Double Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies (Levain Bakery Style)

When I first saw these cookies, I was very excited to try them. I was intrigued by the idea of using cold butter, by how big they were, and of course…the combination of chocolate and peanut butter. Just like in the original post, mine also turned out large and tall, which is great. It seemed like a lot of butter, but there is a lot of flour and cocoa powder to even it out, and I think that helps keep the cookies from spreading. Mine barely lost their ball shape, but that’s fine by me. They were still delicious and just looked even bigger than I expected.

And yes, that cookie above is upside down. But apparently I was too busy eating cookies to take any other shots of them open to show what is inside their dark and unassuming exteriors. 😉

Directions for Double Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies (Levain Bakery Style)

Slightly adapted from How Sweet Eats

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cold and chopped into pieces about 1-inch thick
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2.75 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter chips
• about 1 cup Reeses peanut butter cups chopped up (I used the miniature size, and it worked out to about 1 per cookie, so unwrap and chop 10, then add a few more as necessary)

Beat the cold butter in your mixer on medium speed until the pieces come together into a block (technical term).

Beat in both sugars until creamy.

Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter/sugar mixture. Then add the vanilla.

The mixture will look a bit curdled and lumpy, but that’s fine. Slowly stir in the flour mixture.

When there are still some flour streaks, stir in the chocolate and peanut butter chips.

Form cookie balls from the dough. I made my balls about 1/4 cup each, and this made 15 cookies.

After you form your balls, pull them apart, place some chopped peanut butter cups in the middle, then wrap the dough around it, back into a ball. Place the cookie balls on a lined bake sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. If you like, gently press down on the tops of the balls a bit to flatten them. Otherwise, they will stay quite tall (depends on what you like). Bake just 4-6 on a sheet at a time.

Bake for about 15-18 minutes, until the cookies have just set (like brownies). Allow to cool for at least a few minutes before serving.

Directions for Double Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies (Levain Bakery Style) (without pictures)

Slightly adapted from How Sweet Eats

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cold and chopped into pieces about 1-inch thick
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2.75 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter chips
• about 1 cup Reeses peanut butter cups chopped up (I used the miniature size, and it worked out to about 1 per cookie, so unwrap and chop 10, then add a few more as necessary)

Beat the cold butter in your mixer on medium speed until the pieces come together into a block (technical term). Beat in both sugars until creamy. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter/sugar mixture. Then add the vanilla. The mixture will look a bit curdled and lumpy, but that’s fine. Slowly stir in the flour mixture. When there are still some flour streaks, stir in the chocolate and peanut butter chips.

Form cookie balls from the dough. I made my balls about 1/4 cup each, and this made 15 cookies. After you form your balls, pull them apart, place some chopped peanut butter cups in the middle, then wrap the dough around it, back into a ball. Place the cookie balls on a lined bake sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. If you like, gently press down on the tops of the balls a bit to flatten them. Otherwise, they will stay quite tall (depends on what you like). Bake just 4-6 on a sheet at a time. Bake for about 15-18 minutes, until the cookies have just set (like brownies). Allow to cool for at least a few minutes before serving.