These chocolate dipped peanut butter cookies are the ultimate indulgence -thick, chewy, and loaded with creamy peanut butter. They're dunked in melted milk chocolate, sprinkled with salted crushed peanuts, and drizzled with a delicious contrast of dark chocolate. It's the type of peanut butter cookie that puts the rest to shame!
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Why you'll love this cookie recipe
- These cookies really are the ultimate peanut butter cookie! After testing countless recipes, this one nails it with the ideal balance of chewy texture, rich flavor, and that iconic crisscross flair.
- This recipe doesn't skimp on peanut butter! A generous amount of creamy peanut butter ensures every bite is decadent and deeply satisfying - perfect for all the peanut butter lovers out there.
- If you're looking for something home-baked to gift, this stunning cookie is it. Package them up for loved ones in pretty boxes - that's if you can resist eating them all first!
What are chocolate dipped peanut butter cookies?
These peanut butter chocolate-dipped cookies are my homemade homage to Weber's Bakery in Chicago - a legendary 90-year-old spot I discovered years ago thanks to a life-changing chocolate chip cheese coffee cake (yes, I drive 45 minutes for it). Among their gems was a giant peanut butter cookie dunked in chocolate, which I instantly LOVED and knew I had to recreate. Now, they're my go-to for holiday gifting: thick, nutty, and luxuriously coated in chocolate, just like the inspiration - but with my own personal twists!
If you love peanut butter cookies like I do, don't miss out on these Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, Chocolate Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie, or Peanut Butter Cookies with Salted Peanut Caramel.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: Spoon and level to avoid overly dense and dry cookies. Gluten-free flour blend can be used instead, if needed.
- Baking powder and soda: These leavening agents help the cookies to rise, preventing overspreading while baking.
- Salt: Enhances and balances the flavors in these cookies. Omit if using salted butter in the cookie dough.
- Butter: Preferably unsalted for better control of the flavor of these cookies. Allow the butter to soften at room temperature to cream easily with the sugars. Omit the salt in this recipe if you are using salted butter.
- Granulated sugar: Provides sweetness and a crispy exterior to these cookies.
- Light brown sugar: Adds moisture for an irresistible chewy center and offers subtle caramel-like notes which pair beautifully with the peanut butter.
- Eggs: Bring your eggs to room temperature for easy mixing.
- Peanut butter: It's best to use commercial creamy peanut butter for these cookies as natural peanut butter will make the cookie dough dry and won't mix well.
- Vanilla extract: Use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for depth of flavor.
- Milk chocolate: For dipping the baked cookies into. You could also use milk chocolate chips. Only use dark chocolate is that's all you have for dipping these cookies.
- Dark chocolate: Bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (or semisweet chocolate chips) are melted and then drizzled over the milk chocolate and chopped peanuts for a delicious contrast and pretty presentation.
- Peanuts: Chopped and preferably salted. These are sprinkled over the chocolate dipped cookies while the milk chocolate is still wet for easy sticking. Salted peanuts enhance the chocolate flavor and balance the sweetness. Unsalted peanuts could be used instead, if you prefer.
Instructions
Mix the dry ingredients:
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugars:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the softened butter with both sugars on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth.
Add the wet ingredients:
Add the eggs and beat on high until fully combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the creamy peanut butter and vanilla extract. Beat on high until the mixture is combined.
Combine the wet and dry mixtures:
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture. Mix just until incorporated as overmixing will lead to dense cookies.
Chill the dough:
Cover the bowl with the dough and refrigerate for at least 30-60 minutes.
Shape and bake the cookies:
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line both baking sheets with parchment paper or foil. Scoop and roll the cookie dough into balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten each ball slightly with a meat mallet (only ever used for dough) to create the indent on the top or use a fork to make a crisscross indent.
Bake one sheet at a time for 13-15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. It's normal for the centers to appear very soft. Let the baked peanut butter cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes to set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Melt the chocolate:
Create a double boiler by adding water to a small saucepan (about ⅓ full) and bringing to a boil.
Place the milk chocolate (or chocolate chips) in a heatproof bowl set over the saucepan to melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally until completely smooth and shiny. Remove from the heat.
Dip and decorate:
Dip one-quarter of each cooled cookie into the melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on parchment paper and immediately sprinkle with chopped peanuts.
For the drizzle, melt the dark chocolate using the same method, then use a spoon to drizzle over the milk chocolate and chopped peanuts.
Serving
Enjoy these peanut butter chocolate dipped cookies as a stand alone treat or serve them with a bowl of ice cream - Salted Chocolate Ice Cream, Peanut Butter Fudge Swirl Ice Cream, or Homemade Cereal Milk Ice Cream are all great options!
