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Old-fashioned chocolate peanut butter cookies are a family favorite treat! Soft peanut butter cookies are dipped in rich semi-sweet chocolate. Made with a handful of pantry staples, these cookies are easy to make inside of one bowl in 30 minutes. Served with a glass of cold milk or a warm beverage you have a treat that any peanut butter and chocolate lover is sure to enjoy!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure here.
This recipe is made with simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry and turns it into an old-fashioned classic that we all can’t get enough of!
These chocolate-covered cookies taste just like your grandma’s old-fashioned peanut butter cookie recipe. They are soft and delicious with the perfect chewy texture, rich peanut butter flavor, and that adorable crisscross pattern.
You can decide to enjoy these classic peanut butter cookies by themselves(my dad’s favorite way), or you can dip or drizzle them with chocolate. It really takes this treat to the next level!
The holidays are upon us and this peanut butter cookie recipe makes a TON of cookies so not only are they an impressive treat absolutely perfect for your dessert table, but it will please a crowd!
Looking for more homemade cookie recipes? Check these out next!
Sugar cookies with rainbow sprinkles
The Best Chocolate chip cookies with Walnuts
Cranberry Pecan Cookies with Brown Butter
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Recipe Ingredients
Creamy peanut butter - I like the natural peanut butter with only peanuts and vegetable oil. Smooth peanut butter adds fat and a rich peanut butter flavor to these cookies. I've only used natural peanut butter for this recipe, but regular processed peanut butter should be fine as well!
Eggs - Use room-temperature eggs so they will bind together will all the other ingredients more easily.
All-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda - Gives structure to cookies and a slight lift.
Unsalted butter - Make sure to use unsalted butter or if you are using salted, slightly reduce the amount of salt used so your cookies don't even up too salty.
Brown sugar and cane sugar - This combination gives these old-fashioned peanut butter cookies the best soft and chewy texture and the perfect amount of sweetness.
Vanilla extract - adds incredible flavor to this treat.
Chocolate - I used semi-sweet chocolate chips. Feel free to use your favorite chocolate bar chopped into pieces, milk chocolate, or a combination of the two for this recipe.
Vegetable oil - Used to make the chocolate easier to dip or drizzle over the cookies. I used olive oil(you can’t taste it!) but any vegetable oil will work. DON’T use butter, it will make the chocolate thick and weird.
How to Make Homemade Peanut Butter Cookies
All ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step one. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit then line a sheet pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
Step two. Melt butter in a small sauce pot over medium heat then allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. This helps to ensure the hot butter doesn’t melt the sugar or make the cookie dough too warm and overspread.
Step three. In a medium-sized bowl combine all of the dry ingredients together, whisking to combine then set aside.
Step four. Into a large mixing bowl combine melted butter and the rest of the wet ingredients, whisking until you have a smooth batter. (Alternatively, you can do this in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or use an electric hand mixer)
Step five. Next, fold the flour mixture into the wet mixture until everything is well incorporated and you don’t have any streaks of flour. Be careful not to overmix.
Step six. Use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop to create peanut butter cookie dough balls. Roll the dough into smooth balls then place them onto the prepared cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between each ball of cookie dough. Use a fork to create the crisscross pattern on top of each cookie.
Step seven. Bake cookies for 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers are still a little soft. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Dip or drizzle peanut butter cookies in chocolate
Step one. In a medium-sized mixing bowl add chocolate chips and vegetable oil mixing to coat. Use a double boiler or set one up by filling a small pot with 1 - 2 cups of water. The pot should be small enough for the bowl to sit on top without touching the water. Bring water to a boil on medium-high heat.
Step two. Stir occasionally using a spoon or silicone spatula until all the chocolate has melted and you have a smooth consistency. (Alternatively, you could melt the chocolate using the microwave and a microwave-safe bowl. Heat chocolate in 30-second intervals until smooth, mixing in between).
Step three. Take one cookie at a time to dip in the chocolate. It helps to tip the bowl to one side. Place the dipped cookies onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet or plate.
Step three. Alternatively, you could drizzle the chocolate onto each cookie using a spoon. I usually need to add more oil to make the chocolate loose enough to drizzle.
Step four. Once finished place cookies into the refrigerator for 20 - 30 minutes or until the chocolate has hardened.
Step five. Enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea!
Variations
Chocolate chips, if you don’t want to dip the cookies in chocolate, just add them to the batter.
Peanut butter chips, to increase the peanut butter flavor of these cookies.
Peanuts, roasted, salted, and roughly chopped. You can add them to the cookie dough or sprinkle them on top of the chocolate while it’s still wet.
Sprinkles to sprinkle into the melted chocolate.
Flaky salt, add a pinch to the chocolate while it’s wet if you want a sweet and salty peanut butter cookie.
Recommended Tools
Baking sheet, I find that metal sheet pans bake cookies more evenly than glass.
Large mixing bowl. You can also make the cookies in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using an electric hand mixer and a large bowl.
Tablespoon cookie scoop, similar
Whisk
Double boiler, small pot with medium-sized bowl, or microwave to melt the chocolate
Pro Tips
In between batches of cookies, keep the leftover dough in the refrigerator. This will help the rest of the cookie dough from cooking too fast or spreading too much in the oven.
Cookies turn out the best when rolled in 1 tablespoon portions. Any bigger and your cookies will have a crunchy and crispy texture instead of soft and chewy.
Don’t use butter instead of vegetable oil to mix with the chocolate. It will make the chocolate thick and weird and not dippable at all.
How To Store/ Make Ahead
Wait until the chocolate has fully hardened before trying to store the cookies.
Store cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in a freezer-safe bag for several weeks. Thaw in the refrigerator when ready to enjoy.
Store any leftover cookie dough in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake again, allow cookie dough to thaw completely on the counter then bake as usual. Cookies cooked from the freezer are usually thicker than freshly made.
Store any leftover melted chocolate in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Reheat using the doubler boiler or microwave method.
Frequently Asked Questions —
There was probably too much peanut butter or flour in your cookie dough. Peanut butter has a high fat content and it makes the cookie dough too crumbly to stick together. Don’t use too much flour because it can cause the cookies to crumble while rolling or baking.
The classic crisscross pattern on peanut butter cookies is not only for style, but it helps the cookies to cook more evenly since peanut butter cookie dough can be a bit dense.
No, if your dough is dry or crumbly too much flour was added to the mixture. The cookie dough will be soft and look like it needs extra flour but don’t add it!
Place the cookie dough in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking if you find that your dough is spreading too much. This firms up the butter and peanut butter inside the dough which can cause the cookies to overspread.
Looking For More Recipes?
Rainbow sprinkle sugar cookies
Brown Butter Cranberry Pecan Cookies
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Print📖 Recipe
Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies (Old-Fashioned Recipe!)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 40 cookies 1x
- Category: dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Old fashioned chocolate peanut butter cookies are a family favorite treat! Soft peanut butter cookies are dipped in rich semi sweet chocolate. Made with a handful of pantry staples, these cookies are easy to make inside of one bowl in 30 minutes. Served with a glass of cold milk or warm beverage and you have a treat that any peanut butter and chocolate lover is sure to enjoy!
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter or 1 stick, unsalted
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups chocolate chips, semi-sweet and/or milk chocolate
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more as needed
Optional
- Roasted and salted peanuts, chopped
- Sprinkles
- Peanut butter chips or chocolate chips, to mix into the batter
- Flaky salt, to sprinkle in the chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit then line a sheet pan with parchment paper then set aside.
- Melt butter in a small sauce pot over medium heat then allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- In a medium-sized bowl combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine then set aside.
- Into a large mixing bowl pour melted butter then add creamy peanut butter, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until you have a smooth batter.
- Next, fold the flour mixture into the wet mixture until everything is well incorporated and you don’t have any streaks of flour. Don’t over-mix.
- Use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop to create peanut butter cookie dough balls. Roll the dough into smooth balls, then place them 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheet. Next, use a fork to create the crosshatch pattern on top.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers still a little soft. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Dip or drizzle cookies in chocolate
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl add chocolate chips and vegetable oil mixing to coat. Set over a double boiler or a small sauce pot with 1 - 2 cups of water. The bowl shouldn’t touch the water. Bring the water to a boil on medium-high heat.
- Stir the chocolate occasionally using a spoon or silicone spatula, until all of the chocolate has melted and you have a smooth consistency. (Alternatively, you could melt in the microwave using a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second intervals until smooth, mixing in between).
- Take one cookie at a time to dip into the chocolate. It helps to tip the bowl to one side. Place the dipped cookies onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet or plate. Alternatively, you could drizzle the chocolate onto each cookie using a spoon. You might need to add more oil to the chocolate to make it loose enough to drizzle.
- Once finished, top with your choice of toppings and then place cookies into the refrigerator for 20 - 30 minutes or until the chocolate has hardened.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Wait until the chocolate has fully hardened before trying to store it.
Store cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in a freezer-safe bag for several weeks. Thaw in the refrigerator when ready to enjoy.
Store any leftover cookie dough in the freezer for 3 months. When ready to bake again, allow cookie dough to thaw completely on the counter then bake as usual. Cookies cooked from the freezer are usually thicker than freshly made.
Store any leftover melted chocolate in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Reheat using the doubler boiler or microwave method.
Keywords: old fashioned peanut butter cookies, peanut butter cookies, chocolate peanut butter cookies, grandma's peanut butter cookies
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