There are few flavour combinations that can rival chocolate + peanut butter. It's classic and it is pure deliciousness. I've paired them together to make these easy Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies that you can whip up in one bowl with just a spatula! Fudgy dark chocolate brownie cookie dough is studded with peanut butter chips and each bite is rich and sweet and salty and just pure heaven with that shiny crackly crust.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

Easy to make - these cookies are a cinch to make! They use just a handful of simple ingredients and you're just 30 minutes away from heaven!
Fudgy brownie cookies - the texture of these cookies is the definition of fudgy. They just melt in your mouth. If you love chocolate then you are in for a treat.
Peanut butter chip cookies- the hit of peanut butter flavor comes from peanut butter chips. I use Reese's, but you can use any kind you like.
One bowl recipe - you don't need a mixer to make these cookies. A bowl and a whisk is all that's required.

INGREDIENTS FOR PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIE COOKIES

Dark chocolate - it's very important to use dark with minimum 60% chocolate for this recipe to get the best flavor.
All-purpose flour - just like any good brownie recipe, there isn't too much flour in these cookies. Just ⅓ cup for the whole batch. That will ensure they are soft and fudgy. Too much flour will make them dry.
Butter - since it's such a small amount of butter, you can use salted or unsalted in this recipe. There are no substitutions for it here - butter is important.
Espresso powder - it adds really nice depth and heightened roasted notes to these brownie cookies which enhances the chocolate taste. It is optional though, and you can leave it out.
Baking powder - just a small amount of baking powder gives a bit of puff to the batter so that the cookies develop the crackly appearance.
Peanut butter chips - I use Reese's brand peanut butter chips, but any variety will work in this recipe.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

You might be surprised that the amount of butter is just 4 tbsp. That's not a typo - only 56 grams is all this recipe needs! These cookies are ALL about the chocolate.

STEP 1). Melt butter with chocolate. Combine butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until melted and smooth. You can also do this in the microwave with short bursts and frequent stirring.
STEP 2). Mix in eggs and sugar. Add eggs, sugar, espresso powder, vanilla and salt to the chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth.
STEP 3). Add dry ingredients. Sift in flour and baking powder and stir until evenly combined. Fold in peanut butter chips.
STEP 4). Refrigerate the batter. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until chilled and firm enough to hold its shape.
STEP 5). Bake. Roll heaping tablespoons of chilled dough into balls and place onto prepared baking trays, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Flatten dough balls to about ½-inch thickness and bake for 8-10 minutes, until tops look shiny (not wet) and they feel set around the edges but still a bit soft in the middle. Be careful not to over-bake. Transfer baking trays to a wire rack and let cookies cool on the tray.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

Make sure the eggs are at room temperature. This will ensure the sugar dissolves properly so you get that shiny crust.
Keep the melted chocolate warm. You don't need to let the chocolate cool before adding the eggs and sugar. Adding them while still warm will help develop the shiny crust.
Use dark chocolate with at least 60% cocoa solids. If the chocolate is too sweet, then the cookies will spread too much.
Refrigerate the batter until it is thick enough to scoop and shape. This will make sure the cookies are thick and help give you a nice round shape.

RECIPE FAQ

Can I use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar?

This recipe calls for granulated sugar. The reason for this is that it has a finer texture than brown sugar which is more coarse so it will dissolve easier in the eggs.

Can I use semisweet chocolate instead of bittersweet chocolate?

No. This recipe absolutely requires dark chocolate with minimum 60% cocoa solids. Semisweet chocolate has too much sugar and will make these cookies spread too much.

Why did my cookies spread too much and become flat?

If your brownie cookies spread out too thin, then it could be a couple of things:

The chocolate is too sweet. Make sure to use dark chocolate with minimum 60% cocoa solids for the best results. If you use semi-sweet chocolate with 50% cocoa solids, then it will have 20% more sugar content and the cookies will spread too much.
Not enough flour. Make sure to weigh your ingredients to get accurate quantities. If they are still spreading too much, try adding 1 tablespoon more flour in the next batch.
Too much liquid. Make sure to use standard large eggs. If you use extra large eggs, then it will add almost 2 tablespoon extra water to the batter!
The cookie dough wasn't chilled enough. Chilling this dough will help the flour hydrate and also allow the chocolate and butter to firm up so that it holds its shape better during baking.

HOW TO GET THE SHINY CRUST ON BROWNIE COOKIES

Bring your eggs to room temperature. You can do this by taking them out of the fridge 1 hour before baking, or submerge them in warm water for 10 minutes.

Add the sugar over the eggs at the same time. With a simple one-bowl method like in this recipe, we need to find ways to encourage the sugar to dissolve. Since eggs are the only source of moisture in this recipe, adding the sugar in at the same time will help it to dissolve a bit.

Check out my other popular chocolate cookie recipes too:

Small Batch Flourless Fudgy Brownie Crinkle Cookies

Homemade Snickers Shortbread Bars

Thick & Chewy Toffee Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Small Batch Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cookies & Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies

The BEST Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies