These chocolate peanut butter cup cookies are loaded with rich, fudgy chocolate goodness and melted pools of creamy peanut butter cup in every bite. Imagine combining a brownie and a peanut butter cup into cookie form, and you've got these delicious cookies!
The dough uses melted butter and doesn't require any chilling, so you can satisfy your cookie craving ASAP.
After making my chocolate fudge cookies, which are rich, dark and moist, I couldn't wait to make something similar with a peanut butter twist.
Peanut butter and chocolate are one of my all time favorite combinations. The rich, smooth sweetness of chocolate and the salty, nutty flavor of peanut butter are such a good match.
These double chocolate peanut butter cup cookies are so easy. You can mix up the simple double chocolate chip cookie dough with basic pantry ingredients. One of the benefits of this cookie - the dough doesn't require any chilling time. Get your chocolate peanut butter fix ASAP!
These cookies are made with cocoa powder, melted butter, and an extra egg yolk to prove a richly dense, flavorful dough that creates a soft and gooey cookie filled with semisweet and dark chocolate. Melting the butter reduces volume (which means more density) and creates a dough that you can easily mix up by hand.
Store bought dark chocolate peanut butter cups are an easy way to add intense flavor, striking visual pop, and make these cookies over-the-top delicious.
These cookies are dense, moist, and perfectly chewy with a crisp outer edge. As the peanut butter cups melt, they form a sweet-and-salty chocolate layer on top, and pockets of melty chocolate chunks make every bite even better. These are for anyone who takes their chocolate-and-peanut-butter obsession seriously.
For more peanut butter and chocolate, these chocolate dipped peanut butter ice cream bars are just the treat for warm days - or any day, really. After all, it's ice cream!
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Ingredients
* See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
Peanut butter - In this recipe, I use creamy, conventional store-bought peanut butter with a silky smooth texture. I find that most natural peanut butter has a coarser grind than I prefer here.
Chocolate peanut butter cups - These are the key ingredient! For this recipe, I used Trader Joe's dark chocolate peanut butter cups, which are 12.5 grams each. There are plenty in one container.
Comparable sizes from other brands include:
Reese's miniature peanut butter cups - Reese's are slightly smaller (8.6 grams). Go for the gold wrapped miniature cups, not the minis, which are closer to chocolate chip size.
The classic wide, flat version that comes in the orange snack packs is too big for this recipe. Reese's also makes a dark chocolate version in their miniature size.
Reader input: the cookies made with dark chocolate Reese's peanut butter cups are delicious, but don't melt as much as the Trader Joe's version. (Reese's likely adds more stabilizers to keep their chocolate from melting.)
Justin's mini dark chocolate peanut butter cups are 12 grams each, so they're pretty close in size to the Trader Joe's type. The downside is that they come in packs of 12, and this recipe makes 14 cookies, so you'd need 2 packages.
Aldi choceur mini peanut butter cups are 10.3 grams each. One 12 ounce bag has 33 peanut butter cups, which is more than enough for this recipe. Note that they're milk chocolate.
Instructions
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder through a fine mesh sieve into a medium bowl.
To a large mixing bowl, add melted butter, peanut butter and sugars. Mix until well blended.
Add vanilla, whole egg, egg yolk, and salt. Mix until fully incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Add dry ingredients. Stir until just a few flour streaks remain.
Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips and chunks.
Measure dough into 2½ Tablespoon balls (approximately 48 grams each).
Top each dough ball with a peanut butter cup (right side up).
Barely press the peanut butter cups down - just enough to prevent them from falling over.
Portion 6 peanut butter cup topped dough balls (say that three times fast) onto a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet. No need to chill the dough!
Bake one sheet of cookies at a time for 8 minutes. Cool on pan for 10 minutes before moving to cooling rack.
Hint: Don't overbake these cookies! Since they're made with a dark dough, you won't be able to use color cues to tell when they are done. They should look much less oily and shiny and have an almost dull, matte finish. The edges will be beginning to set. They'll still be soft when you take them out, but will firm up as they cool.
Variations
Try these easy ways to customize your chocolate peanut butter cup cookies:
- Peanuts - Add ¼ cup roasted, chopped peanuts to the dough for crunch, or use chunky peanut butter.
- Chocolate mix-ins - Use dark, semisweet, or milk chocolate chips or chunks - any combo works.
- Peanut butter chips - Swap chocolate chips for peanut butter chips for more nutty flavor.
- Espresso powder - Add 1 teaspoon to the melted butter for deeper chocolate flavor.
- Thumbprint shape - For more defined thumbprints, press the peanut butter cups halfway into the dough.
Storage
Store: Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Once cooled, the peanut butter and chocolate will firm up slightly, making them easy to stack, pack, or transport.
Freeze: Store baked cookies in a large zippered freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.
Make ahead: To freeze unbaked dough, scoop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (without adding peanut butter cups) and freeze until solid, about 1–2 hours. Transfer to a freezer bag and store up to 3 months.
When ready to bake, defrost the dough balls on cookie sheets at room temperature for about an hour, press the peanut butter cups on top, and bake as directed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use Dutch-process cocoa powder (also called Dutched or alkalized) for a darker, richer chocolate flavor. Natural cocoa will produce a lighter, slightly cakier cookie.
