Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

I remember these certain chocolate chip peanut butter cookies that I used to buy from this cafe on University campus... The cafe was called "Pages" (it was above the bookstore, so I appreciate the pun) and these cookies were GOOD. They were thick, soft and chewy, so peanut buttery and just sweet enough.

Here is my version of these thick bakery-style Peanut Butter cookies!

WHAT MAKES THESE "BAKERY-STYLE" CHOCOLATE CHIP PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES?

• The size. Bakery cookies always tend to be large, but I didn't make these TOO big because let's be real... if we make them smaller then maybe we can have 2 😉

• The thickness. I love a nice thick cookie, but it can't be dry. These Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft and thick and tender with crackly tops and loaded with chocolate chips.

TIPS FOR HOW TO MAKE THICK PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

There are several ways to ensure you have thick cookies if that's your jam.

• Seek out the right recipe! -- I know that's vague but make sure you're using a reliable source (like a Food Scientist... yours truly). The recipe should be designed to have the right proportions of fat, sugar, liquid (egg) and flour to create the right texture. In this recipe, peanut butter actually provides some structure because of the protein content of the ground peanuts so you don't need as much flour as a regular chocolate chip cookie.

• Baking soda content -- Baking soda is alkaline (basic vs. acidic) and it promotes cookies to spread whereas baking powder causes cookies to puff. While we want tall thick cookies, we also don't want pale bland ones. Baking soda is crucial to help promote the delicious browning reactions called Maillard Browning. It also helps them spread. Having the right amount (ie. not too much, not too little) means that you will get flavourful golden cookies that don't spread out into pancakes.

• Chilling the dough -- You can bake these cookies right away, but for EXTRA thick cookies, you can refrigerate the covered dough for 1 hour. This allows time for the flour to fully hydrate so less moisture is lost during baking and also firms up the butter so that it doesn't melt too fast and spread the cookies too quickly.

HOW TO MAKE SOFT AND TENDER COOKIES:

To get a nice soft texture, it's really important to NOT over-bake these cookies. In fact, slightly under-baking them is ideal because they will continue to bake from the heat of the pan as they are cooling once you take them out of the oven.

Once you see the edges turn light brown and the top lightly golden, that's your cue to take them out!

METHOD FOR MAKING CHOCOLATE CHIP PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

• STEP 1). Beat together soft butter with both types of sugar until smooth and slightly pale. Don't beat it too much because we want these cookies to be chewy and dense.

• STEP 2). Mix in peanut butter until well combined.

• STEP 3). Beat in egg and milk and vanilla until well incorporated.

• STEP 4). Combine all of the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk them together so they are evenly blended.

• STEP 5). Gently mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until just combined

• STEP 6). Fold in chocolate chips.

• STEP 7). Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes while the oven preheats. Chilling the dough will yield thicker and chewier cookies.

• STEP 8). Bake until golden around the edges and cracked on top yet still soft in the middle. Let them cool for a minute on the baking tray then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

If you love soft and chewy cookies, check out these other recipes:

THE BEST EVER Chocolate Chip Cookies, Bakery-Style!

Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

Thick & Chewy Toffee Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cookies and Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chewy Peppermint Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

The BEST Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bakery Style Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Christina Marsigliese

Thick and soft bakery-style peanut butter cookies loaded with dark chocolate chips!

5 from 9 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Chill Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 18 cookies

Ingredients

  

• ½ cup 113g unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup 110g packed dark brown sugar
• ⅓ cup 65g granulated sugar
• ½ cup 120ml regular smooth peanut butter
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon 15ml milk
• 1 teaspoon 5ml pure vanilla extract
• 1 ⅓ cups 190g all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup 6oz/170g dark chocolate chips

Instructions

 

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter with both sugars for 2 minutes on medium speed until well combined and smooth, and slightly fluffy. Mix in peanut butter, then beat in egg. Add milk and vanilla and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides as needed.
• Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly. Add to the butter mixture and fold it in with a spatula until just combined. Add chocolate chips and fold them through. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Scoop about 2 oz (56g) mounds of dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each cookie for spreading. Flatten dough balls slightly and bake for 10-12 minutes until the surface is cracked and cookies are evenly golden. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

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