Description

These Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are a perfect blend of creamy peanut butter and rich chocolate chips, yielding soft, chewy treats with a hint of salty contrast from flaky sea salt. Simple to make and baked to golden perfection, these cookies offer a delightful balance of sweet and savory flavors ideal for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt (or table salt)
1 cup chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate; dark preferred)

Wet Ingredients

¼ cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
¾ cup light or dark brown sugar (packed)
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract or paste
1 egg (room temperature)
1 egg yolk (room temperature)

Topping

flaky sea salt (for sprinkling)

Instructions

Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the melted unsalted butter, creamy peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar using a silicone spatula until the mixture is well combined and creamy.
Add Eggs and Vanilla: Mix in the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract or paste until the batter is smooth and homogeneous.
Mix Dry Ingredients: Add all-purpose flour, baking soda, fine sea salt, and chocolate chips to the wet mixture. Fold gently until no dry flour spots remain, ensuring an even distribution of chocolate chips.
Chill Dough: Cover the cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, which helps the cookies maintain shape during baking. You can chill up to 2 days if preparing in advance.
Preheat Oven and Prepare Trays: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking trays with parchment paper to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
Scoop Dough: Using a cookie dough scoop or spoon, gather 2 to 3 tablespoons of chilled dough per cookie. Place cookies spaced 3-4 inches apart on the prepared baking trays.
Bake Cookies: Bake one tray at a time for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the cookie edges turn slightly golden brown and the centers are mostly set but still soft. Immediately after removing from the oven, sprinkle each cookie with flaky sea salt to enhance flavor.
Shape Cookies (Optional): For a perfect circular shape, gently press a large circular cutter or mug onto the warm cookie and rotate it slowly in a circular motion until the cookie is shaped as desired.
Cool Cookies: Allow cookies to cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

Notes

For best texture, ensure butter is melted and cooled to prevent cooking the eggs when mixed.
Chilling dough is crucial for preventing excessive spreading during baking.
Using a mix of brown and granulated sugar helps achieve a chewy yet crisp texture.
Flaky sea salt enhances the sweet and savory contrast of the cookies.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days for freshness.
Can freeze cookie dough balls for up to 3 months; bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies, chewy cookies, homemade cookies, easy cookie recipe, baked cookies