Made with crispy edges, chewy centers, and stuffed with peanut butter cups, these Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are the ultimate peanut butter chocolate cookies. You'd never know they're made with healthy ingredients and low sugar!
Chocolate and peanut butter. One of the greatest flavor combinations of all time.
I really don't know what it is, but it's truly magical.
So naturally I needed a cookie that really brought that "wow" factor and proved my point.
Enter: Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies!
They have crispy edges, chewy centers, melty peanut butter cups, and fresh sea salt on top. Oh, and don't forget the chocolate cookie dough with chocolate chips, too!
But guess what? These peanut butter chocolate cookies are secretly healthy.
I say "secretly" because you'd never guess it by tasting them. They're THAT good!
Why this recipe works
First of all, it's chocolate peanut butter. Need I say more?
But really, you'll love this recipe because:
Chocolate peanut butter cookie dough: the cookie dough is a rich chocolate dough with a subtle hint of peanut butter. In my husband's words, "you nailed it!"
Crispy edges but chewy center: no other way to enjoy a cookie in my opinion.
Naturally sweetened: these pb chocolate cookies are naturally sweetened with stevia in the cookie dough as well as the peanut butter cups to keep this recipe low sugar. So yes, you can have more than one cookie without the guilt!
Double chocolate: each bite has chocolate cookie dough and sugar free chocolate chips
Sea salt finish: if you haven't tried sea salt on your cookies, this is your sign. It will literally change your life!
Easy to make: just 15 minutes of prep and 10 minutes in the oven. That's it!
Secretly healthy: I used plant based butter, stevia, and stevia-sweetened chocolate in place of traditional butter and chocolate. Don't worry, you can't tell!
Ingredients you'll need
Here are some notes about the recipe ingredients and why I chose them. For the full list of ingredients, see the recipe card below.
(If you make any changes, please know the nutritional information will be different!)
Olive oil butter: I switched to this plant-based butter because it bakes exactly like regular butter but without the inflammation or harmful fats. I use this brand but you can use any butter you have on hand.
Natural peanut butter: this is the peanut butter that comes with the oil separation on top. You want this kind of peanut butter because it's drippy (which is great for baking) and made with only peanuts. No added sugar or hydrogenated oils!
Stevia: my choice of zero calorie sweetener. Alternatively, you can use Monkfruit or even granulated sugar.
Cocoa powder: for the chocolate cookie dough. If you have a sieve, please use it! Sifting the cocoa powder will make for a much smoother dough.
Sugar free chocolate chips: so you can have your chocolate and eat it too. I love this brand and this brand!
Lily's peanut butter cups: when I discovered these, I knew I needed to write a recipe with them (not sponsored). They are the sugar-free version of Reece's peanut butter cups! Lily's uses Stevia to sweeten their chocolate, which keeps all their products healthy and sugar free.
Expert tips
Use room temperature ingredients: I cannot stress this enough. It will 100% make all the difference! Using room temperature ingredients will ensure your dough is mixed thoroughly and bakes evenly. The ingredients that need to be room temperature are the butter and egg.
Beat, then beat some more: I learned this the hard way. I recommend actually setting a timer when beating the wet ingredients together because 90% of the time you're not mixing long enough. The butter and sugar need at least 2 minutes, if not 3, and the egg needs another 1-2 minutes with the butter and sugars. Beating until light and fluffy truly incorporates the sugar into the fat, which helps the cookies spread perfectly and creates little tiny air pockets that helps the cookies rise.
Spoon the flour: whatever you do, DO NOT scoop your flour or cocoa powder with the measuring cup. This packs the flour in and adds up to 50% more dry ingredients than you need. Instead, use a spoon to fluff the dry ingredients, then spoon into the measuring cup and level the top with the handle of the spoon. It sounds like extra work but it's really not!
Add the peanut butter cups last: chop them into small pieces, then press them on top of the cookie dough balls on the baking sheet. Folding them in the batter just makes the disappear and believe it or not, seeing the chocolate on top actually enhances the flavor. I tested it myself on three different people!
Cool on the pan: I consider this a part of the bake time, actually. Pull the cookies out of the oven when they're slightly underbaked and leave them on the pan for 10 minutes. This helps the centers stay chewy without overbaking the tops. If you try and eat them right away, they'll fall apart!
Top with sea salt: the salt not only brings out the flavor of the chocolate but it balances the chocolate and peanut flavors together. I started adding sea salt to all my cookies and let me tell you, it is life changing!
Frequently asked questions
Substitutions
For gluten free chocolate peanut butter cookies, use a high quality gluten free all purpose flour like this one.
Can I made these chocolate peanut butter cookies vegan?
No, I have not tested this recipe without eggs. If you want to experiment, please leave a comment below and let me know how it goes!
Can I use another brand of peanut butter cups?
Sure! If you can't find the LIly's chocolate cups, I would recommend these peanut butter cups to keep this recipe low sugar. If that doesn't matter to you, just use regular Reece's peanut butter cups!
Storing
How long will my cookies stay fresh?
Keep your fresh double chocolate peanut butter cookies in an airtight container or ziploc bag on the counter for up to 5 days. They will still be chewy and will not dry out!
Can I freeze my pb chocolate cookies?
Yes! Fold in the chocolate chips and roll into 2 tablespoon size balls. Store in an airtight container or ziploc bag for up to 3 months.
When ready to bake, allow the cookies to thaw at room temperature (preferably the night before), then top with chopped peanut butter cups and bake according to instructions.
I hope you LOVE these cookies as much as I do. They are the perfect blend of chocolate and peanut butter with the best texture, and they're made with healthy ingredients too.
Please leave a star rating and review below if you try the recipe so other readers know how you liked it! You can also tag me on Instagram with your creation.
Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Made with crispy edges, chewy centers, and stuffed with peanut butter cups, these Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are the ultimate peanut butter chocolate cookies. You'd never know they're made with healthy ingredients and low sugar!
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Cream together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and stevia until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in the egg and vanilla, beating for another 1-2 minutes until well combined and fluffy.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Unwrap each peanut butter cup and chop into small pieces. You should have about 20-25 pieces.
Roll the cookie dough into 2 tablespoon balls and place on the baking sheet, only baking 5 cookies at a time. Gently press some of the chopped peanut butter cups onto the tops of the cookie dough balls and sprinkle on the extra peanut butter powder from the peanut butter cups.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, then remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh sea salt. Let the cookies cool ON the pan for at least 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Notes
*You should be able to find these at most grocery stores, especially Walmart. If you can't find this brand, see the blog post for substitutions.
Nutritional facts are a calculated estimate of one cookie.
I'm a perinatal holistic nutritionist here to help make your motherhood journey joyful and stress-free. Here you'll find recipes to nourish your body throughout all of pregnancy and postpartum, as well as educational articles and resources to empower you as you heal your body and raise a family.
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