Peanut Butter Chippies

A triple-threat peanut butter cookie that leans heavier on texture than the average PB cookie. Peanut butter forms the dough base, semi-sweet chocolate chips melt into gooey pockets, and chopped peanuts add real peanut crunch alongside the smooth spread.

Brown sugar is the sweetener of choice and for good reason. Its molasses keeps these cookies chewy instead of crumbly, which is a real risk with peanut butter doughs. White sugar alone produces a drier, shortbread-style cookie, and these are meant to stay soft.

Shortening (instead of butter) is another chew-focused choice. It has no water to evaporate, so the cookies spread less and stay tender. Butter works as a substitute but expect thinner, crispier cookies.

The flatten-before-baking step is a must for peanut butter cookies. Their doughs don’t spread the way regular cookie doughs do. A gentle press with a palm or the back of a pancake turner gives them their finished shape before they go in.

Pulling at exactly 10 minutes leaves the centers soft. They’ll look slightly underdone but will set up perfectly as they cool on the foil.

Pro Tips

• Use natural peanut butter at your own risk. The oil-separation issue gives uneven results; classic creamy (like Jif or Skippy) gives consistent texture.
• Chill the dough 15 to 30 minutes if it feels soft after mixing. Easier to scoop, and they spread less during baking.
• Don’t overbake. Pulled at 10 minutes, centers stay tender; left to 12, they turn crispy and dry.

Variations

• Swap semi-sweet chips for peanut butter chips or a mix of milk and dark chocolate for more complexity.
• Add ½ cup rolled oats for extra chew and fiber.
• Sandwich two cookies with a smear of extra peanut butter and chocolate for a cookie sandwich.