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“The texture of the shortbread, the light sweetness, and classic flavors… just so delightful! This has become one of my very favorite cookies!” ~Valerie

peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are my signature shortbread cookie
They’re closely followed in popularity by my Double Dark Chocolate Shortbread Cookies. I’m not surprised, after all, when was the last time you saw a cookie that intensely chocolaty? But there’s something magical about the epic combination of creamy peanut butter and chocolate that lures people in every time.
These cookies have a melt-in-your-mouth texture thanks to the creamy peanut butter and their shortbread base. They’ll even stick a wee bit to the roof of your mouth…better have a cold glass of milk ready.

these peanut butter cookies are made with a short list of ingredients:
- creamy peanut butter ~ I don’t recommend using natural style peanut butter for this cookie, the consistency tends to be oily. Personally I think the best pb is Jif.
- butter ~ unsalted and at room temperature
- flour ~ all purpose
- sugar ~ confectioner’s or granulated sugar, both will work.
- kosher salt
- chocolate chips ~ use milk, semi sweet, or dark, it’s up to you. I love dark chocolate with peanut butter.

slice and bake cookies are a favorite around here
Who wouldn’t love to have a log or two of cookie dough hanging out in their fridge?
You can get all the measuring and mixing and messy hands out of the way early and then have the luxury of fresh dough waiting at your beck and call. Let me put it another way: when you’ve got this dough in the fridge you’re 12 minutes away from nirvana.
If you want to try a rolled dough version of these, try my Milk Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.

tips for success with peanut butter chocolate chip cookies
- Make sure to start with room temperature butter. This helps the dough come together smoothly.
- Measure your flour carefully. I fluff the flour first to loosen it, then scoop the measuring cup and level it off. This helps insure you get an accurate measure and not too much flour, which will affect the quality of the cookies.
- I make the dough in a stand mixer, this helps the dough come together with less effort. If you’re doing it by hand, take the time to mix the dough until it comes together and there is no dry flour left.
- Use regular, creamy peanut butter, not natural peanut butter. I use Jif.
- If you have trouble with the dough crumbling when you slice it, this can be due to the chocolate chips. I just form any broken slices back into shape on the cookie sheet. It helps to use a very sharp knife, and you can also try a sharp serrated knife to cut through the chips. You can use mini chips which will solve the problem, but I prefer the taste of the big chunks of chocolate. To skirt the issue altogether, roll out your dough and cut with a round cookie or biscuit cutter.
- If you make smaller cookies (i.e. more than 10-12) adjust the baking time, it will take slightly less time for them to cook.
- Expect these cookies to have a shortbread texture, which is to say delicate, and very buttery. They aren’t the same as a regular chewy or cakey cookie. Shortbread has a distinctive texture resulting from the combination of butter, sugar, and flour, without egg.

chocolate + peanut butter is a dynamic flavor duo
The simplicity is part of the charm of these cookies, you really get to taste the pb and chocolate, which is the main reason we make them in the first place 🙂 If you’re a fan of the combo, join the club:
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones
- Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Muffins
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bread
- Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies


Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (important!)
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (I like Jif)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar Note: you can also use granulated sugar.
- scant 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips of your choice, milk or dark
Instructions
- Cream the butter and the peanut butter together in a stand mixer, with a hand mixer, or a wooden spoon. Make sure to get the butter and peanut butter completely combined and creamy. Beat in the vanilla.
- Add the flour, sugar, and salt and mx until the dough comes together and is no longer dry.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, and turn the dough out onto a piece of waxed paper. Gently pull the dough together and form it into a log. If it is still crumbly, work it with your hands until it holds together smoothly. Roll it up in the paper, smoothing the shape as you go. Twist the ends securely and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours. The log will be roughly 7 1/2–8 inches long.
- While the dough is chilling, pre-heat the oven to 350F
- Slice the log into slices with a sharp knife. Not too thick, not too thin, about 1/2 inch. If a slice crumbles a bit, just smoosh the dough back together. These don’t have to be perfect disks.
- Bake on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet at 350F for about 12-14 minutes, depending on how thick your cookies are. The cookies will not be browned, and they may look undone, but don’t over bake. One of the joys of shortbread cookies is that they fall apart and melt in your mouth.
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack.
Video
Nutrition
don’t forget to pin!

The dough looks sublime. I don’t know if it would ever make it to the oven… 😉
LOL, “I’m happy for that cookie”
American cookies are dreamy, i’ve only ever made the one can dubs went crazy for them, hmm, has he been good enough to warrant these? I wish you were my neighbour, I’d be hanging around by the back door all the time like a old tramp!
Snow day today, no work!!!!! Could you deliver 5 or 6 of those cookies please? A really good looking cookie!
Whoa. I might have to make these–today even. I’ve been on a shortbread kick and these sound fantastic. Wonder if I have peanut butter in the pantry…
Sue,
These look amazing! I love shortbread and combine that with peanut butter and chocolate and a glass of cold milk, YUM!! I do love that you can make these and bake later. Although if I had these in the refrigerator, I don’t think I could think about anything else. Lovely photos!
xo
annie
I love peanut butter cookies and I made a mess of them last weekend only they were not peanut buttery enough for me. These might hit the spot as I love the delicacy and crunchiness of shortbread cookies. Toss in some chocolate chips and you have earned the approval of my two “sweet tooth” kiddos. I actually made a batch of brownies yesterday only to find them half gone as little fingers found their way to them 🙂
My daughter actually commented to me that she is craving your chocolate chip pumpkin bread. Were heading to Carmel this weekend to visit my in-laws so I am going to make some to take down with us.
I don’t know how you get such beautiful posts out everyday. Kudos to you for that. I can only manage 2 posts a week and that is a stretch for me. I may not always comment on your blog, but I am reading each and every post 🙂
Your shortbread looks delicious, and so much more “together” than mine. Great post!
Yum! These look like perfect cookies! Peanut and chocolate is of course the best combination, but with the addition of some sea salt I bet it is beyond delicious!
12 minutes away from Nirvana? Really? You had to put it that way? These sound beyond delicious. Why can’t we be neighbors, Sue? that way I could just run over to your house for a sampling of each and every thing you bake! (Are you scared of me yet?)
I could make myself sick by making these because I am pretty sure I would eat them all and not give anyone else a chance to taste! They look absolutely delicious
I sooo agree! Wish I had some self control when it comes to sweets!