.
• Cornstarch locks in chew and tenderness, you’ll notice the difference.
• Baking soda helps spread and browning, gives that cafe look.
• Baking powder adds a touch of lift and gentle puff.
• Salt balances sweetness and wakes up the peanut butter.
• Chocolate chips create melty pockets and chocolate bursts in every bite.
• Chunks are optional if you want larger, gooier melty pockets.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural, for best texture)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch (for extra chew)
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 to 1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips (or chunks, if you like big melty pockets)

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat; let your butter soften while you get everything else ready, and make sure the egg and extra yolk are at room temp so the dough mixes nice.

2. In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes with a hand mixer or 4 to 5 if you’re doing it by hand.

3. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter and beat until well combined, scraping the sides, then mix in the 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until everything is smooth; there might be little streaks of peanut butter at first, thats okay.

4. Whisk together 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a separate bowl so there are no lumps.

5. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet, mixing on low just until incorporated; you want a soft, slightly sticky dough not a dry crumbly mess.

6. Fold in 1 to 1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks with a spatula, save a small handful to press on top of the dough balls before baking so they look extra pretty.

7. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes in the fridge for better spread control and a chewier texture, or 60 minutes if you have time; you can skip chilling but cookies will spread more.

8. Scoop dough into 2 tablespoon-sized rounds (or use a
1.5 inch cookie scoop), place 2 inches apart on prepared sheets, gently press extra chips on top and if you like the classic peanut butter look, press a fork into each cookie once, forming a crisscross but not flattening them completely.

9. Bake one sheet at a time in the middle rack for 9 to 12 minutes, until edges are set and centers still look slightly underbaked; resist the urge to bake until fully firm, they’ll finish while cooling.

10. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely; store airtight at room temp for up to 4 days or freeze the dough balls for later baking.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F)
2. Two baking sheets plus parchment paper or silicone baking mats
3. Large mixing bowls (one for wet, one for dry)
4. Hand mixer or sturdy whisk (hand whisk works, just takes longer)
5. Rubber spatula for scraping and folding
6. Measuring cups and spoons (for flour, sugars, leavener, salt)
7. 1.5 inch cookie scoop or tablespoon for portioning dough
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Fork (for the classic peanut butter crisscross, optional but nice)

FAQ

Soft And Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Peanut butter: swap for creamy sunflower seed butter, 1 to 1. Tastes a bit different and might brown faster, but works great if you’re out of peanut or have an allergy.
• Unsalted butter: use solid coconut oil 1 to 1. It gives a slight coconut note and still makes a soft cookie, just make sure the oil is solid when you cream it with sugar.
• 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk: if you don’t want to separate eggs use 2 whole large eggs instead. Texture will be nearly the same, easier and fewer dishes.
• All purpose flour: replace with a 1 to 1 gluten free all purpose blend (make sure it contains xanthan or guar). Cookies will spread a little different, but stay soft and chewy.

Pro Tips

1. Chill the dough at least 30 minutes, seriously. It helps control spread and makes the centers chewier. If you forget and the dough’s too soft, pop the scooped balls back in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes before baking.

2. Use room temp egg and yolk but keep the peanut butter slightly cool. If the peanut butter is too warm the dough gets greasy and flat, and if the egg’s cold it won’t blend well. Also scrape the bowl lots so you don’t end up with streaks.

3. Press a few extra chips or chunks on top right before baking so the cookies look bakery-pretty. If you want gooey pockets, use bigger chunks and bake just until the edges set but centers still look soft.

4. For best texture, don’t overmix once you add the flour. Mix until it’s just combined, then stop. Overworking the dough will make tougher cookies, and adding a touch more brown sugar (like a tablespoon) will up the chewiness if you prefer that.