Ingredients I use
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Using creamy peanut butter instead of natural, oily peanut butter helps the dough hold together and bake predictably, which is consistent with most soft peanut butter cookie recipes. The mix of brown and white sugar gives me depth of flavor and that chewy, gooey center.
How I make Gooey Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies
I mix the wet ingredients
I preheat my oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, I cream together the creamy peanut butter, softened unsalted butter, packed brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step incorporates air and dissolves some of the sugar, which helps create a soft texture.
Next, I beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition so the batter stays smooth and emulsified. I add the vanilla extract and mix again until it’s fully combined.
I whisk the dry ingredients and bring the dough together
In a separate bowl, I whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt so the leavening and salt are evenly distributed. I gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed or with a spatula just until the flour disappears. I’m careful not to overmix here; stopping as soon as the dough comes together keeps the cookies tender.
I fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, reserving a small handful for topping later so the finished cookies show visible chocolate on top.
I chill (optional but recommended) and bake
For thicker, gooier cookies, I like to chill the dough for about 30 minutes before baking. Chilling firms up the fats, helps control spread, and is a common tip in soft peanut butter chocolate chip cookie recipes. If I’m short on time, I can bake right away, but the cookies will spread a bit more.
When I’m ready to bake, I scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. I press a few of the reserved chocolate chips onto the top of each mound of dough so the baked cookies look studded with chocolate.
I bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes, watching for the edges to look set and lightly golden while the centers still appear soft and slightly underbaked. Many gooey, chewy cookie recipes recommend pulling them when they look a bit underdone in the center so they finish setting as they cool.
I cool and serve
When the cookies come out of the oven, I let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes; this gives the centers time to firm up enough to move without collapsing but keeps them soft and gooey. Then I transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely—or at least until they’re just warm and the chocolate is still melty.
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