Is there anything more comforting than a warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie? I don’t think so. But what if we took that wonderful treat and hid a little secret pocket of creamy peanut butter inside? That’s the magic of these Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies with Gooey Middle. They look like your classic, beloved cookie from the outside, but one bite reveals a delicious surprise that feels like a hug from the inside out. They’re the perfect little project for when you need a dose of baking joy. So good.
Top Reasons To Make It
- The ultimate surprise. There’s something so fun and delightful about biting into a familiar cookie and discovering a hidden treasure.
- Incredibly satisfying. The combination of rich chocolate and creamy peanut butter is a classic for a reason—it’s simply the best.
- Surprisingly simple. While they look impressive, the technique is very straightforward, even if you’re not a frequent baker.
- A total crowd-pleaser. These cookies are guaranteed to be the star of any bake sale, potluck, or after-school snack time.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour: The sturdy base that gives the cookies their structure.
- 1 tsp baking soda: Helps the cookies spread and puff up perfectly.
- 1 tsp cornstarch: The secret to an extra soft, chewy texture.
- ½ tsp salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors.
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature: Creates a tender, rich cookie.
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed: Adds moisture and a lovely caramel note.
- ½ cup granulated sugar: For the perfect amount of sweetness and crispness.
- 2 large eggs, room temperature: Binds everything together.
- 2 tsp vanilla extract: A warm, aromatic flavor boost.
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips: Because you can never have too much chocolate.
For the Peanut Butter Filling:
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter: The star of our gooey middle.
- ¼ cup powdered sugar: Sweetens the peanut butter and helps it hold its shape.
Instructions
- First, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl. Set this dry mixture aside for now.
- In a larger bowl, use an electric mixer (or a sturdy spoon and some elbow grease!) to cream the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. This should take about 2 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Make sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
- Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Gently fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
- Cover the bowl of cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This step is important—it prevents the cookies from spreading too much and helps create that thick, bakery-style look.
- While the dough chills, make the filling. Stir together the peanut butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Scoop out teaspoon-sized portions and roll them into about 16-18 little balls. Place them on a plate or baking sheet and pop them in the freezer for 15 minutes. This makes them much easier to handle.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Take the chilled dough out of the fridge. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough, flatten it slightly in your palm, place a frozen peanut butter ball in the center, and carefully wrap the dough around it until it’s completely sealed. Roll it gently into a ball and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just set and lightly golden. The centers will still look soft—that’s exactly what you want for a gooey middle!
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This resting time is crucial for them to finish setting up.
Variations & Substitutions
- Nut-Free: Swap the peanut butter filling for a spoonful of sunflower seed butter or a simple dollop of melted chocolate or Nutella.
- Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in place of the regular flour.
- Different Chips: Feel free to use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even peanut butter chips for a different twist.
- A Pinch of Sea Salt: For a sophisticated touch, sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top of the cookies right when they come out of the oven.
Pro Tips For Perfect Cookies
- Don’t skip the chill time for the dough. It makes all the difference in preventing flat cookies.
- Use a cookie scoop for uniformly sized cookies that bake evenly.
- Make sure your peanut butter balls are frozen solid. This keeps them from melting too quickly and leaking out.
- Honestly, the most common mistake is overbaking. Take them out when they look slightly underdone in the center for the ultimate chewy texture.
- And if your butter is too cold, it won’t cream properly. But if it’s melted, your cookies will spread. Room temperature is the sweet spot!
Gooey Middle Tips
The key to that irresistible, molten center is all in the technique. First, ensuring the peanut butter filling is frozen solid creates a cold core that takes longer to heat up than the surrounding dough. Second, pulling the cookies out of the oven when the edges are golden but the centers are still soft and puffy is non-negotiable. They continue to cook on the hot baking sheet, so that residual heat finishes the job without overcooking your lovely, gooey surprise.
Storage & Reheating
Once completely cool, store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. They also freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. To recapture that just-baked magic, simply warm a cookie in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. It will taste like it just came out of the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use natural peanut butter? I wouldn’t recommend it for this particular recipe, as the oil separation can make the filling messy and difficult to work with. A standard, creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy works best.
- Why did my peanut butter leak out? This usually happens if the filling wasn’t frozen long enough or if the dough wasn’t sealed completely around it. Make sure there are no cracks in the dough ball before baking.
- Are these similar to a Crumbl cookie copycat? They definitely have that same wow factor with a surprise inside! While not an exact copy, they capture that spirit of a decadent, specialty bakery cookie.
- Can I make the dough ahead of time? Absolutely! You can prepare the stuffed dough balls and freeze them on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
These Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies with Gooey Middle are truly one of my favorite fun cookie recipes to share. They turn a simple baking session into a little adventure. I hope they bring as much warmth and happiness to your kitchen as they do to mine.