Browned butter peanut butter cHOCOLATE chip cookies

Loaded with peanut chunks and chocolate chips, these cookies take peanut butter cookies to a new level. Not dry and crumbly like some pb cookies can be, our recipe delivers soft, dense, and oh-so-peanuty flavor in every bite.

We made ours with chunky peanut butter, but have provided an alternate quantity for smooth peanut butter. If at the end of your mixing time your dough is a very crumbly, add a Tablespoon more of peanut butter until the dough forms a ball. You'll need to use shelf-stable pb, not natural, for this recipe. But even those vary in the amount of oil in them. Add a little more if a test dough ball won't hold its shape.

You don't need to refrigerate the dough before baking, especially if you want a little more spreading of the cookie. We chilled ours about an hour because we wanted a thicker, domed cookie that retained its striations from the scooping. Love those little ridges!

This recipe will make about 2 dozen cookies when using a 1-1/2 T scoop. Dough and/or cookies will freeze in a tightly sealed container for a month or so. You can store these cookies at room temperature for several days. Ours never last more than a couple before they all disappear! 

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ingredients

• 8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1-1/8 cups crunchy peanut butter (1 cup if you use creamy)
• 1-1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (we used the lesser amount)

Here's a quick video of us testing this recipe. 

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instructions

To brown the butter

• Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat and allow it to boil. The butter will bubble rapidly. This is best done in a light colored pan so you can see the color change.
• When the bubbling subsides, the butter will start to brown. Stir or whisk to brown evenly.
• When the butter smells nutty and becomes caramel in color, it is done.
• Take off the heat, transfer into a heat proof bowl (your non-glass mixer bowl will work). Allow to cool to room temperature.

Make the dough

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
2. Combine flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl and whisk to distribute evenly. Set aside.
3. In your stand mixer, fitted with SideSwipe or a flat paddle, combine cooled butter with peanut butter and brown sugar. Beat on medium speed until well combined.
4. Add egg, and vanilla extract, beat for another minute until combined.
5. Add in the flour mixture a little at a time, stirring on your mixer's lowest speed just until incorporated.
6. Add the chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed.
7. Divide the dough using a medium-sized scoop (ours was 1.5 T). The cookies do not need to be refrigerated if baking right away. Refrigerate for an hour up to two days before baking. For taller cookies, refrigerate.
8. Place pre-portioned cookie dough on lined baking sheet, 2" apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
9. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.