So, About These Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Cookies…

Alright, picture this: a messy kitchen, two teenagers squabbling over who gets to lick the bowl, and me, trying not to burn the cookies again (yes, again—last time was a proper disaster). These Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Cookies have seen more family movie nights and late-night chats than I can count. One time, I even dropped a whole tray on the floor—quick five-second rule, nobody noticed, nobody got sick, so we call that a win, right?

Making these always reminds me of rainy days growing up; the kind where my mum would let us eat cookie dough straight from the spoon. And maybe that’s why I still sneak a taste—old habits die hard.

Why You’ll Love Making (and Eating) These

I pull out this recipe whenever I need something quick that’s actually satisfying (or, honestly, when I just want to show off a bit—those pretty swirls get attention). My kids go mad for them, and my mate Tom always asks for them at our game nights. Chocolate plus peanut butter is basically the culinary equivalent of a warm hug, and I love that these cookies don’t require any advanced sorcery—although, fair warning, one time I tried skipping the chilling step and they went a bit, um, lacy? Not in a good way. But let’s not talk about that.

Oh, and if you’ve ever had a day where only something dangerously moreish will do, this is that cookie. (Trouble is, they disappear faster than you can say ‘kettle’s on!’)

What You’ll Need (Ingredients & Some Swaps)

1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened (my Nan swore by salted, but honestly, either is fine—just adjust the added salt)
3/4 cup (190g) smooth peanut butter (crunchy is grand if you like a bit of texture—totally up to you)
1 cup (200g) brown sugar, packed (white sugar will do in a pinch, but the subtle caramel hit from brown is worth it)
1 large egg (let it come to room temp while you’re faffing about with the other stuff)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (my mate swears by homemade, but store-bought is plenty good)
1 1/4 cups (150g) all-purpose flour (on second thought, I sometimes sneak in a bit of wholewheat, just for fun, though the cookies come out a bit more rustic)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
100g (about 2/3 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips (or go wild and chop up a proper bar—the bigger chunks melt in dreamy puddles)

The (Almost Foolproof) Method

Get Prepped: Oven to 170°C (340°F), and line a couple of baking trays with baking paper. If you only have one tray, just batch ’em—sharing the oven is over-rated anyway.
Cream the butters & sugar: Into a big mixing bowl, toss in your butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar. Beat the life out of them till it’s all fluffy and blended. (This is where I sneak a spoonful for “quality control.”) If you’re stuck without an electric mixer—hey, good old elbow grease and a wooden spoon still do the trick! Just brace yourself for a tiny workout.
Add the wet stuff: Crack in your egg and add the vanilla. Mix until it looks smooth and glossy-ish. Don’t worry if it splits a bit—it’ll all come together.
Dry ingredients go in: Chuck in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined; if you overdo it, they get tough (trust me, I’ve made that mistake a few times).
Now, for the chocolate swirl: Melt your chocolate (I zap it in the microwave for 30-second bursts, stirring each time). Pour about half of it over the cookie dough and fold gently—just a couple of turns with a spatula is all you need. You want ribbons, not a full-on chocolate dough.
Scoop & shape: Grab a tablespoon (or one of those fancy cookie scoops, if you’ve got one), and drop dollops onto the trays. Leave some gap—these guys spread out a bit.
Bake: 10-12 minutes, or until the tops look set and just starting to go golden round the edges. If you like a chewier center (I do), pull them a bit early—they firm up as they cool.
Cool & drizzle: Let them hang out on the trays a couple minutes before sliding them onto a rack. Drizzle the remaining melted chocolate over the tops (or just zigzag with a fork, which is pretty fun). Sometimes, I get bored and just dump it over. Up to you.

Notes from My (Not-So-Perfect) Kitchen

If your dough seems a bit sticky, popping it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes works wonders. Actually, I find it works better if you have the patience for a full hour, but, eh, who has time?
I’ve tried using a silicone spatula and a wooden spoon. The wooden one’s way better for swirls.
Using a good chocolate makes a difference, but I’ve literally made these with 40p supermarket bars and nobody complained.
Last week, I accidentally left the cookies in for an extra three minutes—they went crispy, but still got demolished. So, don’t panic if you lose track of time.

Variations I’ve Actually Tried (Some Worked, Some…Not)

Chucked in some chopped peanuts once for crunch—pretty good, though maybe not for denture wearers.
My cousin swears by swirling in Nutella instead of chocolate. It worked, but somehow it felt a bit too sweet for me.
Attempted a double chocolate version (with cocoa powder in the dough). It looked amazing, but tasted meh. Wouldn’t repeat that one.
Tried a gluten-free flour blend once, and honestly, they turned out alright (but I did need to add a splash of milk; otherwise, they were dry as cardboard). My neighbor found this simple GF baking blend, and it’s worth a look.

If You Don’t Have All the Gear…

No electric mixer? Grab a sturdy wooden spoon and put your back into it.
Missing a cookie scoop? Use a pair of spoons or—even better—your (clean!) hands for a more rustic, chunky finish.
No wire rack? A cold oven tray or even a grill pan will do in a pinch. (I once used the upturned grill tray from the oven, works surprisingly well!)

Keeping These Cookies (Not That They’ll Last…)

Pop cooled cookies in an airtight tin—they’re grand for up to 4 days. Though, honestly, in my house they vanish within 24 hours, so storage is mostly theoretical! If you, miraculously, have leftovers, you can freeze them for a couple of months (not that mine ever see the inside of a freezer).

How I Serve—And Sometimes Spoil—Them

We usually pile them on a plate right when the drizzle has barely set, alongside a massive jug of cold milk or hot chocolate if it’s one of those chilly Northern evenings. For dessert, try sandwiching a scoop of ice cream between two cookies—my brother calls that the ‘crumble sandwich’ because, well, it usually does crumble. Oh, and for some reason, these cookies taste even better at midnight, straight form the tin. No clue why.

Lessons Learned (Mostly the Hard Way)

Give the dough a quick chill—if you don’t, things spread faster than gossip at a village fête. I once tried to skip chilling and all the cookies joined forces into one massive slab. Still delicious, but definitely not Instagram worthy.
Don’t be tempted to mix the chocolate all the way through. Swirls are the star!
Measure your flour—just eyeballing it results in tough cookies (been there, regretted it).
Oh, and leave plenty of space on your trays. Or you’ll get a sort of giant biscuit pizza. Might be fun, but not what you’re after.

FAQs from Friends, Family, and the Internet

Can I use almond butter? Yep, but the taste totally changes—I actually think it’s a bit more subtle and less, I dunno, “cozy”?
Do I really need to chill the dough? Actually, you can skip it, but the cookies run a bit flat…it’s your call—no judging.
Can I use white chocolate? Funny you ask, I tried this once and despite my optimism, it was just too sweet for me, but go for it if that’s your thing.
Egg-free? I haven’t tried it, but my pal recommended flax eggs as a swap. She swears they work in cookies, but I’m a bit old-school about eggs in baking, myself.
How do you get neat swirls? Use a spoon and don’t overthink it. If you want inspiration, check out these swirl techniques from Sally. Or just go random, which is my usual style.
Can I halve (or double) the recipe? Definitely. I do it all the time, especially if I’m only baking for myself (or if it’s one of those “feed the street” bake sales).

Sorry for the ramble—if you actually get to the baking, do let me know how your swirls turn out. And if, say, you end up dropping a tray on the floor, just sweep it up and soldier on. That’s part of the fun, I reckon.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Cookies: My Storied Recipe