Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies - Easy Homemade Recipe (2024)

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My grandma used to make us giant, chocolate-dipped peanut butter cookies. As a child, I thought she dipped them in fudge.

As I got older, I realized it was just melted chocolate, but my memories of these cookies have only gotten fonder over time.

I wanted to attempt to recreate her recipe but have altered it a bit to make the cookies slightly smaller and a little bit chewier.

Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies - Easy Homemade Recipe (1)

Making These Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies

This recipe is pretty straightforward but does require an electric mixer of some sort to cream together the butter and both types of sugars.

Incorporating air into the butter helps your cookies bake up nice and fluffy! This is what gives them that wonderfully chewy texture.

I’ve made these with both myhand mixerand mystand mixer, and they’ve turned out great both ways.

Just be sure to mix the butter and sugars until the mixture becomes lighter in color. This usually takes me about 2 minutes!

Substitutions and Swaps – Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

While I love this recipe just the way it is, I know some of you might not have all these ingredients on hand!

Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this recipe.

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  • Unsalted Butter– If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter in this recipe. Just be sure to omit the salt that this recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place.
  • Granulated Sugar– You can use light or dark brown sugar in place of the granulated sugar in this recipe if that’s all you have on hand. However, the cookies have a better texture using both types of sugar.
  • Brown Sugar– You can use light or dark brown sugar (I prefer light in this recipe). I don’t recommend replacing the brown sugar in this recipe with additional granulated sugar.
  • 1 LargeEgg– You can use a flaxseed egg in place of the egg in this recipe if you have an egg allergy. This will cause the cookies to spread more, but they should still taste great.
Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies - Easy Homemade Recipe (3)
  • Peanut Butter:This recipe turns out best with thicker peanut butter (like JIF or Skippy). You can use creamy or crunchy peanut butter, or an alternative nut butter like almond or sunflower seed butter. NOTE: If you use a natural peanut butter or alternative peanut butter, the cookies will be less chewy and spread more as they bake.
  • All-Purpose Flour– I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, but it should work as long as you use a good baking blend likeKing Arthur’s GF flour.
  • Chocolate – You can use pretty much any type of chocolate for the dip! Dark, semi-sweet, milk, or even white chocolate would all taste great. You can also use chocolate chips, baking bars, or chocolate disks.
  • Vegetable Shortening or Coconut Oil – This makes the chocolate coating easier to bite into. It can be omitted if needed, but the chocolate will be a lot more firm.
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How Many Cookies Does This Recipe Make?

This recipe can be used to make 12 cookies using 3 Tbsp of dough per cookie. The yield and bake time can vary based on the size of the cookies.

This recipe can be halved to make fewer cookies (use half a scrambled egg in the dough), but I don’t recommend doubling it unless you have a commercial (8 qt.) stand mixer.

The dough gets pretty sticky, and a double batch would be a lot for a hand mixer or regular stand mixer to handle.

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Tips for Making the Best Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies

  • Properly measure the flour by either spooning it into the cup measure and then leveling it with a knife orusing akitchen scaleto measure it.
  • Ingredients at room tempmix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
  • Turn the oven on once you put the cookie dough in the fridge to chill. That way the oven will be preheated once the cookies are ready to be baked.
  • Use acookie scoop(mine fits 3 Tbsp per scoop) to make sure your cookies are uniformly sized.
  • Wait to shape your cookie dough balls and roll them in sugar until the dough has chilled. They’ll be way easier to handle!
  • Space your cookies about 3 inches apartbefore baking them. They spread a bit as they bake.
  • Bake time can vary based on the size of your cookies, so keep a close eye on them and take them out just before they begin to brown.
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Making These Cookies in Advance and Storing Them

Make these cookies in advance! If stored in an airtight container, theycan last for up to a week at room temperature.

Thecookie dough balls can also be made in advance and frozen for up to a month. When you’re ready to bake them, there’s no need to thaw the dough.

Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C and place frozen cookies on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet about 3 inches apart. Bake for 14-16 minutes.

Baked cookies can be frozen! These cookies last for up to a month if frozen in a Ziplock bag or airtight container.

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Move them to the fridge the day before you plan to eat, then let them sit out at room temperature for a few hours before eating.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this recipe for chocolate-dipped peanut butter cookies, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.

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And if you share on social media, tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets so I can see your delicious creations!

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Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies - Easy Homemade Recipe (12)

Yield: 12

Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies - Easy Homemade Recipe (13)

These chocolate dipped peanut butter cookies are soft, chewy, and so delicious! They're the perfect balance of salty and sweet.

