Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies
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Peanut Butter Cookie Brownies are tender and chewy with a creamy filling and frosting on top! They aren’t complicated to make, either. Use boxed brownie mix for the dough and just 3 ingredients for the filling. The frosting swirl is just two types of melted baking chips. Who knew easy and indulgent went together so well?
Peanut Butter Cookie Brownies
Imagine your favorite peanut butter cookie had a baby with a tender, chewy brownie… You’d have these peanut butter cookie brownies!!
The trick is to use brownie mix to make the cookies so they come out nice and chewy without having to carefully measure a dozen different ingredients.
But what really sets these apart is a few extra special touches. Not only is there a creamy filling in the middle of each cookie, but they’re topped with a chocolate and peanut butter swirled frosting. YUM!
It’s not the first time I’ve made a dessert with this flavor combination, either. I mean, it’s just so good together!!
Whether it’s Buckeye-inspired cookies and brownies, or brownies loaded with frosting and Reeses or Butterfingers, there are so many sweet ways to satisfy your craving.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Brownie Mix – Grab a dark chocolate mix to help balance the sweetness of the other ingredients. I used Betty Crocker, but any brand will work as long as it’s the same size by volume.
And ignore the ingredients needed on the box! You just need the powdered mix to make these peanut butter brownie cookies. - Peanut Butter – You’ll need a smooth (creamy), no-stir peanut butter to make the filling. Though, it might be worth trying chunky PB for a little texture!
- Unsalted Butter – This goes in the filling and the cookie dough, but pay close attention to which is which — one is melted and one is just softened.
- Flour & Eggs – Extra flour means a more cakey texture while the eggs bind everything together and help the cookies puff up a bit.
- Chocolate Syrup – Grab a bottle of your favorite or make my homemade recipe!
- Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chips – Melt these separately to make the frosting that goes on top of chocolate brownie peanut butter cookies.
I prefer semi-sweet chocolate chips — again, to help tone down the sweetness — but use your favorite. - Coconut Oil – Melted PB chips can be a bit thick, so this helps smooth out the consistency and makes it easier to stir.
Tips and Tricks to Make Chocolate Brownie Peanut Butter Cookies
- Chill the filling while you work on the dough.
This makes it easier to scoop onto the cookies before they go in the oven.
You can also make the filling ahead of time if needed! Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a day.
- Use different-sized cookie scoops.
A 2-tablespoon-sized scoop is perfect for evenly portioning out the dough. Once you have those scooped out, press a divot (or small well) in the center and add the filling.
Then, divide the rest of the dough with a 1-tablespoon-sized scoop. Flatten these dough balls a bit and use them to seal the filling in the middle of your brownie and peanut butter cookies.
Using scoops ensures that each cookie is the same size and thickness so they bake evenly!
- Handle the dough gently throughout assembly.
From mixing to scooping and shaping the dough, it’s important to use a gentle touch and not overwork it at any point.
Otherwise, your chocolate brownie peanut butter cookies will end up dense and tough instead of tender and chewy.
Prep Ahead
- Line baking sheet with parchment
- Soften and melt butter
- Make peanut butter filling
- Preheat oven to 350°F
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Baking Sheet lined with Parchment Paper – Used for anything from cookies to roasting, a good baking pan will last for years.
- Mixing Bowls – I like to have a variety of sizes on hand, and this set has them all.
- A sturdy Silicone Spatula can be used for scraping, stirring, and smoothing and is easy to clean too!
- Cookie Scoops – Great for meatballs, cookies, ice cream, and portioning out leftovers. I’ve had this set for years and use them all the time.
- Microwave-Safe Bowls – Not only do these make melting chocolate and peanut butter easier, but you can use one to quickly steam vegetables too!
Serving Suggestions
What makes these brownie and peanut butter cookies extra delicious is the frosting swirl on top! It’s so easy to make — just melt chocolate chips in one bowl, then peanut butter chips (plus a little coconut oil) in another bowl.
Spoon a little on top of each cookie once they’ve completely cooled. Then, use a spoon or toothpick to swirl the two frostings together.
Of course, you could always enjoy a simpler version of peanut butter cookie brownies without the frosting — especially if you’re sensitive to sweets.
But if you really want to go all out, try these with my Butterfinger frosting on top!
Storing and Freezing Brownie and Peanut Butter Cookies
Keep filled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Refrigerating them will cause them to dry out and become hard.
You can, however, freeze peanut butter brownie cookies if you’d like! Once baked, allow them to cool completely before transferring to a storage bag or container.
Wait to make and add the frosting until after they have thawed, just before serving.
Peanut Butter Cookie Brownies FAQ
They are cookies with the flavor and texture of brownies, plus a creamy peanut butter filling and a swirl of chocolate and peanut butter icing on top.
Sure! Sunflower seed butter (sun butter) or Biscoff cookie spread would be tasty too. You could try almond butter, but it tends to be a bit more gritty.
And if nut allergies are a concern, be sure to swap out the peanut butter chips for something else like butterscotch. Or, just use the chocolate frosting!
Once you add the top layer of dough over the filling, press the outer edges of the dough layers together to seal.
Go slowly so there aren’t any gaps, and don’t pinch too hard or your peanut butter cookie brownies will end up crispy around the edges.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Filling Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup peanut butter, smooth
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Cookie Ingredients:
- 1 box of dark chocolate brownie mix, I used Betty Crocker 19.9 ounce box
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup al- purpose flour
Topping Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup semi sweet mini chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup peanut butter chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- PREPARE PEANUT BUTTER MIXTURE: In a medium mixing bowl, using a spatula mix the peanut butter and softened butter together. Add the powdered sugar and continue to mix well. Once the peanut butter filling is combined, put it in the refrigerator until needed.
- PREPARE COOKIE DOUGH: Combine the brownie mix, eggs, melted butter, chocolate syrup, and vanilla together in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the flour until combined.
- Use a two tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop 12 cookie dough brownie balls.
- Using the end of a spatula, or your finger, create a divot for the peanut butter filling.
- Fill the divot with about 2 teaspoons of peanut butter filling.
- Use a one tablespoon cookie scoop to create another cookie dough ball. Spread the cookie dough ball out and place it on top of your peanut butter filling and press the edges together to enclose the peanut butter filling.
- Place cookies about 2-3” apart on your baking sheet and bake for 11 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Once cool, make the frosting by microwaving the semi-sweet chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 20 second increments until melted – stirring between.
- Combine the peanut butter chips and coconut oil together in a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave in 20 second increments until melted and smooth – stirring between.
- Spoon about 1 teaspoon of peanut butter topping and chocolate topping on top of each cookie.
- Use a spoon to swirl and cover the top of the cookie.
- Let cool completely.
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published November 2024
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