Description
These Levain Bakery Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are thick, gooey, and packed with rich peanut butter and generous chunks of semi-sweet chocolate. Inspired by the famed bakery, these cookies combine a soft center with a slightly crisp edge, delivering the perfect indulgent treat for any peanut butter and chocolate lover.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup Cold Butter (cut into cubes)
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter (like Jif or Skippy’s)
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt (optional)
Add-ins
- 2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips or Chunks (or dark chocolate)
Instructions
- Cream Butter, Peanut Butter, and Sugars: In a large bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to beat the cold butter, creamy peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until fully combined and smooth.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients and Chocolate: Gently fold in the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and optional salt until just combined. Then fold in the semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips or chunks evenly into the dough.
- Chill the Dough (Optional): To prevent spreading and achieve thicker cookies, chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This step is optional but recommended for best results.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 390°F (199°C). Line two large light-colored baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Portion Dough into Large Balls: Using a scale or your hands, portion the dough into large balls weighing approximately 5-6 ounces each (about the size of a small baseball). Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies for 9-13 minutes or until the edges are set and golden brown, but the centers remain slightly soft. Avoid overbaking as the cookies will continue to firm while cooling.
- Finish and Cool: Remove from the oven and gently press a few additional chocolate chips onto the tops of each cookie for an attractive finish. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- The dough can be chilled for longer than 30 minutes if needed; just bring back to room temperature slightly before baking if very firm.
- Using cold butter helps to maintain the structure of the cookies and prevent excessive spreading.
- Light-colored baking sheets help prevent over-browning of the cookie bottoms.
- Large dough balls create bakery-style thick cookies; smaller portions will yield thinner cookies.
- Mix-ins can be substituted or combined with nuts for extra texture if desired.
