These chewy and crunchy peanut butter cookies can’t get any better! If you like chewy cookies but with a crunchy bite, then this is the recipe for you. I purposely wanted to use crunchy peanut butter to contrast with the chewy texture of the cookies. The addition of honey makes the cookies extra chewy and soft. Extra bonus! You can make two types of cookies with one dough: chocolate chip peanut butter cookies and classic peanut butter cookies. Let’s make them!
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Why you’ll love this recipe
If you like peanut butter, then you’ll love these cookies. They are perfect with a cup of milk or hot cocoa. You can even make sandwich cookies with them by adding more peanut butter as a filling in the center. And if you want to get even fancier, why not spread a layer of jam on one of the cookies and peanut butter on the other? It’s a cookie version of a peanut butter and jam sandwich.
I wanted to offer the option of adding chocolate chips to the cookie dough. You can’t go wrong with that, right? Whether you have them plain, with chocolate, or as a sandwich, these cookies are easy to make and super delicious.
Recipe Ingredients
Honey. It adds moisture and makes the cookies extra soft and chewy.
Brown sugar. Much like honey, it makes the cookies soft and chewy and adds extra flavor thanks to the molasses in the sugar.
Crunchy peanut butter. I suggest using crunchy peanut butter over smooth, adding a crunchy element to the cookies.
How to make chewy and crunchy peanut butter cookies?
Note! For exact measurements and detailed directions, see the recipe card below.
Step 1: Combine soft butter, both sugars, honey, egg, peanut butter, and vanilla extract in a bowl and beat until creamy.
Step 2: In another bowl, whisk flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet.
Step 3: Split the dough into two portions and mix the chocolate chip in one of them. Cover and place in the fridge for at least an hour.
Step 4: Scoop each cookie and place on a parchemnt paper-lined baking tray, leaving 2-3 inches between each one. Bake at 350F (180C) for 10-12 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them rest before transfering to a whired rack to cool.
Recipe Tips
Rest the dough in the fridge. For the best texture and flavor try to rest the dough in the fridge for at least one hour or up to 24 hours. Refridgerating the cookie dough also prevents them from spreading too much when baked.
Let the cookies rest on the baking tray. Once the cookies are out of the oven don’t transfer them to the wired rack right the way. They’ll be very fragile, so let them firm up for 5-7 minutes before transfering.
Additions and substitutions
Instead of honey, you can use maple syrup or leave it out and add two more tablespoons of brown sugar. For a completely soft cookie, substitute the crunchy peanut butter with smooth. For an extra crunch, you can add more chopped peanuts to the dough or top each cookie dough before baking.
How to store soft and crunchy peanut butter cookies?
You can leave the cookies at room temperature for up to a week. Uncovered, they get softer with time.
To freeze the cookie dough, you can portion it into individual-size cookies. Freeze them without touching each other. Once frozen, you can place them in a ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Bake them straight from the freezer, but add 1-2 minutes more to the baking time.
Recipe FAQ
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Chewy and crunchy peanut butter cookies, two ways!
Ingredients
- 113 grams soft butter, 1/2 cup
- 100 grams light brown sugar, 1/2 cup
- 50 grams granulated sugar, 1/4 cup
- 45 grams honey, liquid, 2 tablespoons
- 1 egg
- 135 grams crunchy peanut butter, 1/2 cup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 162 grams all-purpose flour, 1 ¼ cups
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 60 grams chocolate chips, 1/2 cup
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine soft butter, both sugars, honey, egg, peanut butter, and vanilla extract. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy, starting on the low setting and slowly increasing the speed until medium to high (or use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment).113 grams soft butter, 100 grams light brown sugar, 50 grams granulated sugar, 45 grams honey, liquid, 1 egg, 135 grams crunchy peanut butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In another bowl, whisk flour, salt, and baking soda.162 grams all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Add the flour to the batter and mix using a silicon spatula until no dry flour remains.
- At this point, you can split the dough into two portions and add the chocolate chip to one of them, keep it plain, or double the amount of chocolate chip and add to the whole batter.60 grams chocolate chips
- Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for 1-24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) for 20 minutes before baking and line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
- Take the cookie dough out of the fridge. Using a 1.5-inch-diameter cookie scoop, scoop each portion and place it on the baking tray, leaving 2-3 inches between each cookie, as they will spread. Alternatively, you can use a spoon and roll each cookie between your palms, the size of a golf ball. Make sure they are the same size, so they can cook evenly.
- Cook on the middle rack for 10-12 minutes, or until they are crackly and the edges are golden.
- Remove them from the oven and let them cool for 5-7 minutes before transferring them to a wired rack to cool completely. Enjoy!