Peanut Butter Shortbread Cookies
Peanut butter shortbread cookies are buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies. They are studded with chocolate chips and have a rich peanut butter flavor.
I’ve been making a lot of shortbread cookies lately and these peanut butter ones are my newest creation. These cookies are buttery, melt-in-your-mouth treats with the flavor of peanut butter. Yummy.
I was inspired to make them after I made Nutella shortbread cookies a few weeks ago. I love baking with different kinds of spreads and thought peanut butter would work well in shortbread, too.
They turned out great and what I love best about them is that you can store them in a container for several weeks. Assuming you have the discipline to let them sit that long.
Ingredients
- Softened unsalted butter
- Confectioner’s sugar
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Peanut butter
- Mini chocolate chips
Recipe Steps
Beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed. Once the mixture is smooth, add the vanilla and peanut butter and beat them with the butter mixture.
Reduce the mixing speed to low and add the flour. Mix just until the dough comes together and the flour is absorbed. Mix in the chocolate chips.
Form the dough into a log about 1 ½” thick. Chill for at least 2 hours.
Slice the chilled dough into ½” pieces. Place them on a baking sheet and bake the cookies for 18 to 20 minutes or until the edges are golden. Cool the cookies before serving.
Tips
I like to use mini chocolate chips because they aren’t as big and make it easier to slice the dough before you bake it. Big chips are harder to slice.
I recommend using regular creamy peanut butter for this recipe. I haven’t tested it with natural peanut butter.
You need to chill the dough for at least two hours. This firms it up so the cookies don’t spread when you bake them. You can chill it up for two days if you want to prepare the dough in advance.
The key to making the best shortbread is to only mix the flour until it is absorbed into the wet ingredients. Don’t over mix it or your cookies won’t be as tender.
I love how these turned out. Like peanut butter cookies, but more tender and buttery.
This is a great recipe if you want to make the dough in advance. You can make it ahead and bake the cookies later – perfect for gifting during the holiday season. I think they are best fresh-baked, but they will keep in an airtight container for more than a week.
More Creative Shortbread Recipes to Try
Peanut Butter Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, beat butter and confectioners’ sugar together on medium speed, until the mixture is very smooth. Beat in vanilla, and peanut butter. Reduce mixer speed to low and add in flour, mixing until dough comes together. Mix in the chocolate chips.
- Shape the dough into a log about 1 1/2 inches thick. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours.
- After dough is firm, preheat the oven to 325°F. Slice dough about 1/2 inch thick. You may need to gently reform some of the circles.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the cookies turn brown at the edges. Let cookies cool before serving. Store in airtight container.
I just noticed “San Diego” at the top – we were just there – drove across the country from NYC to California (stopped in Chicago and Denver for sightseeing and househunting in Denver) and took our seven year old to Legoland! Love your city.
Aw, I love my city too =) Sounds like a great trip you took!
I love peanut butter – I love shortbread!! Winner!
For weeks? Not in my house, they won’t. It will be lucky if they can last more than a couple of hours LOL. Seriously, those cookies look very yummy.
Haha. Yeah mine don’t last usually past one week either.
These look delicious!
I really liked it!