Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies
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These chocolate-dipped peanut butter cookies combine two of my favorite flavors in an easy cake mix cookie. They’re soft, peanut buttery, and dipped halfway in dark chocolate.
Peanut Butter Cookies Dipped in Chocolate
I love a good peanut butter cookie, and this recipe starts with the same Cake Mix Peanut Butter Cookies base I use again and again on the blog. Here, dipping half of each cookie in dark chocolate gives that familiar peanut butter cookie a little something extra without changing the soft texture I like.
For dipping, I prefer Ghirardelli melting wafers because they melt smoothly and stay smooth longer, which makes it easier to coat a whole batch of cookies. Regular melted chocolate will work too if that’s what you have or prefer.
This peanut butter cookie dough has become the starting point for more than five recipes on the blog, including my Fluffernutter Cookies and Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies. It’s a simple base that works especially well when you want to change up the toppings or add-ins.
Ingredients
- Creamy peanut butter – Use a no-stir peanut butter such as Jif or Skippy. Its smooth, consistent texture works best for the cookie dough.
- Large eggs – Help bind the dough and give the cookies structure as they bake.
- Vegetable or canola oil – Adds moisture and helps keep the cookies soft.
- Yellow cake mix – A 15.25-ounce box forms the base of the cookie dough and provides the flour, sugar, and leavening. I used Duncan Hines.
- Dark chocolate melting wafers – I use Ghirardelli dark chocolate melting wafers for dipping because they melt smoothly and stay workable longer than regular chocolate.
- Chopped peanuts or sprinkles – Optional, but either can be added to the chocolate before it sets for a simple finishing touch.
How to Make Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies
- Prep – Heat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the wet ingredients – Stir together the peanut butter, eggs, and oil until smooth and well combined.
- Add the cake mix – Stir in the yellow cake mix until a thick cookie dough forms and no dry streaks remain.
- Scoop the dough – Portion the dough with a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop and place the cookies on the lined baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each one.
- Press with a fork – Gently press each dough ball down with a fork to create a crisscross pattern.
- Bake the cookies – Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the cookies are set around the edges. Let them cool before dipping.
- Melt the chocolate – Melt the dark chocolate wafers according to the package directions, stirring until smooth.
- Dip and decorate – Dip half of each cooled cookie into the melted chocolate, then add chopped peanuts or sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet. Let the chocolate set before serving.
Variations and Substitutions
- Use regular chocolate – If you do not have melting wafers, you can use melted chocolate instead. It may thicken a little faster as you work, so you may need to warm it again between batches.
- Change the chocolate – Milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate can be used in place of dark chocolate if you prefer a sweeter coating.
- Use a chocolate peanut butter cookie base – For an even more chocolate-forward version, use my Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies as the base, then dip them in the melted chocolate as directed.
- Switch the topping – Chopped peanuts add a little crunch, sprinkles are an easy way to change the look for holidays or different occasions, and a light sprinkle of coarse sea salt adds a salty contrast to the chocolate and peanut butter. You can also leave the dipped cookies plain.
Tips for Success
- Use no-stir peanut butter – Stick with a creamy no-stir peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. Natural peanut butter can separate and may change the texture of the dough.
- Do not overbake – The cookies should be set around the edges after 9 to 11 minutes. Overbaking can make them drier once they cool.
- Cool before dipping – Let the cookies cool completely before dipping them in chocolate so they hold their shape and the coating sets properly.
- Keep the chocolate workable – If the melted chocolate starts to thicken while you are dipping, warm it briefly again and stir until smooth.
- Add toppings right away – Sprinkle on the chopped peanuts, sprinkles, or coarse sea salt while the chocolate is still wet so they stick as it sets.
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More Recipes for Peanut Butter Cookie Fans
If peanut butter cookies are a favorite at your house, here are a few more recipes to try.
Did you make these cake mix peanut butter cookies with chocolate? Please leave a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments below.
Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter use no-stir, like Jif or Skippy
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix, I used Duncan Hines
- 1 (10-ounce) bag Ghirardelli dark chocolate melting wafers
- chopped peanuts or sprinkles optional for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Stir together the peanut butter, eggs, and oil until smooth and well combined.
- Add the cake mix and stir until a thick dough forms and no dry streaks remain.
- Scoop the dough onto the lined baking sheets using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, leaving space between each cookie.
- Gently press each dough ball with a fork in one direction, then again in the opposite direction to form a crisscross pattern.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the cookies are set around the edges.
- Let the cookies cool briefly on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt the chocolate wafers according to the package directions, stirring until smooth.
- Dip half of each cooled cookie into the melted chocolate. Add chopped peanuts or sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet.
- Place the dipped cookies on parchment paper and let the chocolate set before serving.
Notes
- This recipe was tested with a 15.25-ounce box of yellow cake mix.
- Use a creamy no-stir peanut butter such as Jif or Skippy. Do not use natural peanut butter.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Freeze the cookies in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutrition information is estimated based on automated calculations and should be considered as an approximation. These estimates are provided as a courtesy. Please use your own brand’s nutritional values to verify accuracy.