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time14 minutes

Additional Time30 minutes

Total Time54 minutes

Ingredients

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp (113g)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar (66g)
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter - cream, chunky, or you can use an alternative nut butter (120g)
  • 1 large egg, room temp (56g)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract (8g)
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (190g)
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda (3g)
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder (2g)
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar, optional for rolling (50g)

Chocolate dip and drizzle:

  • 1 cup milk or dark chocolate chips (180g)
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable shortening or coconut oil (12g)

Optional Garnish

  • 2 Tbsp chopped honey roasted peanuts (9g)
  • 1 Tbsp flaky sea salt

Instructions

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough

  1. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer cream together 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1/3 cup brown sugar with a hand mixer or paddle attachment. Mix on a medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture becomes lighter in color.
  3. Add in 1/2 cup of peanut butter, 1 large egg, and 2 tsp of vanilla extract. Mix on a medium-high speed until combined.Scrape down the sidesand bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt.
  5. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on a low speed until combined. Scrape the sidesof the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. The cookie dough should be pretty thick and sticky.
  6. Scoop 12 cookie dough balls that are roughly 3 Tbsp each onto the prepared baking sheets and chill for 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge. Chilling the dough helps the cookies spread less which makes softer, chewier cookies, so don't skip this step!!
  7. As you put the cookie dough in the fridge, preheat the oven to 350 F / 175 C.
  8. Once the cookie dough balls have chilled, use your hands to roll them into round balls and toss them in granulated sugar.
  9. Place cookie dough balls about 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. They will spread out quite a bit as they bake! Use a fork to flatten the cookies a bit and create a crisscross pattern on top of each cookie dough ball.
  10. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or just before the cookies start to brown on the sides. I like my cookies soft, so I always err on the side of them being slightly underbaked. The centers will look soft and slightly undone but remember the cookies will continue to bake a bit once they're removed from the oven.
  11. Let the cookies cool on a baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Dip and Cookie Decoration:

  1. While the cookies cool, melt your chocolate! Place 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1 Tbsp of shortening or coconut oil into a heat-proof bowl. Heat for 30-second intervals at half power, stirring between each session in the microwave. Repeat until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth.
  2. Dip each cookie about 1/4 of the way into the melted chocolate, then sprinkle chopped peanuts and flaky sea salt over the chocolate-dipped area of the cookie.
  3. If desired, place the remaining melted chocolate in a small piping bag and seal the top with a rubber band. Drizzle lines of melted chocolate over the cookies to give them a little extra pizazz.
  4. Leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Baked cookies and rolled cookie dough also freeze well and stay good for up to a monthin an airtight container or Ziplock bag. Be sure to bake frozen cookie dough balls for 1-2 extra minutes.

Notes

How Many Cookies Does This Recipe Make?

This recipe can be used to make 12 cookies using 3 Tbsp of dough per cookie. The yield and bake time can vary based on the size of the cookies.

This recipe can be halved to make less cookies (use half a scrambled egg in the dough), but I don't recommend doubling it unless you have a commercial (8 qt.) stand mixer.

The dough gets pretty sticky, and a double batch would be a lot for a hand mixer or regular stand mixer to handle.

Tips for Making the Best Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies

  • Properly measure the flour by either spooning it into the cup measure and then leveling with a knife orusing akitchen scaleto measure it.
  • Ingredients at room tempmix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
  • Use acookie scoop(mine fits 3 Tbsp per scoop) to make sure your cookies are uniformly sized.
  • Turn the oven on once you put the cookie dough in the fridge to chill. That way the oven will be preheated once the cookies are ready to be baked.
  • Space your cookies about 3 inches apartbefore baking them. They spread a bit as they bake.
  • Bake time can vary based on the size of your cookies, so keep a close eye on them and take them out just before they begin to brown.
  • Sprinkle the chocolate dipped cookies with chopped peanutsand flaky sea salt to make them look just as incredible as they taste.

Making These Cookies in Advance and Storing Them

Make these cookies in advance! If stored in an airtight container, theycan last for up to a week at room temperature.

Thecookie dough balls can also be made in advance and frozen for up to a month. When you’re ready to bake them, there’s no need to thaw the dough. Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C and place frozen cookies on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet about 3 inches apart. Bake for 14-16 minutes.

Baked cookies can be frozen! These cookies last for up to a month if frozen in a Ziplock bag or airtight container. Move them to the fridge the day before you plan to eat, then let them sit out at room temperature for a few hours before eating.

Nutrition Information

Yield

12

Serving Size

1

Amount Per ServingCalories 361Total Fat 21gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 43mgSodium 857mgCarbohydrates 38gFiber 2gSugar 23gProtein 7g

If you want to take a trip down memory lane, below are the photos of my first batch of these cookies from back in 2015.

Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies - Easy Homemade Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you put melted chocolate on cookies? ›

Dip half of each cooled cookie into melted chocolate. Place on waxed paper until chocolate is set. Store covered in container with waxed paper between layers.

Why are my 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies falling apart? ›

There are a few reasons why your cookies are falling apart. The wrong ratio of ingredients, such as too little sugar or peanut butter will make them fall apart. The wrong type of peanut butter may cause them to fall apart. Or using old eggs may create crumbly cookies.

How to dip a cookie in chocolate? ›

Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth. Dip the cookies halfway in the chocolate, letting the excess drip off, then place on the prepared baking sheet.

Why do you put Criss Cross on peanut butter cookies? ›

So it looks like that there are utilitarian reasons for the cross-hatching—to allow for even cooking—but it might have been passed along for nearly a hundred years for primarily aesthetic reasons, where the cross-hatching is more to identify the cookies as peanut butter ones, rather than to cook them well.

What is the best chocolate to melt for cookies? ›

Use a dark chocolate that contains between 60% to 80% cacao for a classic chocolate chip cookie. The bittersweet flavor of the dark chocolate balances out the sugars in the cookie dough, resulting in a well-balanced, traditional chocolate chip cookie.

How long does it take for melted chocolate to set on cookies? ›

How Long Does It Take For Melted Chocolate To Harden? Generally, chocolate takes 20-30 minutes to harden and set at room temperature. Using a fridge or freezer can significantly reduce the time it takes for the chocolate to set fully. (Click here if you want to learn how to melt chocolate).

What happens if you don't flatten peanut butter cookies? ›

If you don't flatten the cookies first, then the fork does double duty – it performs both functions. One very subtle result of creating the pattern is that the little tips of dough bake up crisper than the rest of the cookie, giving you both a bit of additional texture and deeper taste where the dough is more baked.

What are the basic ingredients for peanut butter cookies? ›

Image of What are the basic ingredients for peanut butter cookies?
Peanut butter is a food paste or spread made from ground, dry-roasted peanuts. It commonly contains additional ingredients that modify the taste or texture, such as salt, sweeteners, or emulsifiers.
Wikipedia

Why do all peanut butter cookies have fork marks? ›

The reason is that peanut butter cookie dough is dense, and unpressed, each cookie will not cook evenly. Using a fork to press the dough is a convenience of tool; bakers can also use a cookie shovel (spatula).

What kind of chocolate is best for dipping? ›

For the best melting and dipping, couverture chocolate works best. The higher cocoa butter percentage in this type of chocolate helps it to melt more smoothly for dipping.

How do you thin melted chocolate for dipping cookies? ›

To thin melted chocolate, add a small amount of neutral oil, like vegetable oil or cocoa butter, stirring gently until it reaches the desired consistency.

Should I freeze cookies before dipping in chocolate? ›

Freeze the cookies after they cool for easier dipping.

To make dipping easier, freeze the cookies for about 15 minutes on the baking sheet. The melted chocolate will instantly harden on the cookies that way.

Why do my peanut butter cookies taste weird? ›

One reason could be that you overcooked them. Another reason could be that you didn't add enough moisture to the dough. Finally, your peanut butter cookies might be dry and crumbly if you used a natural peanut butter that doesn't have any added oil.

Should I let peanut butter cookie dough rest? ›

We prefer natural peanut butter here, so you can dial in the sugar and salt amounts precisely, and smooth peanut butter over crunchy to better control the cookies' fat and moisture levels. Letting the cookie dough rest ensures the flour is fully hydrated, resulting in crisper edges and chewier middles.

Why do you refrigerate peanut butter cookie dough? ›

"When your dough is refrigerated, the butter hardens. So when you bake them, they spread less and hold their shape better," adds Epperson. "Which means a better likelihood of a soft, chewy cookie in the center."

Can I use chocolate to decorate cookies? ›

DIP up to one-half of a cookie into melted chocolate and place on parchment-lined tray. Sprinkle with decorations or drizzle with additional melted chips, as desired. Repeat with each cookie. Refrigerate until chocolate and decorations are set, about 30 minutes.

Can I use melted chocolate instead of royal icing? ›

White chocolate makes a terrific substitute for royal icing. It is less sweet and much more flavorful. Simply melt in the Proofer, temper, and spread over cookies to frost them.

How do you melt chocolate to decorate cookies? ›

This method is easy and convenient. Place the chocolate in a heavy saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly till the chocolate begins to melt. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir the chocolate until smooth.

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