Cozy up with this Boozy Nutella Coffee and a few of these peanut butter chocolate dipped cookies as a decadent adult treat. Perfect for the holidays, although you never need a special occasion as an excuse!
Tips and variations
- Storage: Once assembled and set, these peanut butter chocolate dipped cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4-5 days, if they even last that long in your house!
- Make ahead: You can make the cookie dough ahead of time, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for a few days. Make sure to leave the chilled cookie dough on the counter for about an hour before scooping. Alternatively, you can make and roll the dough into balls and freeze for up to three months. Thaw the dough balls at room temperature and bake as directed.
- Chill the dough: Chilling the cookie dough is an important step that shouldn't be skipped! It helps to solidify the butter, preventing excessive spread and ensuring a tender, crumbly texture, while also enhancing the flavor and making the dough easier to handle for scooping and shaping. Plan ahead as the dough must be chilled for a minimum of 30 minutes, preferably an hour.
- Uniform cookies: I use a regular ice cream scoop to scoop out the cookie dough, then divide each scoop in half and roll it into balls. You could also use a regular cookie scoop. Creating uniform-sized cookies means that the cookies will bake evenly at the same rate.
- Use smooth peanut butter: You will get enough crunch from the crushed peanuts sprinkled over the melted chocolate. Also, avoid natural peanut butter as it won't mix properly in the dough - trust me, I've tried it!
- Cool before assembling: Make sure that the cookies are completely cool before dipping in chocolate or the chocolate coating will take longer to set.
- Sprinkle while wet: Sprinkle the chopped peanuts over the melted milk chocolate while still wet so that it adheres to the cookies.
- Don't overmix: Mix the dough ingredients until just combined and no more or you will create dense cookies.
- Double-batched recipe: Keep in mind that this recipe calls for baking your cookies in two batches. You could halve the recipe if you don't have time to bake a second tray.
More treats for peanut butter lovers
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 cups creamy peanut butter not natural peanut butter
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 6 ounces of milk chocolate or ⅔ cup milk chocolate chips use dark if that is all you have
- 2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate or ¼ semisweet chocolate chips
- ¼ chopped peanuts preferably salted
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.
- In your stand mixer (or use a hand mixer if you don't have a stand mixer) with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars together on medium speed until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add the eggs and beat on high until totally incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and then add the peanut butter and vanilla, then beat on high speed until combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter batter, then mix on low until just combined.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour. Note: You can make dough and leave in fridge for a few days, just make sure to cover, and then to sit on counter for about an hour before scooping.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or foil.
- Scoop and roll cookie dough into balls. I use a regular ice cream scoop to scoop out, then divide each scoop in half and roll into balls. Now, I used a meat mallet that I only use for dough to make the indent on top, you can do that if you have a clean mallet, otherwise the traditional thing to do is use a fork to make a crisscross indent. Bake each batch for 13-15 minutes until very lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft.
- Remove from the oven. Cool cookies on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To melt the chocolate, place a saucepan with water about ⅓ full on stove and bring to a boil In a glass or metal small bowl put your milk chocolate (or dark if using). Place the chocolate bowl on top of the boiling water and melt chocolate (turn the flame to low so the water doesn't bubble up and splash into your chocolate), stirring every now and then until completely smooth and shiny. Dip about a ¼ of the cookie into the chocolate, drip off the excess, and place on parchment. Sprinkle each cookie right after dipping with the chopped peanuts so the peanuts adhere to the chocolate. Met the dark chocolate the same way and when melted, take a spoon and drizzle over the milk chocolate and chopped peanuts.
Shelby says
Can you clarify the order of steps in #6? Are we rolling into balls and using the mallet after putting in the oven?
Recipe looks delicious and I can't wait to try.
kwalsh0722 says
Ahhhh that is a huge typo, I have edited within the recipe 🙂
Here is the correct step #6 -
Scoop and roll cookie dough into balls. I use a regular ice cream scoop to scoop out, then divide each scoop in half and roll into balls. Now, I used a meat mallet that I only use for dough to make the indent on top, you can do that if you have a clean mallet, otherwise the traditional thing to do is use a fork to make a crisscross indent. Bake each batch for 13-15 minutes until very lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft.
Thank you!
Madeline says
Thank you for letting me get cookie recipe. I'm going to make these cookies soon has I get all the ingredients. Thank you so much Madeline, my email address is [email protected].
Edna says
Been making these for a long time now, and they are always a hit.