Decadent vegan peanut butter chocolate cookies are easy to make with simple ingredients. Perfect for the holidays or any day!
Table of Contents
If you know me, you know that I LOVE peanut butter and chocolate together! I've made peanut butter chocolate bark, peanut butter chocolate cupcakes, peanut butter chocolate rice crispy treats, and PB-chocolate energy bites.
And today, I'm giving you that winning flavor combination in cookie form. Peanut butter chocolate cookies have the rich, peanut butter cookie you love, plus a chocolate dollop on top.
It's truly like a peanut butter cup and a cookie all in one.
💖 Why You'll Love this Recipe
- chewy, rich peanut butter cookie
- creamy chocolate on top
- easy to make with simple ingredients
✓ Ingredients and Substitutions
- flour - Use all-purpose flour or a gluten-free 1:1 flour mix.
- baking soda and salt - Conditions the cookie dough.
- oil - Adds texture and moisture.
- brown sugar and white sugar - Add sweetness and texture to the cookies.
- flax meal - Acts as your binder. It's basically working with the moisture in the wet ingredients to make a flax egg.
- creamy peanut butter - Do not use natural peanut butter in this recipe. The cookies just don't turn out the same! If you don't or can't do peanuts, you can use other creamy nut or seed butters of choice.
- vanilla extract - For more flavor!
- non-dairy milk - Adds moisture to the peanut butter cookie dough.
- vegan chocolate chips - Melted chocolate chips or chocolate chunks bring the chocolatey flavor to these cookies.
- chopped peanuts - Optionally, you can sprinkle chopped peanuts on top of the melted chocolate for more peanut butter flavor.
🔪 How to Make Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, brown sugar, 2 tablespoonsof sugar, flax meal, peanut butter, and vanilla until they are well-combined.
Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture, and mix until combined. You want a soft dough that isn't crumbly but also isn't sticky. It should almost have a playdough-like consistency. If it's too crumbly, add more non-dairy milk by the tablespoon. If it's sticky, add a teaspoon of flour at a time.
Place the other 2 tablespoons of sugar into a shallow dish. Form the dough into 16 balls, and dredge each ball in the sugar.
Then, use a fork to press a hashtag shape into the top of each one or use your thumb to make a little thumbprint in the middle. Arrange the cookies on the cookie sheet, and stick in the freezer for 30 minutes.
When the chilling time is up, preheat the oven to 350° F. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies brown a little but are still somewhat soft in the middle. Remove the pan from the oven, and let the cookies cool for 10 minutes. This cooling time is crucial. They will crumble if you try to move them off the baking sheet too soon.
Chop up the peanuts, if using. Then, put the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe container. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, until the chocolate mixes up smooth. The chocolate will be melted before it looks melted, so be sure to stir well in between heating bursts. You can do this in a double boiler, if you prefer.
Use a spoon to dollop and spread melted chocolate generously onto the middle of each cookie. Sprinkle each cookie with some chopped peanuts, if using.
Chill the cookies in the freezer for 20 minutes, so the chocolate can harden, and your peanut butter chocolate cookies are ready!
💡 Helpful Tips
- Chilling the dough helps prevent it from spreading too much during baking, which yields the dense, soft peanut butter cookie we want.
- You want the dough to be cohesive and not sticky. It should almost have the consistency of playdough.
- I can't stress enough that you need to stir the chocolate chips in between bursts in the microwave. If you wait for them to look melted without stirring, you will burn the chocolate.
- I like to leave the cookies on the baking sheet while adding the melted chocolate. That way, the parchment catches any mess, and you don't have to worry about letting them cool. They'll be plenty cooled when they come out of the freezer!
🫙 Storage Directions
Vegan peanut butter chocolate cookies will keep for around 5 days in a closed container at room temperature. They will keep for a week or more in the fridge, though the cookies do dry out a little over time in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
The hashmark on top of peanut butter cookies is from flattening them with a fork, pressing in one direction, then at a right angle to the first marks. You do this to press the balls of cookie dough evenly, since they don't spread during baking like other cookies. This ensures even baking. 💫
If peanut butter isn't your jam or you have an allergy, you can make this with other creamy nut or seed butters of choice, like pumpkin seed butter, sunbutter, almond butter, etc.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
For the Peanut Butter Cookies
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon flax meal
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk like soy, oat, or almond. You may need a little more, depending on your dough.
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
To Add Later
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¾ cup vegan chocolate chips
- chopped peanuts optional, for topping
Instructions
Make the peanut butter cookies.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of sugar, flax meal, oil, and vanilla until they are well-combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture, and mix until combined. You want a soft dough that isn't crumbly but also isn't sticky. It should almost have a playdough-like consistency. If it's too crumbly, add more non-dairy milk by the tablespoon. If it's sticky, add a teaspoon of flour at a time.
- Place the other 2 tablespoons of sugar into a shallow dish. Form the dough into 16 balls, and dredge each ball in the sugar. Then, use a fork to press a hashtag shape into the top of each one or use your thumb to make a little thumbprint in the middle. Arrange the cookies on the cookie sheet, and stick in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- When the chilling time is up, preheat the oven to 350° F. Bake the chilled cookies for 10-12 minutes, until they brown a little but are still somewhat soft in the middle. Remove the pan from the oven, and let the cookies cool for 10 minutes. This cooling time is crucial. They will crumble if you try to move them off the baking sheet too soon.
Melt the chocolate chips while the cookies cool.
- Chop up the peanuts, if using. Then, put the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe container. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, until the chocolate mixes up smooth. The chocolate will be melted before it looks melted, so be sure to stir well in between heating bursts. You can do this in a double boiler, if you prefer.
- Use a spoon to dollop and spread melted chocolate generously onto the middle of each cookie. Sprinkle each cookie with some chopped peanuts, if using. Chill the cookies in the freezer for 20 minutes, so the chocolate can harden, and your peanut butter chocolate cookies are ready!
Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply!