These chocolate peanut butter cookies are soft, a little fudgy, and packed with that cozy peanut butter flavor we all grow up loving. I make them when I want something sweet but don’t feel like turning my kitchen into a big baking project.
My kids call these “the Reese’s cookies” because they really do taste like a soft version of a peanut butter cup. That’s the highest compliment my house can give a cookie.
I started making these years ago after falling for a plain peanut butter cookie recipe I already loved. One day I swapped out some of the flour for cocoa powder, and that was it. There was no going back.
The dough comes together fast with a hand mixer or stand mixer. No chilling, no fuss, no waiting around for hours before you get to eat a warm cookie.
If you’ve got shortening, peanut butter, and cocoa powder sitting in your pantry right now, you’re basically ready to bake these tonight.
Soft, fudgy, and ready in under 30 minutes.
Why This Recipe Works
- Shortening keeps the cookies soft for days instead of going dry and crumbly.
- Cocoa powder swaps in for part of the flour, so you get real chocolate flavor without a separate step.
- The dough needs no chilling, so you can go from mixing bowl to oven in minutes.
- A quick fork crisscross gives these that classic peanut butter cookie look.
- One bowl and one mixer are really all you need for cleanup.
Ingredient Notes for Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- Shortening: Regular or butter-flavored both work well. Butter can be swapped in, but it will change the texture slightly and spread a bit more.
- Peanut butter: Stick with creamy peanut butter here so the dough stays smooth and easy to scoop.
- Brown sugar: Pack it firmly into the measuring cup for the right amount of moisture and chew.
- Cocoa powder: Spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off. Packing it in will make your dough too dry.
- Flour: Use the same spoon-and-level method here instead of scooping straight from the bag.
Full Ingredients List
- ½ cup shortening (or butter-flavored shortening)
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1¼ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
I always bake with the same hand mixer I’ve had for years. It’s simple, it’s sturdy, and it makes quick work of creaming the shortening and peanut butter together.
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- Preheat the oven. Set it to 375°F so it’s ready by the time your dough is mixed.
- Cream the wet ingredients. Beat the shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla together until smooth. Tip: scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice so nothing gets left behind.
- Add the egg. Mix it in just until blended. Overmixing here can make the cookies tougher than you want.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl.
- Bring it together. Add the dry mix to the wet mix on low speed, stirring just until you no longer see streaks of flour.
- Scoop the dough. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough two inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet. Tip: a cookie scoop keeps every cookie the same size, so they bake evenly.
- Flatten with a fork. Press each ball gently in a crisscross pattern using the tines of a fork.
- Bake. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, just until set. Do not overbake, or the cookies will lose their soft center.
- Cool. Let the cookies rest on the pan for 2 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Soft, fudgy chocolate peanut butter cookies made in one bowl with no chilling required.
Ingredients
- ½ cup shortening (or butter-flavored shortening)
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1¼ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Beat shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Add egg and mix until just blended.
- Whisk flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda together. Add to the wet mixture on low speed until just combined.
- Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet. Flatten in a crisscross pattern with a fork.
- Bake 7 to 8 minutes, until set. Do not overbake.
- Cool 2 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Butter can replace shortening, but expect a bit more spread.
- Measure the cocoa powder and flour by spooning and leveling, not scooping.
Nutrition (Per Cookie, Estimated)
- Calories108
- Total Fat6g
- Saturated Fat1.5g
- Cholesterol6mg
- Sodium105mg
- Total Carbs13g
- Dietary Fiber1g
- Sugars8g
- Protein2g
- Calcium13mg
- Iron0.6mg
- Potassium72mg
Nutrition values are estimates only and will vary based on exact ingredients used.
Serving Ideas and Variations
- Sandwich two cookies around a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an easy ice cream sandwich.
- Press a mini peanut butter cup into the center right after baking for extra chocolate and peanut butter flavor.
- Sprinkle a little flaky salt on top before baking for a sweet-and-salty twist.
Tips for Success
- Measure your flour and cocoa carefully. Too much of either will dry out the dough.
- Use a cookie scoop so every batch bakes evenly.
- Pull the cookies out as soon as they look set. They firm up more as they cool.
- Let your baking sheet cool between batches so the dough doesn’t spread too early.
Notes and Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make the dough ahead of time? Yes, the dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to two days before baking.
- How should I store these cookies? Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Can I freeze chocolate peanut butter cookies? Yes, freeze the baked cookies in a sealed container for up to three months, or freeze the raw dough balls and bake straight from frozen with an extra minute or two of bake time.
- Can I substitute the shortening? Butter works, though the cookies will spread a little more and won’t stay quite as soft.
- Why did my cookies turn out dry? This usually means the flour or cocoa powder was packed too tightly into the measuring cup instead of spooned and leveled.
I hope these become one of your go-to cookies too. There’s something about a soft chocolate peanut butter cookie that just feels like home.
If you give this recipe a try, I would love to hear how it turned out for you.
Drop a comment below and let me know if you added your own twist. I always enjoy reading what other bakers do with a recipe.
Hi, I’m Jessica! I bake and share simple, cozy recipes here on CookieRecipesOnline.com. Thanks for stopping by my kitchen.