Oh my gosh, if you think you’ve had great peanut butter cookies, wait until you try this recipe! Seriously, these are my gold standard. We are talking about the Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies here, and the name is not an exaggeration. They are rich, they are dense, and they have that perfect little crinkle on top that just screams ‘homemade goodness.’ I’ve tweaked the sugar ratio a dozen times over the years, but trust me, this current version maximizes that deep, salty-sweet peanut butter flavor we all crave.
What makes these my absolute favorite? It’s the double dose of peanut butter—creamy base plus those melty chips! I bake these whenever I need a guaranteed mood booster. They go so fast, I almost have to hide a few for myself before the family gets to them. If you’re looking for a cookie that truly showcases the best of peanut butter, you’ve hit the jackpot. You can check out how I use an adaptation of this flavor profile in my giant Peanut Butter Cookie Cake too!
Gathering Ingredients for Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
You absolutely need to have everything ready before you even think about turning on the mixer. When it comes to cookies, prep is everything! Don’t just grab ingredients; check their state. For these babies, we need our butter perfectly softened—not melted, just soft enough to press a finger into easily. We are going heavy on the peanut butter flavor here, so grab that creamy jar! You can find some great tips on preparation over on my general baking secrets page if you’re unsure about ingredient temps.
The Dry Components for Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
We keep the dry stuff simple because we let the peanut butter do the heavy lifting on flavor. You’ll need:
- 2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour.
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder—this gives just a little lift.
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt to make sure the sweet and salty notes really pop!
The Wet Ingredients and Peanut Butter Chips for Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
This is where the magic happens! Make sure your peanut butter is the smooth, creamy kind; crunchy bits interfere with the dough texture in this particular recipe. You’ll also need:
- 1 cup (that’s two sticks!) of unsalted butter, softened, naturally.
- 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 cup of brown sugar, packed tight!
- 1 full cup of creamy peanut butter.
- 2 large eggs, straight from the carton.
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract because everything tastes better with vanilla.
- And about 1 1/2 cups of peanut butter chips—don’t skimp on these!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
Getting these cookies right is all about layering the mixing process. Trust me, rushing the creaming step is the quickest way to a flat, sad cookie. We need air in there! Don’t worry, even though we have lots of steps, this whole process flies by. You’ll have warm cookies ready before you know it, especially since we don’t chill the dough in the basic version!
Preparing the Oven and Mixing the Wet Base for Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
First things first: let’s get that oven screaming hot! Preheat your oven right now to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). While that’s warming up, line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper. This saves cleanup and guarantees they won’t stick. Time to mix the wet ingredients. Grab your big bowl and toss in that softened butter, the granulated sugar, and the packed brown sugar. Beat these three together until the mixture looks light and fluffy—we’re building that structure!
Once that’s done, beat in the peanut butter until it’s smooth. Then add those two large eggs one at a time, followed by that teaspoon of vanilla extract. Keep mixing until everything looks happy and perfectly combined. It should smell amazing already!
Combining Dry and Wet Mixes for Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
Now, take that bowl with your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt—the dry guys—and whisk them together separately. This part is so important! You want everything distributed evenly before it hits the wet stuff. In three additions, slowly stream the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix gently! Seriously, stop the mixer as soon as you see the last streak of flour disappear. Overmixing here develops gluten, and we want tender cookies, not bread!
Once just combined, fold in those glorious 1 1/2 cups of peanut butter chips. Use a spatula for this so you don’t knock all the air out you worked so hard to create.
Shaping, Pressing, and Baking Your Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
Grab a utensil—I use an ice cream scoop for consistency—and drop rounded tablespoons of that incredible dough onto your prepared sheets. Remember, these are peanut butter cookies, and they need that classic look! Take a fork and gently press down on each mound in that signature crisscross pattern. My secret tip here? Dip the fork tines in a little sugar between pressings to keep them from grabbing the dough. Bake these beauties for 9 to 11 minutes. You’re looking for edges that are just lightly golden. Pull them out, and this is critical: let them sit on that hot baking sheet for a full 5 minutes. They firm up a lot during this rest before you move them to a wire rack to finish cooling. If you try to move them too soon, they will crumble!
If you’re interested in some classic variations on this theme, check out my chocolate peanut butter sandwich cookies recipe!
Tips for Achieving Perfect Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
Look, baking is science, but cookies are pure emotion, right? So let’s talk about dialing in the texture you want for these Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies. If you’re dreaming of those extra-thick cookies that look like they were baked in a tiny mountain range, you absolutely need to chill that dough. The recipe notes mention it, but I have to stress it: pop that bowl in the fridge for about 30 minutes before scooping. It solidifies the fat, and they spread way less.
If you want a flatter, chewier cookie that spreads just a little more in the oven, follow the recipe straight through without a chill break. The warmth of having the butter softened just right helps encourage that spread. Also, promise me you’ll check your baking soda and powder dates! Old leavening agents are the number one reason cookies don’t look right or bake evenly. Fresh ingredients make all the difference in getting that perfect salty-sweet balance.
For storage, just pop the cooled ones into an airtight container—they really stay great at room temperature for days, which is a bonus because they rarely last that long! For extra inspiration on using those peanut butter staples, you might want to check out my peanut butter oatmeal cookie recipe next.
Ingredient Spotlight: Why Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies Need Specific Fats
Okay, let’s get a little technical for just a second—but don’t worry, it’s easy science! When making these Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies, the fats aren’t just for flavor; they are the framework! We are using two main fats here: butter and peanut butter, and they play very different roles.
