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A plate of peanut butter brownie swirl cookies marbled in broad bands of pale peanut butter dough and dark chocolate brownie dough, one broken open

Peanut Butter Brownie Swirl Cookies

Two separate doughs, a peanut butter one and a brownie one, pressed together just enough to marble. The swirl survives the bake because you stop combining them early.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 250
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Peanut Butter Dough
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter not natural style
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
Brownie Dough
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • - Electric mixer or stand mixer
  • - Rubber spatula
  • - Baking sheets
  • Parchment paper

Method
 

The Two Doughs
  1. Cream the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light. Beat in the egg and vanilla, then fold in the flour, baking soda and salt until just combined.
  2. Melt the butter and chocolate chips together in 30-second bursts in the microwave, stirring between each. Set aside until no warmer than your hand.
  3. Whisk the sugar, eggs and vanilla, stir in the cooled chocolate, then fold in the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. The dough should be as stiff as the peanut butter dough; if looser, refrigerate it for 10 minutes.
Shape, Chill and Bake
  1. Scoop 1 tablespoon of each dough. Press the two pieces together and roll once between your palms into a single marbled ball. Do not roll twice.
  2. Space the balls about 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centres still look glossy and underdone.
  4. Leave the cookies on the hot sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Make ahead: shape the balls and refrigerate them for up to 2 days, or freeze them on a tray and bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at the same temperature, adding about 2 minutes.
Storage: airtight at room temperature for 4 days. A slice of sandwich bread in the tin keeps them soft. Baked cookies freeze for 3 months.
Substitutions: crunchy peanut butter in place of creamy; a pinch of flaky salt on each ball before baking; a peanut butter cup pressed into the centre of each ball. Do not swap baking soda and baking powder — soda is about three times as strong and needs the acid from the brown sugar.
Nutrition is an estimate, not a laboratory analysis.