Soft and chewy Peanut Butter Cookies filled with a decadent chocolate ganache filling are the ultimate treat for peanut butter lovers! The perfect combination of sweet and salty, chewy and crunchy all paired with a rich chocolate ganache. These peanut butter sandwich cookies are perfect for any occasion: parties, potlucks and the holidays!
Love cookies? Make sure to try these popular favorites: Sugar Cookie Recipe, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies and Lofthouse Cookies!
Chocolate Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut butter and chocolate just seem to belong together! This classic combo is celebrated in these delicious Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Filling. The peanut butter cookies are delicious on their own, but the additional of chocolate filling makes them extra special! And anytime I can eat two cookies and call it one, I’m pretty happy with that math!
This recipe is simply a variation of my Chewy Peanut Butter Cookie recipe. For these sandwich cookies I like to make the cookies nice and thin and bake them until they are a bit crisp on the edges. The finished cookies are rich, flavorful and sure to satisfy any peanut butter and chocolate fan!
What You’ll Need
Chewy peanut butter cookies with a crispy edge and sweet and chocolate ganache is the perfect combination of sweet, salty, crunchy and chewy. As always, you can find the full printable recipe with complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need…
Peanut Butter Cookies
- all purpose flour – Provides structure to the cookies and is the base of the recipe.
- baking soda – Acts as the leavening agent, giving the peanut butter cookies a little lift.
- salt – Needed to balance the sweetness and to enhance all the flavors.
- unsalted butter – Make sure the butter is softened at room temperature so it creams easily with the sugar.
- creamy peanut butter – You can use crunchy peanut butter but I think creamy works best in this recipe.
- honey, light brown sugar and granulated sugar – Add the perfect amount of sweetness to these cookies.
- eggs – Eggs at room temperature will incorporate more easily. The eggs add richness to the recipe.
- vanilla extract – For warmth and flavor.
- sugar – I like to roll the cookie dough in sugar for a sparkly sweet finish.
Chocolate Ganche Filling
- semi sweet chocolate chips – Milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips can also be used.
- heavy cream – When hot and combined with chocolate, the cream creates a beautifully decadent and creamy ganache center for these cookies.
How To Make Peanut Butter Cookies and Chocolate Ganache
Peanut Butter Cookies
- Dry Ingredients. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
- Wet Ingredients. Beat softened butter, peanut butter and honey together until smooth and lightened in color. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and continue to blend. Add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and beat all ingredients until well incorporated.
- Combine. While mixing, slowly add the flour mixture. Do not overmix. Cover and chill dough for 15 minutes.
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Place sugar in small bowl.
- Sugar Coating. Scoop about one tablespoon of cookie dough and roll into a ball. Roll into the sugar and place on prepared baking sheet. Fatten to about 1/3″ tall using the bottom of a glass.
- Bake. Bake cookies for 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from oven when the edges appear baked, but the centers appear slightly underdone. Cool 1-2 minutes on the baking sheet, then carefully move to a cooling rack.
Make the filling
- Prep. Place chocolate chips in a heat safe medium bowl. Heat heavy cream in a microwave until very hot, but not boiling.
- Combine. Pour hot cream over chocolate chips, and allow to sit for 1 minute. Stir slightly and allow to sit another minute or two. Stir until fully combined and smooth.
- Cool. Place chocolate mixture in the fridge and cool until thick enough to spread. Check and stir slightly every 10 minutes or so until desired consistency is reached.
- Assemble. Use an offset spatula to spread the filling onto the bottom side of a cookie, then top with another cookie.
Storage Information
Cookies should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Let set at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before enjoying.
To freeze, place in a freezer safe, airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy?
Absolutely! Crunchy peanut butter will add a bit of texture to your cookies.
How do I store these cookies?
Once the ganache has set, store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. For longer storage, consider freezing them.
Can I freeze the cookie dough?
Yes, you can! Scoop individual balls of dough onto a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, you can bake straight from the freezer, just adding a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
Can I use milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet chocolate for the ganache?
Of course! Using milk chocolate will give you a sweeter, creamier ganache. Just make sure to use a good quality chocolate for the best flavor and consistency.
Why do my cookies appear underdone in the middle after baking?
The cookies are meant to look slightly underdone in the center when taken out of the oven. They’ll continue to cook a little more from the residual heat of the baking sheet, resulting in a perfectly chewy texture.
Can I make the ganache ahead of time?
Yes, you can make the ganache up to two days in advance. Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. When you’re ready to use it, if it’s too firm, let it sit at room temperature for a while or give it short bursts in the microwave, stirring in between, to soften.
Trish’s Tips and Tricks
- Feel free to make larger cookies, just adjust the baking time accordingly.
- A caramel center would be a delicious alternative or addition to this recipe.
- For crispier cookies, cook for an additional minute or two.
- Make sure your cookies have cooled completely before adding the ganache.
- Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on top of the cookies to elevate that sweet and savory combo.
More Chocolate and Peanut Butter Desserts To Try
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
- Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Filling
Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Filling
Ingredients
Cookies
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup honey
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sugar for rolling
Chocolate Ganche Filling
- ¾ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Peanut Butter Cookies
- In a medium sized bowl, add flour, baking soda and salt. Whisk together, then set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend softened butter, peanut butter and honey. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and continue to blend.
- Add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and beat all ingredients until well incorporated.
- While mixing, slowly add the flour mixture. Blend just until all the flour is incorporated.
- Cover and chill dough for about 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Place sugar in small bowl.
- Using a 1 tablespoon sized scoop, scoop dough, then roll in your hands slightly to form a ball. Drop balls of dough into small bowl of sugar, and roll to coat. Place balls of dough on the prepared baking sheet, then flatten to about 1/3" tall using the bottom of a glass.
- Bake cookies for 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from oven when the edges appear baked, but the centers appear slightly underdone. The cookies will continue to bake on the baking sheet as they cool. Cool 1-2 minutes on the baking sheet, then carefully move to a cooling rack.
Make the filling
- Place chocolate chips in a heat safe medium bowl.
- Heat heavy cream in a microwave until very hot, but not boiling.
- Pour hot cream over chocolate chips, and allow to sit (without stirring) about one minute. Stir slightly, just making sure all the chocolate chips are submerged in the cream, then allow to sit another minute or two until the chocolate is nearly melted. Stir as needed until the chocolate and cream are fully combined and smooth.
- Place chocolate mixture in the fridge and cool until thick enough to spread. Check and stir slightly every 10 minutes or so until desired consistency is reached.
- Use an offset spatula to spread the filling onto the bottom side of a cookie, then top with another cookie.
Glory,
Love these cookies!
your blog and book are such an inspiration!
Love,
sandhya
Looks very yummy.
Oh yeah, this is happening
I’m not a big honey lover. Can these be made by omitting the honey and increasing the amount of brown sugar to 1 cup?? On another note, please seriously consider changing the size and color of the comment section and links throughout the site. The tiny font and pale blue color are *very* difficult to see. Thank you!
Hi Deborah, Yes, I’m sure it would work well to replace the honey with brown sugar. The honey helps keep the cookies a bit soft longer, but I’m sure they’d be perfectly delicious without it.
It can’t just be me hearing that voice saying . . . These. MUST. be. made! Can it? ? ? Oh, my . . . peanut butter and chocolate were definitely a match made in heaven! 🙂 And these look yum! ! !