Browned Butter Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

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These incredible little drops of peanut butter goodness are made with all natural peanut butter + peanut butter chips for the ultimate cookie experience. Browned butter peanut butter chip cookies are going to be your new go-to peanut butter dessert.

I adore pretty much anything peanut butter. I have several peanut butter cookie recipes, peanut butter tarts, and even a peanut butter cup s’mores galette here on the site for you to enjoy. I came up with these cookies one day when I was craving something totally peanut buttery, but I didn’t have a ton of time. Cookies are great dessert when you’re short on time (and my all time fav dessert ever so it worked out well). These browned butter peanut butter chip cookies were born. Browned butter, dark brown sugar, all natural peanut butter, and peanut butter chips work harmoniously to create the most flavorful peanut butter cookie ever. Trust me, you’re going to want to double to batch and freeze some because that craving is going to come back again and again.

What you’ll need to make these browned butter peanut butter chip cookies

Salted butter, browned and cooled to a paste (this allows the butter to be creamed well with the sugars and the result is a thick and chewy cookie with amazing browned butter flavor!)

All natural peanut butter (chose your favorite variety that is simply crushed peanuts or crusted peanuts with salt … you don’t want any sugar added to this peanut butter, it’ll throw off the flavor of the cookies by making them too sweet)

Granulated sugar (just a fourth of a cup for the cookies, but more for rolling!)

Dark brown sugar (my favorite variety for all of my baked goods, but you can use light or golden if that’s what you have on hand)

1 large egg (if you only have medium eggs, reduce the flour by about 2 tbsp)

Pure vanilla extract (don’t settle for the imitation stuff, always bake with pure vanilla extract! The flavor is strong and unmatched. You won’t regret it)

All purpose flour (you can substitute gluten free 1:1 ratio baking flour here, or even half all purpose and half white whole wheat for a neigh undetectable pop of whole grains)

Baking soda (this emulsifier is perfect for cookies and helps them rise without being too dense or too fluffy)

Salt (the BEST cookies always have salt, trust me)

Peanut butter chips (I use Reese’s chips, but you can choose any brand of peanut butter chips that you like)

Baking these Beauties Up

These cookies start with the standard creaming of the butter and the sugars. Now for your browned butter, make sure to allow it to fully cool to a paste. This creates good texture for the dough to bake up just perfectly. Begin by placing the butter in a small saucepan on medium to high heat. Allow the butter to melt and begin to brown. As it browns, keep a close eye on it. It will foam and that can make it harder to see how brown the butter really is. Remove the pan from the heat, allow the foam to settle, and check the butter. Pop it back onto the heat if you want it a bit more golden. If it’s done, gently pour it into a small bowl and refrigerate or freeze until it is a solid paste.

When creaming the butter and sugars (ether by hand or by a hand / standing mixer), be sure to allow about 30-60 seconds for it to blend seamlessly. Begin by giving the browned butter a good mix on it’s own, and then add the sugars. Add the egg, and keep beating for an additional 30 seconds. Add the peanut butter, and give it another, you guessed it, 30 seconds. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and vanilla. I try to make as many recipes as possibly one bowl, meaning everything gets combined in only one bowl (no combining other things in separate bowls, thus cutting down clean up time!). I find that one bowl recipes are easy, quick, and come together so nicely. The last thing that you will mix in are the peanut butter chips, and do this gently until they are just incorporated.

You will roll out the cookie dough balls into 4-tbsp increments. I have this 4-tbsp cookie scoop and it’s so handy, but you can also just eyeball it if you don’t care about your cookies being all the same size! They do cook up different at different sizes, though, so ensure that they are roughy the same size to keep the bake time congruent.

Roll each ball into the granulated sugar, and place them on the baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 375° for 8-10 minutes.

The Dietary Substitutions

I love providing gluten and dairy free substitutions so that those with alternate dietary needs can enjoy my recipes to their fullest! These are subs that I have either use and continue to stock in my own home, or that have come highly recommended from others. I want your baking experience to be the best it can be, and avoiding gluten or dairy shouldn’t hinder that process in the slightest. 

As always, here is a list of tried and true dietary substitutes, so that you can enjoy this recipe without the additions of gluten or dairy: 

Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour is a wonderful all-purpose sub, and it’s cup for cup, so use the same measurements as you would all-purpose flour.

Miyokos Butter is a plant based brick that closely resembles dairy butter not only in its look, but it’s taste as well. It melts, browns, and spreads just like real butter, and truly is a fantastic substitute in this recipe. Use it as a 1:1 ratio sub, same as the flour, so the recipe measurements will not change.

Chocolate Covered Katie has a recipe for vegan peanut butter chips that would work well in this recipe.

This is the best peanut butter cookie that I have ever made, and I hope you love them as much as I do! If you make them, tag me in your post! #HHBBAKES

XO,

Heather