The butter is crucial for structure. When we cream it with the sugars, we are whipping air into the batter, giving our cookies that beautiful lift and tenderness. If the butter isn’t softened just right, the air pockets won’t form correctly, and your cookie gets dense!
The peanut butter, on the other hand, brings flavor, obviously, but it also adds a heavier fat content than the butter alone. This helps keep the final cookie soft and chewy instead of crisp. It’s that perfect marriage of fluffy structure from the butter and moist richness from the peanut butter that stops these from just spreading into thin pancakes. If you ever want to know how to substitute other dairy elements in your baking, check out my guide on making easy buttermilk substitutions!
Variations on Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
While I stand by this basic recipe as the pinnacle of peanut butter cookie perfection, sometimes you have to mix things up! These Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies are such a great canvas. If you want to change the texture slightly, just swap out the creamy peanut butter for crunchy. It adds a fantastic little bite into the dough, though you might need to watch your mixing time so you don’t break down all those nuts too much.
Another fun thing I love to do, especially around the holidays, is mix the chips. If you have some leftover mini chocolate chips lying around, toss them in with the peanut butter chips! A 50/50 mix is amazing. For the real decadent route, you can absolutely use peanut butter baking chips *and* dark chocolate chips. It’s an overload, but in the best possible way! When you want that chocolate-peanut butter marriage, my recipe for Reese’s style cookies is the next stop.
Also, thinking about flavor complexity—a tiny half teaspoon of instant espresso powder mixed in with the dry ingredients deepens the richness of both the peanut butter and the chocolate if you add those chips. It doesn’t taste like coffee, trust me, it just makes the overall cookie taste more like itself. So fun!
Storage and Make-Ahead for Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
These Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies are so good they rarely last long enough to worry about storage, but when they do, I have a system! Once they’re completely cool—and I mean completely cool—pop them into a good quality airtight container. They stay perfectly delicious at room temperature for about four or five days this way. They actually seem to get a tiny bit chewier on day two, which I love.
Now, for making dough ahead of time: yes! You can absolutely scoop out balls of this dough and drop them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment, then freeze them solid. Once they’re rock hard, transfer the frozen dough balls into a freezer bag. When you need cookies, pull out what you want, leave them on the prepared sheet, and add maybe two extra minutes to that baking time. It’s a lifesaver for surprise visitors! If freezing isn’t your thing, you can always try my amazing flourless peanut butter cookies for a quick fix.
Serving Suggestions for Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
Honestly, the best way to enjoy one of these Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies is when it’s still slightly warm. They pair perfectly with an icy cold glass of milk—you know the drill, dipping that crunchy edge! If you need an afternoon pick-me-up, a strong, hot cup of coffee is my go-to partner for cutting through the richness.
But listen, for true cheat-day decadence? Place one of these bad boys between two scoops of good vanilla ice cream. The combination of the salty cookie, the sweet ice cream, and those melted peanut butter chips is heavenly. You can find a twist on classic cookie flavors by checking out my recipe for chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar if you feel like a change!
Frequently Asked Questions About Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
Why do my Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies turn out flat?
Oh, that’s the worst! Usually, flat cookies come down to the butter temperature. If your butter was too soft or even slightly melted when you creamed it with the sugars, you lost all the air that helps the cookie hold its shape. Also, make sure you’re using the right amount of flour. Too little, and they spread right into puddles! If you want a thicker cookie, remember that little chill time I mentioned—that really sets the structure before baking. If you want to see more on common problems, check out my tips on classic chocolate chip cookies—many issues overlap!
Can I substitute the brown sugar for only granulated sugar?
You can, but I strongly advise against it for this specific recipe. Brown sugar brings that molasses flavor which is essential for that deep, rich peanut butter cookie taste, and it also contributes crucial moisture. If you swap it all out for white sugar, your Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies will be lighter in color, less flavorful, and likely crisper around the edges rather than perfectly chewy.
How long do these cookies actually stay fresh?
They are best on the day you bake them, obviously! But truthfully, if stored correctly in an airtight container at room temperature, they stay wonderfully soft for about four days. After that, they are still fine, but they tend to get a bit harder. Definitely don’t try to store them in the fridge; that dries them out faster!
Nutritional Details for Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
Now, let’s talk real talk for a second. We aren’t baking these cookies because they are health food—they are pure, decadent joy! But I know some of you are curious about what you’re dipping into your milk glass. Since these Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies are packed with butter and chips, they are certainly rich, but they are satisfying in just one or two!
Here is an estimate of what you’re looking at per cookie. Remember, this is based on standard measurements, so your exact results might be a little different depending on how heavy-handed you are with the peanut butter chips!
- Calories: About 200 a piece
- Fat: Roughly 12g (with 4g saturated fat)
- Carbohydrates: Around 23g
- Protein: About 4g
- Sugar: 18g
Because we use creamy peanut butter, we get a good dose of protein and those healthy unsaturated fats in there, which is something, right? If you want to dive into another rich peanut butter treat, you should check out my quick recipe for Peanut Butter Fudge—it’s dangerously good!
Just remember, this is my best estimation. If you use organic peanut butter or a different brand of chips, the numbers shift a bit. It’s a guide, not a contract!
Print
Ultimate Peanut Butter Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
- Total Time: 26 min
- Yield: About 3 dozen cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A recipe for rich peanut butter cookies loaded with peanut butter chips.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups peanut butter chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.
- Beat in the peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until combined.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Stir in the peanut butter chips.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Use a fork to press down on each cookie in a crisscross pattern.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For a thicker cookie, chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 11 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: peanut butter cookies, peanut butter chips, chocolate chip cookies variation, easy cookies, dessert