Nobody can resist these cookies in our house! The classic combination of delicious milk chocolate and creamy peanut butter with salted peanuts and dough spiked with sweet vanilla, is a winner every time. There is a good reason why this classic pairing is so universally popular!

Peanut butter is easy available and most of us have it in our cupboards – and smooth and chunky peanut butter both work. I use chopped Cadbury’s chocolate, which is my daughters’ favourite, but that is up to you; use your chocolate bar or drops of choice. You could also swap milk chocolate with dark or white chocolate if you prefer.

Photograph of Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Cookies with Salted Peanuts

This recipe is based on my Nut Butter Chocolate Chip and Nut Cookies – Core Recipe. For more detailed guidance and information on these cookies, please see here. As you will have guessed I have used peanut butter for the nut butter and milk chocolate and salted peanuts as add-ins. The only deviation from the Core Recipe has been to reduce the salt from 1/2 teaspoon to 1/8 teaspoon – this helps balance the extra salt added with the salted peanuts. Try the dough though, just incase you feel you want to add a little extra.

When my daughter Emma saw me taking these photographs, she reminded me that we should not be using disposable plastic strawers. I have since treated myself to re-usable metal ones.

Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Cookies with Salted Peanuts

Course Cake, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Chewy on the inside, milk chocolate, peanut butter, salted peanuts

Author Susan

Ingredients

100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
100g peanut butter
100g soft brown sugar
75g caster sugar
⅛ teaspoon fine salt
1 large egg, around 60g – 70g
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
200g plain/all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
100g chopped chocolate
100g salted peanuts

Topping:

50g chopped chocolate
25g salted peanut halves

Instructions

Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.
If cooking straight away, preheat oven to Fan Oven 160°C/180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and line one or two oven size baking sheets with baking parchment.
Ensure the butter is at room temperature and soft enough to beat. If not soften it slightly in the microwave. (Be very careful not to melt it though – just do 5 seconds at a time if you are unsure.)
Put the butter, peanut butter, both of the sugars and salt into a large bowl and using an electric whisk mix until fluffy. This should take 2-3 minutes. Use a paddle attachment in a freestanding mixer and mix on medium.
Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue on medium until thoroughly mixed.
Add the flour and baking powder and beat until it is almost entirely incorporated – you can either do this on a slow speed using your mixer or by hand.
Fold in the chocolate chunks and salted peanuts until evenly mixed throughout.
Divide the dough into rough balls, (I use 30g/1 large tablespoon of dough per cookie) and then use your hands to roll them into smooth balls. Top with some additional chocolate chunks and peanuts.
If cooking straight away: place spread out on a baking parchment lined baking sheet and bake in the centre of the oven for 9-10 minutes OR
If cooking within the next 3 days: place the cookie balls close together on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Cover with cling film and store in the fridge for up to 48 hours until ready to cook. When you are ready to cook, place spread out on a baking parchment lined baking sheet and bake in the centre of the oven for 10-11 minutes OR
If freezing before cooking: place the cookie balls close together on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Cover with cling film and place in the freezer making sure they are not touhcing. As soon as they are solid, they can be transferred into labelled freezer bags or containers and frozen for up to 3 months. When you are ready to cook, place spread out on a baking parchment lined baking sheet and bake in the centre of the oven for 11-12 minutes. (NB Cook from frozen – no need to defrost.)
The cookies are ready to come out of the oven when they are browning on the edges, soft in the middle and look ever so slightly under done.
Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Recipe Notes

Equipment:

kitchen scales and measuring spoons
chopping board and knife
mixing bowl
electric whisk
baking sheet lined with baking parchment

Weighing the ingredients:

You can either weigh your ingredients and then add them to the mixing bowl or you can weigh your ingredients directly into your mixing bowl. Simply put the bowl on the scales and zero the scales. Make sure you remember to zero them in between adding each new ingredient.