Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies
Whip up a batch of these chocolate dipped peanut butter cookies for a heavenly treat that combines smooth, rich chocolate with the comforting taste of peanut butter. They’re the perfect easy-to-make snack for any occasion.
Chocolate and peanut butter are two flavors that complement each other exceptionally well.
Which is why these peanut butter and chocolate cookies are one of my favorite recipes!
They’re super easy to make, look pretty on a tray and taste delicious.
You can also choose your chocolate. Dark, milk or white chocolate will all work just as well as semi-sweet (which is what I usually use).
Whether it’s a holiday gathering or a simple party, these cookies are the sweet, rich, and indulgent answer to all your dessert dreams.
In this recipe
Ingredients
This recipe will make 12 large cookies.
Here is your shopping list:
- Dairy – ½ cup (or 1 stick) unsalted butter
- Eggs – 1 large egg
- Sugar – ½ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Baking supplies – 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Flavoring – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Seasoning – ½ teaspoon salt
- Peanut butter – ½ cup smooth peanut butter – You can use crunchy peanut butter if you want to have pieces of nuts in the cookies.
- Chocolate – 1½ cups (or 12 ounces) semi sweet chocolate chips or chocolate squares
- Oil – 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
- Nuts – Chopped peanuts for garnish (optional)
Substitutions
- You can use salted butter instead of unsalted if that’s what you have on hand.
- For a gluten-free version, use measure-for-measure gluten-free flour and make sure that your peanut butter and chocolate are also gluten-free.
- Feel free to use dark chocolate, milk chocolate or white chocolate instead of the semi-sweet chocolate, if that’s what you prefer.
How to make chocolate dipped peanut butter cookies
Prep work
Take the butter and egg out of the refrigerator a couple of hours before you plan to start baking. This allows them to come to room temperature, which is essential for the butter to cream properly and for the egg to mix evenly into your batter.
Preheat your oven to 350°F. An oven thermometer can be useful to check if your oven is at the correct temperature, as some ovens can run hotter or cooler than the dial indicates.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. These prevent the cookies from sticking, which makes removing them after baking much easier after baking..
If you’re using peanuts for garnish, chop them now so they’re ready to go when you need them.
Mix the batter
Start by beating the room temperature butter with the granulated sugar, brown sugar and peanut butter in a mixing bowl. If you’re using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment (not the whisk).
Beat the mixture on medium-high speed for about 2 to 3 minutes until it’s pale and fluffy. This incorporates air into the butter, which helps give your cookies a good texture.
Add the egg and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture.
Continue to mix on medium-high speed for another 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to ensure everything is well combined.
Add in the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Mix on low speed just until the dough comes together and no dry streaks of flour remain. Overmixing at this stage can lead to tough cookies.
Chill
Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or a large spoon, scoop balls of dough onto a baking sheet. This will help ensure your cookies are uniform in size.
Chill the scooped balls of dough in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes. This prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven and helps them keep a rounder shape.
Bake
Space the dough balls out on the cookie sheets so they will have room to spread when they are baked. I usually add 6 per sheet.
Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes at 350°F.
Do not bake the cookies on 2 racks (one on top of the other) in the same oven, as they won’t cook evenly.
If you’re oven isn’t big enough to fit two baking sheets side-by-side, make them in separate batches. Keep the waiting batch in the refrigerator until it is ready to go in the oven.
When they’re done, the cookies should be puffy and set around the edges. They may still seem soft in the middle, but they will firm up as they cool.
After removing the cookies from the oven, let them cool on the pan for about 10 minutes. This makes them easier to transfer to a cooling rack without breaking.
Once they’re firm, use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Melt the chocolate
To make the chocolate dip, combine the chocolate and coconut oil in a bowl that’s at least 1-inch wider than the size of your cookies. The coconut oil helps thin the chocolate for a smooth dipping consistency.
Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until smooth and fully melted.
Often, the chocolate does not look like it is melted when it really has, which you won’t know until you stir it. So don’t be tempted to cook for longer or skip the stirring step.
Decorate
Make sure the cookies have completely cooled before starting this step or the the residual heat can cause the chocolate to melt off.
Dip each cookie halfway into the melted chocolate and gently shake off any excess. Place the dipped cookies back onto the cooling rack.
You can also use a knife or small spatula to smear the chocolate onto one half of the cookies if you find that easier.
If you’re using chopped peanuts for garnish, sprinkle them over the chocolate while it’s still wet so they stick.
Allow the chocolate to set completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator before serving.
Storage
Once the chocolate has fully set, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or refrigerate them if you prefer a firmer chocolate coating.
To prevent the cookies from sticking together, you can place a sheet of parchment paper between layers.
To keep the chocolate shiny, store the cookies in a cool, dry place in an airtight container, avoiding any humidity or temperature changes that can cause the chocolate to bloom or develop a white coating.
If you want to keep them for a longer period, freeze the cookies on a baking sheet until the chocolate is solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months, thawing at room temperature before serving.
Other cookie recipes you might like
- Cut Out Cookies That Hold Their Shape (3 Secrets To Prevent Sugar Cookies From Spreading)
- Chewy Cranberry and White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
- Quick & Easy Whipped Shortbread Cookies With Cornstarch
Or browse all of our cookie recipes.
Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups (or 12 ounces) semi sweet chocolate chips or chocolate squares
- 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 cup peanuts, chopped (optional for garnish)
Equipment
- 2 baking sheets
- parchment paper or silicone mat
- measuring cup and spoons
- knife
- mixer and mixing bowl
- 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop (optional) or large spoon
- wire cooling rack
- microwave-proof bowl
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and peanut butter on medium high speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until pale.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix on medium high speed for 1 to 2 minutes or until pale and fluffy.
- Add flour, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined.
- Use a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop or large spoon to scoop balls of dough onto the baking sheets. I added 6 to each sheet to give the cookies some room to spread.
- Put them in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes or until puffy and set around the edges. You may need to do them in 2 batches depending on the size of your oven.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool on the pan for 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a cooling rack and let them cool completely.
- Once the cookies have cooled, add the chocolate and coconut oil to a bowl that is at least 1 inch bigger than the cookies.
- Melt the chocolate with the coconut oil in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval.
- Dip half of each cookie in the melted chocolate and place it back on the cooling rack.
- Sprinkle with chopped peanuts while the chocolate is still wet (if desired).
Notes
- Do not bake the cookies on two racks in the same oven, as they won’t cook evenly. If you’re oven isn’t big enough to fit two baking sheets side-by-side, make them in separate batches. Keep the waiting batch in the refrigerator until it is ready to go in the oven.
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.