Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies With Soft Centers

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

These thick peanut butter cookies have craggy edges, soft centers, and milk chocolate squares pressed onto their tops while they’re hot. Residual heat softens the chocolate without hiding the square outlines, and a few flakes of sea salt finish each cookie. The dough is flourless and delicate at first, so remove the cookies when their edges are set, then let them firm on the baking sheet before moving them.

Yield: About 16 cookies. Prep: 15 minutes. Bake: 10–12 minutes per batch. Total: About 45–60 minutes, including batches and initial cooling.

Ingredients for Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

• 1 cup creamy no-stir peanut butter (about 255g)
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (100g)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• About 6 ounces milk chocolate bar, broken into small squares (170g), enough for 1–2 squares per cookie
• About 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt, for a light sprinkle

How to Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

1. Preheat and prepare: Fully preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment and break the chocolate into squares so they’re ready when the cookies come out.
2. Mix the dough: Stir the peanut butter and both sugars together in a bowl. Mix in the egg and vanilla until the dough is thick and cohesive, with no visible egg streaks.
3. Scoop and shape: Portion about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie, leaving about 2 inches between them. Press each portion lightly into a thick disk. Keep the tops rustic; do not smooth them or make fork marks.
4. Bake: Bake uncovered, one sheet at a time on the center rack, for 10–12 minutes per batch. Start checking at 10 minutes. Remove the cookies when the edges are set and lightly browned but the centers still look slightly soft.
5. Add chocolate and salt: Immediately press 1 or 2 chocolate squares gently onto each hot cookie without pushing through the center. Sprinkle a few flakes of salt over the chocolate. The squares will soften from the cookies’ heat while keeping their outlines.
6. Cool: Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes to firm up. Transfer them gently, and let the chocolate set before stacking or packing.

How to Tell When the Cookies Are Done

Check the edges rather than waiting for the whole cookie to feel firm. The centers may still look puffy and soft when the edges are set; they’ll firm as the cookies cool on the sheet. Baking until the centers look fully firm can make them dry. Portion size and oven performance affect timing, so use the first batch to judge the doneness cue.

Why Use No-Stir Peanut Butter?

Smooth, no-stir peanut butter gives this flourless dough a more dependable consistency. Separated natural peanut butter may change how the dough holds together or spreads, so it is not an assured one-for-one swap. Flatten the portions only slightly to keep the cookies thick.

For a crisscross-style cookie, try these classic peanut butter cookies. For chocolate dough instead of a chocolate topping, see these double chocolate cookies.

Storing the Cookies

Let the chocolate set fully, then store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Place parchment between layers if needed to protect the chocolate.

Nutrition

Approximate per cookie (1 of 16): 195 calories, 5g protein, 11g fat, and 19g carbohydrates. Approximate per 100g: 490 calories, 13g protein, 29g fat, and 48g carbohydrates. Values are estimates based on the listed ingredients. Per-100g values use ingredient weight before baking and will vary with moisture loss and chocolate portion size.