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This cookie recipe for soft and chewy Loaded Peanut Butter Cookies is packed with nutty peanut butter chocolate candies for the ultimate cookie lovers treat!
Classic Peanut Butter Cookies, with those crisscross indentions and a dusting of fine sugar crystals, are so simple and nostalgic for me. They were one of the first cookies I learned to bake on my own and I will forever feel the tug of childhood when I eat them.
The Best Peanut Butter Cookies are the kind of cookie your grandma probably made, whether for the cookie jar or holiday cookie trays, and at times can seem basic and old-fashioned.
However, I am here to remind you that easy peanut butter cookies are the type of cookie that never, ever go out of style and that retro can be made new again!
In fact, we love taking our Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookie recipe and transforming in into a jazzed up, indulgent version of itself.
From the ever-popular Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies, to our Peanut Butter S’mores Cookies, soft and chewy peanut butter cookies – in some form or fashion – are here to stay!
Today’s version, Peanut Butter Cookies with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Butterfinger Candies are the most outrageous and indulgent stuffed peanut butter cookie.
It is a fantastic cookie using leftover Halloween candy, or simply the ultimate easy dessert for all my fellow chocolate peanut butter lovers.
Helpful recipe tips and information:
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients and Substitutions:
- Unbleached all-purpose flour – Bleached flour is treated with chemicals, because of this we always use unbleached flour. For gluten free, we have had best results with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. Simply replace the 1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour with 1 1/3 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Table salt
- Unsalted butter – For consistent results, we recommend using unsalted butter in all baking recipes. Salted butter will have a higher water content than unsalted butter (due to the added salt) and will affect the outcome of your baked goods. Room temperature butter enables the butter to easily and more thoroughly cream together with the sugars and peanut butter.
- Peanut butter – For best results, avoid using “natural” peanut butter and stick with brands like Jiffy or Skippy, which yield consistent results when we tested this recipe. We also prefer using creamy peanut butter, but crunchy peanut butter can also work.
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown sugar
- Large egg – Just like room temperature butter will cream better than cold butter, room temperature eggs will also incorporate better when mixing.
- Whole milk – We prefer whole milk for this recipe, however, due to the small amount used, any milk will work.
- Pure vanilla extract – To add the best natural vanilla flavor to our desserts, we always use pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla or vanilla flavoring.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Butterfinger Candies – Use any combination of peanut butter candies you prefer such as dark or white chocolate peanut butter cups, Reese’s Pieces, Peanut M&M’s or a 5th Avenue Bar.
How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream together the peanut butter and butter.
- Beat in the sugars.
- Mix in the egg and pure vanilla extract.
- Slowly mix in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Stir in chocolate chips and chopped candy bars.
- Scoop dough, roll in granulated sugar and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake until set and golden brown on the bottom, about 8–10 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I use natural peanut butter?
Natural peanut butter is not recommended as it can make cookies greasy or crumbly if it separates. For best results, avoid using “natural” peanut butter and stick with brands like Jiffy or Skippy.
If you insist on using natural peanut butter, we recommend using natural peanut butter that has been well chilled and thoroughly stirred together.
Why are my peanut butter cookies crumbly?
To help avoid crumbly peanut butter cookies make sure and use “traditional” peanut butter, like Jif Creamy Peanut Butter, and avoid “natural” brands. Also, don’t overbake the cookies! Pulling them out of the oven just when the edges are set but centers are soft help ensure a soft, chewy texture.
Can I freeze peanut butter cookie dough?
Absolutely! We freeze both the cookie dough and already baked cookies all the time! For freezing cookie dough, please refer to our tutorial on how to freeze cookie dough.
If freezing baked cookies, allow them to cool completely before transferring them to a freezer safe zip top baggie. To ensure ultimate freshness, double bag your cookies or use a vacuum sealer to vacuum seal the cookies using our tutorial. Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Can I make them gluten-free?
Yes, use a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend. We always recommend Bob’s Red Mill One for One Gluten Free Flour Blend.
Do I need to refrigerate peanut butter cookies?
Nope! Peanut Butter Cookies can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Professional Baking Tips:
Add extra mix-ins: We recommend saving some of the chocolate chips and chopped chocolate candy bars to press a few into the top of each ball of cookie dough before baking. Adding a few extra chocolate chips or other cookie mix-ins to the top of the dough will give the cookies a more “professional” look once baked.
How to measure peanut butter: Since peanut butter is gooey and sticky, we recommend spraying your measuring cup with an olive oil cooking spray before measuring the peanut butter. This will help the peanut butter slide right out.
If you like these Loaded Peanut Butter Cookies, then you will love these other cookie recipes:
- Pumpkin Cookies Using Leftover Halloween Candy
- The Best M&M’s Cookie Recipe
- Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Loaded Peanut Butter Cookies
This cookie recipe for soft and chewy Loaded Peanut Butter Cookies is packed with nutty peanut butter chocolate candies for the ultimate cookie lovers treat!
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
- ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tablespoon whole milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Butterfinger Candies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together unbleached all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and peanut butter until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar on medium speed, until light and fluffy, approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Beat in egg and vanilla extract, mixing well and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Slowly add the flour mixture, a little at a time, to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and chopped chocolate candy bars.
- Place remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl. Using a medium-sized cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough into 1 inch balls and roll in granulated sugar.
- Drop cookie dough 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet. Press 4-5 additional chocolate chips and/or pieces of chopped candy bar on top of each cookie, if desired.
- Bake cookies on the middle rack in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or just until lightly browned and set in the middle. Do not over bake! Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Store cookies at room temperature in an air-tight container for 3-5 days.
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