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+ servings
close up view of chocolate peanut butter cookies on a lined baking sheet.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

Course: cookie, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes
Servings: 18 cookies
Calories: 153kcal
You'll love these chocolate peanut butter cookies! They taste fantastic, use only 5 simple ingredients, and are ready to eat in 20 minutes.
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • Kitchen Scale (optional)
  • Baking Sheet
  • Hand Mixer
  • Cookie Portion Scoop

Ingredients

  • 17.5 ounces peanut butter cookie mix 496 grams (1 bag/box)
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder 21 grams
  • 1 large egg 50 grams
  • 5 tablespoons salted butter 71 grams, melted (⅝ stick)
  • Granulated sugar optional, for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F and line one or two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
    overhead view of ingredients for chocolate peanut butter cookies.
  • Whisk the cookie mix and cocoa powder together in a large mixing bowl.
    17.5 ounces peanut butter cookie mix, ¼ cup cocoa powder
    cocoa powder added to peanut butter cookie mix in a glass bowl.
  • Using a hand mixer, beat in the egg and melted butter until the dough is smooth, about 2 minutes.
    1 large egg, 5 tablespoons salted butter
    chocolate peanut butter cookie dough in a glass bowl.
  • Using a 1½-tablespoon cookie portion scoop, make balls of dough and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet(s).
  • Use a fork to gently press a criss-cross pattern into the top of the cookies but don’t squash them totally flat.
    12 chocolate peanut butter cookie dough balls being pressed with a fork on a lined baking sheet.
  • Sprinkle each cookie with a little sugar, optional, and then bake for 7-10 minutes, or just until the edges are set.
    Granulated sugar
    12 chocolate peanut butter cookies sprinkled with sugar on a lined baking sheet.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3-5 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a cooling rack or serving warm.

Notes

  • You can use your favorite homemade peanut butter cookie recipe instead of boxed mix; simply add cup of cocoa powder and a bit of water until the dough comes together.
  • You can use any cocoa powder you have on hand for this recipe.
  • If you want a less chocolatey cookie you can substitute this for ½ cup of chocolate chips instead.
  • You can use neutral oil, such as vegetable, canola, or coconut oil, in place of the butter.
  • You can top these cookies with brown sugar instead of granulated sugar.
  • If you don’t have multiple baking sheets, be sure to cool your baking sheet between batches. You can also cover the cookie dough and refrigerate it between batches to help ensure that the cookies don’t flatten out too much. To help your baking sheet cool faster you can fan it in the air several times or hold it in front of a fan to help cool it.
  • Be sure to whisk together the cookie mix and cocoa powder well before adding the other ingredients or you may end up with peanut butter cookie mix chunks in your cookies. The cocoa tends to be fine enough it doesn’t clump but the cookie mix may if not well mixed.
  • Don’t overbake the cookies. If they are overbaked, they will get hard and crispy. The cookies should have a set look to them and the edges should be just firm when you remove them from the oven. They will continue to set as they cool.
  • These cookies can be eaten warm or cooled. If you want to reheat them you can microwave them for 10 seconds but be sure to include a damp paper towel when doing so to keep the cookies soft!
  • Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Storage: Store chocolate peanut butter cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 256mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 112IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg