These scrumptious peanut butter chocolate half moon cookies showcase the greatest flavor combination in the dessert world: peanut butter and chocolate. Use this simple homemade peanut butter cookie recipe and dip halfway into a rich and fudge-like chocolate coating. The cookies are sweet, a little salty, chewy and soft-baked with slightly crisp edges.
The recipe is slightly adapted from King Arthur Baking Company The Essential Cookie Companion cookbook, a must-have book in any cookie lover’s kitchen!
This recipe is part of my annual Christmas cookie countdown called Sally’s Cookie Palooza. Every year since 2013, I work on a handful of new Christmas cookie recipes and publish the 10 best ones for readers to enjoy! You can browse dozens of recipes on the Sally’s Cookie Palooza page.
If you’re a baker, surely you’re familiar with King Arthur Baking Company. I’ve used their signature flour exclusively in my kitchen for ages– and I’m not being compensated for this post or to say this– I’m truly a huge fan and follow their blog closely. Their recipes are trusted, their products are high quality, and their baking inspiration is aplenty.
King Arthur Baking Company The Essential Cookie Companion
They recently published a newly revised and updated cookbook called The Essential Cookie Companion. I’ve had the original version of this giant book for years and this newly revised version provides a fresh spin with over 400 cookie recipes that are approachable for beginners and experts alike. Yes… 400! I was even lucky enough to author a blurb for this beauty:
“When it comes to recipes, you can trust King Arthur Baking Company to deliver the very best―and The Essential Cookie Companion is no exception. Bakers of any skill level will appreciate the in-depth instructions. The successful, freshly baked cookies are, of course, a delicious bonus!” – ME!
It’s just a really great cookbook to have in your collection because it covers a vast range of cookie recipes including entire chapters on sugar cookies, oatmeal cookies, biscotti, shortbread, peanut butter cookies, and brownies plus chapters for bar cookies, drop cookies, roll-out cookies, shaped cookies, no-bake cookies, and more. Not all of the cookie recipes have photos to go with them, but there are many illustrations depicting specific steps plus a lengthy Getting Started section explaining techniques, tools, how to create thoughtful cookie packages, an ingredient weight chart, and more. All of the recipes include weight + volume ingredient measurements. I especially love the Create-a-Cookies on page 365 and used Peanut Chocolate Half Moons on page 68 for today’s recipe.
Today’s new cookie recipe is adapted from the cookbook. The process and ingredients are exactly the same only I chill the cookie dough for 1 hour to prevent over-spreading and added more chocolate to the topping.
Tell Me About These Peanut Butter Chocolate Half Moon Cookies
- Flavor: Enjoy peanut butter, peanuts, and chocolate in these sweet and slightly salty brown sugared cookies. The recipe says you can use add-ins such as peanut butter chips, butterscotch morsels, chocolate chips, or a combination. I actually opted for dry-roasted peanuts to really amp up the peanut flavor like I do in my peanut butter snickerdoodles. They also provided a little crunch to the finished cookie.
- Texture: If you avoid over-baking, the peanut butter chocolate half moons are soft and chewy with slightly crisp edges. The chocolate coating, made from chocolate, butter, and a little corn syrup, is rich and fudge-like. I love that the chocolate isn’t just melted chocolate– it’s a soft fudge icing and eventually sets.
- Ease: This is an easy 1 bowl cookie dough without any fussy steps. Shaping the cookie dough is as simple as dropping it on a lined baking sheet by the tablespoonful. Do not roll the dough in your hands because I tried that and the cookies over-spread. Coating half of the cookies in chocolate requires you to dip them. When it comes to cookie decorating, that’s certainly easy!
- Time: The recipe in the book does not require you to chill the cookie dough, but I found a 1 hour chill in the refrigerator helpful for the cookies to hold shape. The rest of the cookie recipe moves very quickly. Bake the cookies at 375°F (191°C), a slightly higher temperature than some cookie recipes to help set the shape quickly.
Quick Overview: How to Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Half Moons
The cookie dough comes together in just 1 mixing bowl. The butter and brown sugar are creamed with salt, baking soda, and vanilla extract. I found it interesting to cream the butter and brown sugar with these other ingredients, but understand that this is to evenly distribute those flavors and leavening in this 1 bowl dough. After that, add the egg and peanut butter one at a time and finally, beat in the flour and your add-in. Expect a super soft and creamy dough. Cover and chill for 1 hour before baking the cookies.
Chocolate Icing
You need pure baking chocolate or high-quality chocolate chips, softened butter, and a little corn syrup. The butter and corn syrup give the icing flexibility so it sets into a soft and thick fudgy consistency vs a hard chocolate coating. It’s wonderfully rich and 1 batch of these peanut chocolate half moons didn’t even last a day with a crew of taste testers.
- They’re almost like a peanut butter version of black and white cookies and a frosted version of peanut butter chocolate swirl cookies. These peanut butter chocolate cookies also deserve a shout out for all the peanut butter + chocolate lovers out there. So many cookies, so little time!
I had some extra peanuts nearby so I chopped and sprinkled them on top of the chocolate while it was still wet. That’s completely optional but makes a pretty finishing touch. You could also add flaky sea salt (so good here!).
I hope you enjoy these beautiful peanut butter chocolate half moons and if you have a moment, check out The Essential Cookie Companion!
Print
Peanut Butter Chocolate Half Moons
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes (includes chilling)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes (includes icing setting time)
- Yield: 30 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These peanut butter chocolate half moons combine soft and chewy peanut butter cookies with a fudge-like chocolate icing. The recipe is slightly adapted from King Arthur Baking Company The Essential Cookie Companion cookbook.
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1/2 cup (8 Tablespoons; 1 stick; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (213g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (135g) peanut butter, creamy or chunky*
- 1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (170g) peanuts, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, or chocolate chips, or a combination*
Chocolate Icing
- two 4-ounce semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate bars (226g total), chopped (about 1 and 1/2 cups)*
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons (40g) light corn syrup
- optional garnish: flaky sea salt or finely chopped peanuts
Instructions
- Make the cookies: In a large mixing bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, and baking soda on medium-high speed. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine. Add the egg and beat until light and fluffy. Add the peanut butter, beating until well blended. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine. Beat in the flour and peanuts/chips on low speed until the dough is cohesive. Dough will be soft and creamy.
- Cover cookie dough and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour and up to 3 days before baking. If chilling for longer than 2 hours, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for at least 20-30 minutes before baking.
- Towards the end of chill time, preheat oven to 375°F (191°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Drop the dough by the Tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes or until very lightly browned around the edges. Cookies will appear very soft, but will become chewy and slightly crispy as they cool. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the icing: In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter together stirring constantly over low heat. OR microwave in a medium heat-proof bowl in 20 second increments, stirring after each until completely melted. Stirring is essential as the butter/chocolate may separate otherwise. Once smooth, remove from heat and stir in the corn syrup. Dip half of each cooled cookie into the chocolate (to make a half-moon effect) and, if desired, lightly sprinkle crushed peanuts or flaky sea salt on the chocolate. Return the cookies to the cooling rack to set, about 1-2 hours. Feel free to place cookies in the refrigerator to speed up the setting time.
- Dipped cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Baked cookies with or without chocolate icing freeze well up to three months. Though I don’t recommend rolling this dough into balls and baking (just drop by the Tablespoonful as instructed), you can roll the dough into 1 Tablespoon balls and freeze them for up to three months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Here’s how to freeze cookie dough.
- Peanut Butter: You can use creamy or crunchy peanut butter in this cookie recipe. I tested with natural and non-natural varieties and both worked.
- Peanuts or Other Add-Ins: I used salted dry-roasted peanuts as the add-in in this cookie dough. You can use unsalted and/or raw peanuts if desired. Instead you can use any of the listed add-ins including peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, or chocolate chips. Or use a combination totalling 1 cup.
- Chocolate: You can certainly use 1 and 1/2 cups (or anywhere between 220-270g) high quality chocolate chips, but I love using chopped baking chocolate. Baking chocolate is sold in the baking aisle as 4 ounce bars, so you need 2. Feel free to use semi-sweet or bittersweet.
