Description
These Levain Bakery Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies deliver thick, soft, and gooey cookies with a rich peanut butter flavor and gooey chocolate chunks. Inspired by the famous New York bakery’s recipe, these cookies have a perfectly crisp exterior and a tender, melty inside, making them an irresistible treat for peanut butter and chocolate lovers alike.
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)
- 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, 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. Then fold in the semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips or chunks evenly through the dough.
- Chill Dough (Optional): For thicker cookies that spread less, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. This step is optional but recommended for the best texture.
- Prepare Baking Sheets and Oven: Preheat your oven to 390 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two large light-colored baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
- Form Dough Balls: Portion the dough into large 5-6 ounce balls, roughly the size of a small baseball. Place them on the prepared baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 9-13 minutes until edges are golden and set but centers remain slightly soft. The cookies will firm up as they cool, so avoid overbaking to keep them tender.
- Final Touch and Cooling: Remove from oven and gently press a few chocolate chips onto the tops of the cookies for a pretty finish. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is optional but helps create thicker cookies that spread less while baking.
- Using cold butter contributes to the thick, bakery-style texture.
- Space dough balls adequately to prevent cookies from merging.
- Do not overbake; cookies will seem slightly underdone at removal but finish setting as they cool.
- Use light-colored baking sheets to avoid overly browned bottoms and sides.
