The BEST Copycat Crumbl Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies Recipe
Are you a fan of the irresistible combination of chocolate and peanut butter? Do you crave those thick, soft, and utterly delicious cookies from Crumbl but wish you could make them fresh at home whenever the craving strikes? Look no further! This recipe for **Crumbl Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies** will quickly become your go-to. Imagine a rich, deep cocoa cookie base, generously studded with creamy, melt-in-your-mouth peanut butter chips. These cookies aren’t just big and soft; they’re a decadent dream come true, capturing all the magic of your favorite Crumbl treat, and arguably even better!
If you’re eager to master more Crumbl copycat recipes from the comfort of your kitchen, be sure to explore my other fantastic creations. You’ll love my Crumbl Biscoff White Chip Cookies, the classic Crumbl Chocolate Chip Cookies, and the delightful Crumbl Oreo Sandwich Cookies. For those who can’t get enough peanut butter, you’ll absolutely adore my Crumbl Peanut Butter Cup Cookies, topped with delightful Reese’s peanut butter cups, or my Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies for an extra fudgy experience. And for a unique twist on these chocolate peanut butter chip cookies, why not try making Oreo Peanut Butter Chip Cookies?
Why This Recipe Works: Your New Favorite Cookie
This isn’t just another cookie recipe; it’s a meticulously crafted copycat that brings all the joy of Crumbl right into your home. Here’s why this recipe stands out and guarantees delicious results every time:
- Better Than Crumbl (Yes, Really!). While Crumbl cookies are fantastic, I truly believe this homemade version surpasses them. Our cookies are unbelievably soft and moist, yet they hold their shape perfectly without crumbling apart – a common issue with some very soft cookies. What truly sets them apart is the profoundly rich chocolate flavor in the cookie base, which is often more intense and satisfying than what you find elsewhere. Each bite offers a harmonious blend of textures and deep, authentic flavors.
- No Dough Chilling Required. In a world where many cookie recipes demand hours of chilling time, this recipe is a true lifesaver for impatient bakers (like me!). You can whip up a batch of these delectable peanut butter chip cookies quickly and effortlessly, moving straight from mixing to baking. This means less waiting and more enjoying, making them perfect for last-minute cravings or unexpected guests.
- Perfect Ratio of Chocolate and Peanut Butter. The magic of a great chocolate peanut butter cookie lies in the balance. This recipe achieves that perfect equilibrium: a robust, slightly bitter cocoa cookie provides the ideal counterpoint to the sweet, creamy bursts of peanut butter chips. Neither flavor overpowers the other; instead, they dance together in a symphony of sweet and salty, rich and smooth, creating an utterly addictive taste experience that keeps you reaching for more.
- Simple, Accessible Ingredients. You won’t need any exotic ingredients for these cookies. Everything on the list is readily available at your local grocery store, making this a hassle-free baking project.
- Crowd-Pleaser Guaranteed. Whether it’s for a party, a family gathering, or just a treat for yourself, these cookies are universally loved. The combination of classic flavors in a perfectly baked package makes them an instant hit with anyone who tries them.
Key Ingredients for Unforgettable Flavor
Every great cookie starts with quality ingredients. Here’s a closer look at what makes these chocolate peanut butter chip cookies so special:
- Unsalted Butter: Make sure your butter is at room temperature. Softened butter creams beautifully with sugar, incorporating air that leads to a light and tender crumb. Unsalted butter gives you control over the overall saltiness of the cookie.
- Brown Sugar: This is a secret weapon for soft, chewy cookies. The molasses in brown sugar adds moisture, depth of flavor, and contributes significantly to that desirable soft texture that prevents the cookies from drying out. Be sure to pack it firmly when measuring.
- Granulated Sugar: Works alongside brown sugar to provide sweetness and helps with spread and crisp edges.
- Large Eggs: Also at room temperature, eggs bind the ingredients, add moisture, and contribute to the cookie’s structure and richness.
