Crumbl Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies combine the best of both worlds—peanut butter and chocolate. The brownie base is soft, fudgy, and deeply chocolatey, while the peanut butter adds a creamy richness that elevates the flavor. Topped with mini peanut butter cups for extra peanut butter goodness, these cookies have a wonderful balance of flavors and textures. Whether you’re craving a comforting dessert or looking to impress at a party, these cookies are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Ingredients

For the Cookie Dough:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (smooth)

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed

• 2 large eggs

• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (for the brownie base)

• 1 cup mini peanut butter cups, chopped (for topping)

For the Topping:

• ¼ cup peanut butter (melted, optional for drizzling)

• ¼ cup mini peanut butter cups (chopped, for topping)

(Tip: You’ll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)

Directions

Make the Cookie Dough:

1. Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2. Cream the butter and peanut butter: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

3. Add the eggs and vanilla: Beat in the eggs, one at a time, ensuring each is well incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract.

4. Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.

5. Add the chocolate chips: Stir in the semisweet chocolate chips to the dough until they are evenly distributed.

6. Chill the dough (optional but recommended): Chill the cookie dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This helps the dough hold its shape better during baking and prevents spreading.

Shape and Bake the Cookies:

7. Form the dough balls: Once chilled, scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll it into a ball. Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

8. Top with peanut butter cups: Gently press a few chopped mini peanut butter cups into the top of each dough ball for extra flavor.

9. Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers are still soft. The cookies should look slightly underbaked in the middle, as they will continue to cook as they cool, ensuring a soft, chewy texture.

10. Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Optional Topping:

11. Drizzle with peanut butter: If desired, melt the ¼ cup of peanut butter in the microwave or on the stovetop. Drizzle the melted peanut butter over the cooled cookies for an extra peanut butter flavor boost.

12. Top with extra peanut butter cups: Finish the cookies by sprinkling additional chopped mini peanut butter cups on top for a decorative touch.

Serve:

13. Enjoy: Let the peanut butter drizzle set for a few minutes, then serve and enjoy your rich, chocolatey, peanut buttery cookies!

Servings and Timing

• Servings: About 18 cookies

• Prep Time: 15 minutes

• Chill Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour (optional)

• Bake Time: 10-12 minutes

• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes (including chilling time)

Variations

• Add more chocolate: For even more chocolate flavor, you can add chocolate chunks or use milk chocolate chips instead of semisweet.

• Use different peanut butter cups: Swap out mini peanut butter cups for Reese’s Pieces or chopped Snickers for a different twist on flavor.

• Make them gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend if you need a gluten-free version of this recipe.

• Add nuts: You can stir in some chopped peanuts or pecans for extra crunch in the cookie dough.

Storage/Reheating

• Storage: Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

• Freezing: Freeze the dough for up to 3 months. You can freeze the dough in individual cookie balls and bake from frozen—just add 1-2 extra minutes to the baking time.

• Reheating: To reheat, microwave the cookies for about 10-15 seconds to make them soft again or warm them in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for about 3 minutes.

FAQs

Can I use crunchy peanut butter?

While creamy peanut butter gives these cookies the best texture, you can use crunchy peanut butter if you prefer a bit more texture in the cookie dough.

How do I make sure the cookies stay soft and chewy?

To ensure soft, chewy cookies, be careful not to overbake them. The cookies should be golden on the edges but still soft in the center when you take them out of the oven. They will firm up as they cool on the baking sheet.

Can I use peanut butter chips instead of peanut butter cups?

Yes, you can replace the mini peanut butter cups with peanut butter chips, but the flavor and texture will be a little different. Peanut butter cups provide a gooey, creamy texture that the chips can’t replicate.

Can I make these cookies ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 2 days before baking. If you want to prepare the dough further in advance, you can freeze it for up to 3 months.

Can I make these cookies without the peanut butter drizzle?

Yes, the cookies are delicious on their own, even without the peanut butter drizzle. If you prefer, you can skip that step and enjoy the cookies just with the chopped peanut butter cups.

Conclusion

Crumbl Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies are the perfect combination of fudgy, chocolatey goodness and creamy peanut butter flavor. The rich, chewy texture of the cookie dough, combined with the surprise of peanut butter cups in each bite, makes these cookies incredibly indulgent and irresistible. Whether you’re baking for yourself or sharing with friends and family, these cookies are sure to be a hit!