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

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, creamy peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
3. 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.
4. Stir in the semisweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
5. Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour (optional but recommended) to help the dough hold its shape during baking.
6. 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.
7. Press a few chopped mini peanut butter cups on top of each dough ball for added peanut butter flavor.
8. Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the centers are still soft. The cookies should look slightly underbaked in the middle to maintain a soft, chewy texture.
9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Optional: Drizzle melted peanut butter over the cooled cookies for an extra peanut butter flavor boost. Top with extra mini peanut butter cups for decoration.
11. Serve and enjoy your rich, chocolatey, peanut buttery cookies!