- Adapted from King Arthur Baking Company The Essential Cookie Companion. The recipe is wonderful and found on page 68 in the cookbook. I added a chill time which helps make slightly thicker cookies as pictured. I also reduced the corn syrup in the icing and added 1/2 cup extra chocolate to the icing so it makes a little more. (I dip the cookies heavily!) This printable recipe includes those 2 small changes. A little garnish of crushed peanuts or sea salt is optional.
Keywords: peanut butter chocolate half moon cookies
I was hesitant about the chocolate after reading the comments, but I had no problems. I followed the ingredients per the recipe. I used a double boiler and kept stirring the chocolate mixture throughout. I even stirred with one hand while dipping the cookie in with the other- and put the sea salt on with the free hand as well. No issues and very yummy.
★★★★★
Hi. I have the cookie dough on chill. After reading the chocolate comments, I don’t know what to do. Carry on or skip it?
Hi Sarah, the chocolate dip has been giving readers trouble as it’s quite thick. Instead, I would just melt the chocolate and not add the other ingredients (butter and corn syrup).
I had the same issue with the chocolate seizing up. I couldn’t believe it because Sally’s recipes always work. I made it THREE times before switching to another recipe. I didn’t read these comments before making it because I have found that I could trust that her recipes work (unless it’s my own user error). I recommend changing this recipe to avoid causing so many people a headache.
I buy peanut butter from my local farmers market that is ground peanuts only, nothing else. Do you think this will work in this recipe?
Hi Rebecca, we did test this recipe with both natural and processed peanut butter and both worked. Your cookies will be more crumbly with the peanut butter you mention.
I love your recipes Sally!
I am tracking my food intake and was wondering where I can find the nutritional information for your recipes?
Hi Noula! We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
The cookies themselves are great!
But,,,,,,,,,,, I too had issues with the chocolate seizing up. TWICE.
I followed the directions exactly, so not sure what I did wrong. 🙁
★★★★
Hi Lynda! Did you use pure baking chocolate? Any tiny bit of water in the bowl will cause the chocolate to seize. Make sure to use a very clean and dry bowl to make the chocolate icing.
I had the same chocolate issues! The first recipe I’ve ever had any issues with from Sally. I also ended up just using melted chocolate and that worked great! The cookies themselves were delicious and super soft.
Since I started baking during COVID. I’ve used only sallys website for my Baking fun! But yeah looks like I’m not the only one who had issues with the chocolate. I wasted so much chocolate trying to get it to work but it kept separating. Googling solutions it seems it’s rare to mix the two because the moisture causes problems. After wasting chocolate, I ended up just melting chocolate only and dipping the cookie in that, no butter or syrup. If that’s from the original review. I don’t think thats good for your average baker. Because when I tried chocolate no butter, when I added the syrup it messed up too. So if you’re having trouble I’d say, just melt the chocolate alone.
★★
Usually love all of your recipies – was unfortunately disappointed in this one. The cookies were great but the icing wasn’t. I tried multiple times & read the comments for tips. The icing is way too thick and won’t stick to the cookies at all. It needs to be adjusted. Having to give these to a friend without the icing.
★★
This recipe was amazing! I added some marshmallows to the batter with the chocolate chips. The gooey marshmallows were an amazing addition!
★★★★★
These. Are. Yummy!
Second time making these and not disappointed . So delicious and so easy to combination of peanuts and chocolate is perfect! Made them smaller this time as I am gifting them along with other goodies for Valentine’s!
★★★★★
These cookies are absolutely delicious and a big hit at a recent family gathering. My chocolate was too thick though. It was more of a scoop than a dip. No one else noticed (or cared) but I’m curious as to why that happened. The only difference was that I substituted organic blue agave for the corn syrup. I will definitely make these again even if I never solve the thickness problem. I highly recommend!
★★★★★
These were a hit with my family. I followed your directions for the ganache and it is thick! Is there any way to thin the chocolate after it’s already been made according to the recipe?
★★★★
Hi Meg, We are glad your family enjoyed these! If your chocolate is too thick, it’s possible it simply cooled down too much before dipping. If you try again you can try keeping it over very low heat until you are finished dipping your cookies to make it easier.