Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cookies Recipe (Video)

I can never resist these thick, fudgy chocolate cookies with a creamy peanut butter center hiding inside. One bite and they turn into the kind of rich, decadent cookie everyone fights over.

I’m completely obsessed with these peanut butter filled chocolate cookies because they hit that outrageous sweet spot between brownie-rich and cookie-thick. I love how the dark, fudgy cookie wraps around creamy peanut butter like it has something to prove.

And the bite? Ridiculous.

The edges stay chewy, the center stays soft, and that filling makes every cookie feel a little over the top in the best way. I’m not here for dainty desserts.

I want chocolate, peanut butter, and a cookie that makes me go back for another before I’ve even finished the first. No regrets.

Just crumbs.

Ingredients

• Soft butter makes the cookies rich, tender, and bakery-level cozy.
• Granulated sugar adds sweetness and helps those edges get lightly crisp.
• Brown sugar brings chewiness, moisture, and that warm caramel vibe.
• Eggs hold everything together so the cookies don’t crumble apart.
• Vanilla rounds out the chocolate and makes the whole batch smell amazing.
• Flour gives the cookies structure without making them feel too cakey.
• Cocoa powder brings the deep chocolate flavor you’re really here for.
• Baking powder and baking soda help them puff just enough.
• Salt keeps the sweetness in check.

  Basically, it makes chocolate taste better.

• Chocolate chips add melty pockets, because more chocolate is rarely a bad call.
• Peanut butter makes the center creamy, salty-sweet, and a little nostalgic.
• Powdered sugar keeps the filling smooth and sweet without feeling gritty.
• Plus, a little butter in the filling makes it softer and richer.
• A splash of vanilla in the filling makes it taste more homemade.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (optional)
• For the peanut butter filling: 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

How to Make this

1. Make the peanut butter filling: in a bowl beat 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt until smooth; form into 1-inch balls, place on a plate and freeze or refrigerate while you make the dough.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. In a large bowl cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy.

4. Add 2 large eggs one at a time, mixing after each, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

5. In a separate bowl whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt.

6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined; fold in 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks if using.

7. Chill the cookie dough 20 to 30 minutes to make it easier to handle.

8. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough, flatten into a disk in your palm, place a chilled peanut butter ball in the center, then wrap dough fully around the filling and roll into a smooth ball; repeat leaving spacing on the baking sheet.

9. Bake cookies 10 to 12 minutes until edges are set but centers remain slightly soft; do not overbake to keep them fudgy.

10. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl
2. Medium mixing bowl
3. Electric mixer or hand mixer
4. Measuring cups and spoons
5. Rubber spatula
6. Whisk
7. Baking sheets
8. Parchment paper
9. Cookie scoop or 2 tablespoon measure
10. Wire cooling rack

FAQ

Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cookies Recipe (Video) Substitutions and Variations

• Unsalted butter: use salted butter in the same amount and reduce added salt by about 1/4 teaspoon; or swap for solid coconut oil 1 to 1 and chill dough slightly before baking.
• All purpose flour: use a 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum; or substitute whole wheat pastry flour cup for cup for a nuttier, slightly denser cookie.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: swap for Dutch processed cocoa in equal measure for a richer, less acidic chocolate flavor; or use natural cocoa plus an extra 1/4 teaspoon baking soda to balance acidity if needed.
• Creamy peanut butter (filling): use natural peanut butter stirred smooth or almond butter 1 to 1 for a different flavor; if the nut butter is thinner, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more powdered sugar to firm the filling.

Pro Tips

1) Freeze the peanut butter centers until very firm. Cold centers make it much easier to wrap the dough around them without squishing or leaking, and they help keep a gooey contrast after baking.

2) Chill the cookie dough briefly before shaping and keep your hands cool. A 20 to 30 minute chill firms the dough so it does not spread too much. If your hands warm the dough, pop the sheet of shaped cookies into the fridge for 10 minutes before baking.

3) Use an oven thermometer and watch the cookies closely in the final minutes. Ovens vary, and these are best when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft. Pulling them at the right moment keeps the interior fudgy after cooling.

4) Sift the cocoa and measure the flour by spooning into the cup then leveling off. Sifting prevents lumps and spooning prevents packing, so your dough texture stays tender rather than dry or dense.