Description
Delight in these decadent Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cookies featuring a rich, creamy peanut butter center enveloped in a thick, fudgy chocolate cookie loaded with semisweet chocolate chips and finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Perfectly soft and indulgent, these cookies bake at a high temperature to achieve a beautifully thick texture.
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Filling
- 3/4 cup (203 grams) creamy peanut butter
- 6 tablespoons (47 grams) powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cookie Dough
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200 grams) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, (at room temperature)
- 1 large egg yolk, (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (143 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup (57 grams) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup (170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips, plus more for garnish
- Flaky sea salt, for finishing, (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, vigorously stir together the creamy peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract with a stiff spatula until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Portion and freeze filling: Using a small 1-tablespoon scoop, drop thirteen equal portions of the peanut butter mixture onto a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Freeze for at least one hour to firm up while you prepare the cookie dough.
- Mix melted butter and sugar: In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the unsalted butter in 20-second bursts until fully melted. Whisk in the light brown sugar until combined, then allow the mixture to cool until just warm.
- Add eggs and vanilla: To the cooled butter and sugar mixture, whisk in the large egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Combine dry ingredients with wet: Using a rubber spatula, stir in the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt until just combined. Then fold in the semisweet chocolate chips evenly throughout the dough. Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour to firm up.
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). This relatively high temperature promotes thick, chewy cookies.
- Shape cookies: Using a large spring-loaded scoop, drop 3-tablespoon balls of cookie dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten each dough ball slightly and place a frozen peanut butter ball in the center. Gently enclose the peanut butter with the dough, leaving some peanut butter visible. Flatten the stuffed cookies slightly and generously dot the tops with additional chocolate chips.
- Keep dough chilled if needed: If at any point the peanut butter balls soften too much, return them to the freezer and place the cookie dough back in the fridge until firm enough to handle.
- Bake cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for about 8 minutes or until just set. Remove from the oven immediately and sprinkle each cookie with flaky sea salt if desired.
- Cool and store: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Using room temperature eggs helps the dough combine more smoothly.
- Chilling both the peanut butter balls and dough is key to easy handling and preventing melting.
- The high baking temperature ensures thick, fudgy cookies with a tender center.
- Flaky sea salt on top enhances the chocolate and peanut butter flavors, but is optional.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain freshness up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American