Looking for the ultimate chocolate peanut butter cup cookie? These soft, chewy chocolate cookies topped with peanut butter cups and finished with a peanut butter drizzle are hard to resist.
I make a lot of treats in my kitchen, but few recipes gave me goosebumps like these cookies. The first bite is: sweet and salty, rich and chocolaty, with just the right peanut butter flavor.
These cookies take classic peanut butter blossoms up a notch. Using a soft, chewy chocolate cookie as the base, I press a peanut butter cup into each warm cookie and finish with a thin drizzle of melted peanut butter. They’re a show-stopping treat and likely to become a favorite.
Why you’ll love these cookies
These are, in my opinion, some of the best chocolate peanut butter cookies you can bake. Here’s what this recipe delivers:
- The perfect flavor pairing of chocolate and peanut butter.
- Soft, chewy texture in every bite.
- Simple to make with pantry-friendly ingredients and no dough chilling required.
- A real wow factor from a whole peanut butter cup pressed on top and a peanut butter drizzle.
Ingredients you’ll need
Quick overview of ingredients—full recipe in the recipe card below:
- Salted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
- Baking soda and salt
- Miniature peanut butter cups (any brand)
- Creamy peanut butter (regular or natural)
How to make chocolate peanut butter cup cookies
- Make the dough: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add eggs and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients until combined.
- Portion and shape: Scoop the dough and roll into balls (a #40 1.5 Tbsp cookie scoop works well).
- Bake: Bake at 350°F for about 9 minutes, until the cookies are puffed and starting to crack.
- Add peanut butter cups: Press a mini peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie as soon as they come out of the oven.
- Drizzle with peanut butter: Warm the peanut butter until pourable and drizzle over the cookie tops.
- Enjoy: Let the cookies set a few minutes so the peanut butter firms up, then serve.
Using different size peanut butter cups
Mini peanut butter cups are ideal for these cookies, but other options work well too:
- Full-size peanut butter cups: Halve or quarter them before pressing onto baked cookies, or chop and mix into the dough.
- Unwrapped minis: Treat like chocolate chips and mix into the batter; press a few into the tops before baking to reveal them.
- Chocolate and peanut butter chips: Stir 1 cup of each into the dough if you prefer chips to whole cups.
- Dark chocolate or flavored peanut butter cups: Any variation can be used to change the flavor profile.
baking tip:The best way to measure flour
- Fluff the flour in the bag or container.
- Spoon flour into the measuring cup until it’s overflowing.
- Sweep a flat edge across the top to level it.
Cookie baking tips
- Use a medium cookie scoop for uniform cookies.
- Freeze portions of dough for quick baking later.
- Follow timing and oven temperature for picture-perfect results.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (170 grams) salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 ½ cup (300 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups cups (285 grams) all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup cup (60 grams) natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 24 peanut butter cup miniatures
- ¼ cup cup (70 grams) creamy peanut butter
Equipment
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
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In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until light and creamy, about 4 minutes.
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Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each, then add vanilla.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the mixer and mix until just combined.
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Scoop by the heaped tablespoon (a #40 1.5 Tbsp scoop is ideal), roll into balls, and place on the prepared sheet pan. Bake until centers are puffed and starting to crack, about 9 minutes.
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Let cool on the pan for 2 minutes, then press a peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Melt peanut butter in short intervals until thin and pourable. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Let sit about 20 minutes for the peanut butter to set, or chill 10 minutes in the fridge.
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Store cookies in an airtight container for several days.
Note: This recipe was originally published in October 2016. Article and photos have been updated; the cookie recipe remains the same because it works.