Don’t overbake: edges should be set while centers remain soft, and the dough should have a matte finish. I tested this recipe with both 1½ tablespoon and 2½ tablespoon dough balls — the larger size reliably produces a soft, fudgy center. I recommend baking a mini batch of 2 cookies first to confirm your oven and timing.
I recommend Trader Joe’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups. Some brands contain stabilizers that prevent the chocolate shell from melting properly, which affects the gooey texture. See the ingredient notes for other recommended brands and sizes.
Love this recipe? Please leave a comment and star rating. ★★★★★ Your feedback, suggestions, and adaptations are very helpful to other bakers!
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
INGREDIENTS
- 160 grams (1⅓ cups) all purpose flour
- 30 grams (¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons) cocoa powder, Dutch process
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 84 grams (6 Tablespoons; 3 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
- 64 grams (¼ cup) peanut butter, creamy
- 150 grams (¾ cup) brown sugar
- 50 grams (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 56 grams (2 ounces; ⅓ cup) chocolate chips
- 56 grams (2 ounces; ⅓ cup) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped into chunks. Substitute with additional chocolate chips if preferred.
- 16 peanut butter cups, miniature size. I use dark chocolate variety.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 350° Fahrenheit (177° Celsius, Gas mark 4).
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder through a fine mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Whisk together until fully incorporated. Set aside.160 grams (1⅓ cups) all purpose flour, 30 grams (¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons) cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder
- To a large mixing bowl, add melted butter, peanut butter and sugars and stir until well blended.84 grams (6 Tablespoons; 3 ounces) unsalted butter, 150 grams (¾ cup) brown sugar, 50 grams (¼ cup) granulated sugar, 64 grams (¼ cup) peanut butter
- Add vanilla, whole egg, egg yolk, and salt and mix until fully incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl.2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add dry ingredients. Stir until just a few flour streaks remain. Stir in the chocolate chips and chunks.56 grams (2 ounces; ⅓ cup) dark chocolate, 56 grams (2 ounces; ⅓ cup) chocolate chips
- Measure cookie dough into 2½ Tablespoon balls (48 grams*). Top each dough ball with a peanut butter cup (right side up). Barely press the peanut butter cup down - just enough to prevent it from falling over.*If you have a #40 medium cookie scoop like I do, use 1½ scoops per cookie. For each cookie, scoop one full scoop, then combine with a half scoop.16 peanut butter cups
- Place 6 cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes.
- Immediately after removing cookies from oven, place a round cookie cutter or the rim of a wide drinking glass around each baked cookie and gently swirl the edges of the cookie. This will push the cookie into a uniformly round shape.
- Cool cookies on pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to fully cool. The melted peanut butter and chocolate will be soft for a while, but will firm up enough to be stacked after a few hours.Repeat with remaining cookie dough, one sheet of 6 at a time, until all cookies are baked.
EQUIPMENT
NOTES
- These cookies use Dutch process cocoa powder (also called Dutched or Alkalized cocoa powder). The process of alkalizing, which reduces the acidity, creates a darker colored cocoa and a deeper chocolate flavor.
- I use creamy, conventional store-bought peanut butter with a silky smooth texture. I find that natural peanut butter has a coarser grind than I prefer here.
- I use dark chocolate peanut butter cups from Trader Joe's. There are many different brands and sizes! Refer to my ingredient notes in the recipe post for help choosing the right type.
- For a peanut-free version, use almond butter or sunflower butter in the dough, and swap the peanut butter cups for almond or sunflower butter cups.
- Make sure not to overbake these cookies! Since they are made with a dark dough, you won't be able to use color cues to tell when they are done. They should look much less oily and shiny and have an almost matte finish. They will be set on the outside, but still soft in the center. They will become more dense as they cool.
- For uniformly round cookies like you see in my photos - immediately after removing cookies from oven, place a round cookie cutter or the rim of a wide drinking glass around each baked cookie. Gently swirl and nudge the edges of the cookie inward. This will push the cookie into a uniformly round shape.
Art W says
Among the choices of peanut butter cups you recommended, which will melt like the Trader Joe’s cups? Unfortunately, the closest store is a bit of a drive for us. This is such a creative cookie recipe, that I’ve sent it to all of my baker buddies!
Kathleen Culver says
Thank you, Art!
I totally understand that not everyone has a TJ's nearby. I'm really lucky!
I haven't tested all the different varieties yet myself, but based on the ingredients, I think Justin's brand will behave the most like Trader Joe's peanut butter cups.
The Reese's has a higher amount of stabilizers added to the chocolate. This also also impacts its ability to melt in the oven.
TJ's has less, and likely uses a higher quality/amount of cocoa butter.
I'd love to update the recipe with your input if you give a different brand a try!
Kathleen
Catherine S says
Terrific recipe! I appreciate being told the cookie size in grams because I only have one cookie scoop! I followed the recipe but I substituted Reese’s mini dark chocolate cups and they didn’t melt down like yours do in your photo. Absolutely delicious and I would make them again!
Kathleen Culver says
Thanks, Catherine!
I'm glad the grams reference came in handy. No need to buy an extra scoop.
Sorry that the Reese's didn't melt down : (
I'm guessing they've added extra stabilizers to keep them from melting.
At least they still tasted great!
Kathleen