- Vanilla Extract: Use a good quality vanilla extract for the best flavor. It enhances both the chocolate and peanut butter notes.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: This is where the rich, deep chocolate flavor comes from. Using unsweetened cocoa allows you to control the sweetness of the cookie base. For an extra rich, almost black cocoa flavor, you could try Dutch-processed cocoa, but standard unsweetened works perfectly.
- All-Purpose Flour: The backbone of our cookie. Measure it correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off, rather than scooping directly from the bag, which can lead to too much flour and dry cookies.
- Baking Soda: Our leavening agent. It reacts with the acidic cocoa powder and brown sugar to help the cookies rise slightly and achieve a wonderfully soft and tender interior. Ensure your baking soda is fresh for optimal results.
- Salt: A crucial ingredient that balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor profile of both the chocolate and peanut butter. Don’t skip it!
- Peanut Butter Chips: These are the star of the show! Any brand of peanut butter chips will work beautifully. You’ll typically find them in the baking aisle right alongside the chocolate chips in your local grocery store. Unlike creamy peanut butter, chips maintain their distinct shape and provide pockets of intense peanut butter flavor without altering the cookie’s texture or moisture content during baking.
Easy Step-by-Step Baking Guide
Ready to bake? Follow these simple steps to create your own batch of incredibly delicious Crumbl-style chocolate peanut butter chip cookies.
- First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare your baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. This prevents sticking and ensures even baking.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the softened unsalted butter, packed brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes. This step is crucial for incorporating air, which contributes to the cookies’ soft texture. Continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then, mix in the vanilla extract until fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is evenly incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the stand mixer, mixing on low speed until just partially combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage! Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to tough, dry cookies.
- Finally, add the peanut butter chips to the dough. Mix on low speed for just a few seconds, only until the chips are barely combined throughout the dough. You want to see them distributed, but avoid overworking the dough.
- Portion the dough into generous 1/2 cup balls. For that classic Crumbl look, place them onto your prepared baking sheet. Gently press down on the top of each dough ball with your palm to flatten it slightly, resembling a hockey puck. This helps them bake evenly and gives them their signature thick, wide shape.
- Bake for 9-12 minutes at 350°F (175°C). The cookies should look set around the edges but still appear slightly soft and underbaked in the center. This is key to achieving that perfectly soft, chewy texture. They will continue to set as they cool.
- Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes. This crucial step allows them to firm up and prevents them from breaking when you transfer them. After 5 minutes, carefully move them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy them warm, where the peanut butter chips are still melty, or at room temperature!
Pro Tips for Perfect Cookies
Achieving cookie perfection is all about the details. Keep these expert tips in mind for the best batch of chocolate peanut butter chip cookies:
- Extra Chips for Visual Appeal: For that picture-perfect, bakery-style look, I highly recommend pressing a few extra peanut butter chips onto the tops of your cookie dough balls right before baking. As the cookies bake and spread, these chips will melt slightly, creating beautiful pockets of peanut butter goodness visible on the surface.
- Avoid Overmixing the Dough: This is arguably the most important rule for soft, tender cookies. Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix only until they are just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, leading to dense, tough, and dry cookies. A few streaks of flour are perfectly fine; they’ll disappear during baking.
- Room Temperature Ingredients are Key: Ensure your butter and eggs are at room temperature. Softened butter creams better, incorporating more air, and room temperature eggs emulsify more smoothly into the batter, leading to a more consistent dough and a better texture in the final cookie.
- Accurate Flour Measurement: Always spoon your flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a straight edge. Scooping directly from the bag can compact the flour, adding too much to your recipe, which results in dry, crumbly cookies.
- Don’t Overbake! These cookies are meant to be soft and chewy. They may look slightly underbaked when you pull them from the oven, with edges set but centers still gooey. This is exactly what you want! They will continue to cook slightly and firm up as they cool on the baking sheet. Overbaking will lead to dry, hard cookies.
- Cooling is Essential: Allowing the cookies to cool on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack helps them set properly. Moving them too soon can cause them to break or fall apart.
Looking for an all-peanut butter cookie recipe? Try my copycat Crumbl Classic Peanut Butter Cookies recipe!
Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing
These cookies are delicious fresh, but they also store well, and the dough can even be prepared in advance!
Storing Baked Cookies: Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container or a Ziploc bag at room temperature. They will remain wonderfully soft and delicious for 3-5 days. To keep them extra fresh, you can even place a slice of bread in the container with them – the bread will absorb moisture, helping to keep your cookies soft.
Freezing Cookie Dough: For future cravings, I highly recommend freezing the dough instead of freezing the baked cookies. This allows you to bake fresh cookies whenever you want! To freeze the dough, portion it into 1/2 cup balls as you would for baking. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze until they are completely solid (this usually takes 1-2 hours). Once frozen, transfer the solid dough balls to a freezer-safe Ziploc bag or an airtight container. The cookie dough will keep beautifully in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Baking from Frozen: When you’re ready to bake, simply remove the desired number of dough balls from the freezer and place them on a prepared baking sheet. You can bake them directly from frozen – no need to thaw! You may need to add an additional minute or two onto the bake time, so keep an eye on them. Bake until the edges are set and the centers look just slightly soft.
Frequently Asked Questions About Crumbl Cookies
Have more questions about Crumbl or this amazing copycat recipe? Here are some answers to common queries:
Crumbl is a hugely popular Utah-based cookie company famous for its massive, gourmet cookies and a unique rotating weekly menu. Each week, they feature a selection of new and inventive flavors alongside a couple of staple favorites like their Milk Chocolate Chip. Their cookies are known for their generous size, unique toppings, and incredibly soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture, making them a true treat for cookie lovers.
Crumbl cookies are indeed famous for their impressive, large size! While their standard in-store offerings are always big, they do offer smaller versions of their cookies specifically for their catering service. If you’d like to enjoy these copycat Crumbl Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies in a more modest portion, you absolutely can! Simply portion the dough into smaller cookie dough balls – perhaps half the size (1/4 cup) – prior to baking. Keep in mind that smaller cookies will require a shorter baking time, so watch them closely, typically 7-10 minutes, until the edges are set.
No, I do not recommend substituting creamy peanut butter for peanut butter chips in this specific recipe. While it might seem like a simple swap, using peanut butter would significantly alter the texture and baking chemistry of the cookies. Peanut butter introduces a substantial amount of additional fat and moisture that is not accounted for in the original bake time and temperature of this recipe. It could cause the cookies to spread excessively, become greasy, or have an inconsistent texture. Peanut butter chips, on the other hand, are formulated to hold their solid shape and provide bursts of peanut butter flavor without disrupting the dough’s balance.
Look for the edges to be set and slightly firm, while the centers still appear soft and slightly underbaked. They might even look a little puffy. It’s crucial not to wait until the entire cookie looks firm, as they will continue to bake and set on the hot baking sheet after they come out of the oven. An underbaked cookie is better than an overbaked, dry one for that signature soft Crumbl texture!
If your cookies are spreading more than desired, a few factors could be at play. Ensure your butter wasn’t too soft (over-softened butter can cause excessive spreading). Also, make sure you’re accurately measuring your flour; too little flour can lead to thin cookies. Lastly, ensure your oven temperature is accurate; an oven that runs too cool might also contribute to spread. You can try chilling the dough for 15-20 minutes before baking if spreading is a persistent issue, although this recipe is designed not to require chilling.
More Irresistible Crumbl Cookie Recipes to Try
Once you’ve mastered these Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies, you’ll be eager to bake your way through more Crumbl-inspired delights. Here are some other must-try recipes:
- Crumbl Cookie Dough Cookies
- Chocolate Oreo Cookies
- Crumbl Sugar Cookies
- Cookies and Cream Milkshake Cookies
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar – packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups peanut butter chips
Equipment
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
- Measuring cups
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
- In a stand mixer cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until fully combined.
- Add the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until partially combined. Add the peanut butter chips and mix until just combined.
- Portion the dough into 1/2 cup balls. Press down on the balls with your palm to resemble a hockey puck. Bake for 9-12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cookies sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transfer to a wire rack. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.