Peanut Butter Chocolate Heart Cookies
I love Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies for Christmas, but this sweet variation is the perfect choice for Valentine’s Day! Peanut Butter Chocolate Heart Cookies are made with a soft, chewy, peanut butter cookie dough and a chocolate heart candy in the middle. So easy, so good. Kids love helping with this recipe too! Make a double batch for even more fun!
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If you are digging this recipe, you should also try my Marbled Heart Cookies or Peanut Butter Oreo Cookies!
I love creating holiday-themed recipes, particularly for Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Both of these holidays were just made for cookies! This year I also shared my Iced Marbled Heart Cookies and Frosted Strawberry Cookies—Mmmm!
This recipe is a variation on my base peanut butter cookie recipe. Classic peanut butter blossom cookies use Hershey’s Chocolate Kisses for the chocolate and this variation uses Hershey’s Chocolate Hearts.
These are easy to make and once the chocolate is fully set they pack well easily too. Perfect for Valentine’s Day gifting!
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Great Things About This Recipe
- The peanut butter base is soft and chewy–never dry!
- You can get creative and replace the chocolate heart with another favorite chocolate candy. Dark chocolate peanut butter cups from Trader Joe’s would be amaaazing.
- These cookies are great for gifting! Do mindful of any peanut allergies.
Recipe Testing Notes:
In the age of AI-generated content, I like to share how I’ve created and tested my recipes.
One of the things I tested with this recipe was the optimal time to press the chocolate hearts into the cookies. I found that waiting up to 2 minutes worked just fine, but did not make a difference in how much the chocolates melt. I suggest pressing them in right away for simplicity’s sake.
Do note though, the chocolate hearts will melt completely! They do not lose their shape, but should not be stacked until completely set (usually overnight or several hours).
The chocolate hearts are pressed into the cookies after they come out of the oven, so after a few minutes they will melt completely. No worries though, the hearts will keep their shape! Just don’t touch them or jostle them too much.
You will want to plan for several hours for the chocolate to set again. Once cool, I usually pack them into my rectangle storage containers in a single layer and allow them to harden overnight. After that you can pack them in gifting bags or boxes no problem.
I found that the chocolate hearts were much easier to pack than the chocolate Kiss cookies–the Kiss candies just do not pack as neatly!
My Favorite Cookie Scoops: While you can find cookie scoops just about anywhere these days, I prefer the Vollrath dishers.
The best part about these scoops? They are color-coded! Brilliant!
They are found in restaurant supply stores, or more easily on Amazon. I used the purple #40 scoop for these cookies (and many of my other recipes!).
Ingredients in Peanut Butter Heart Cookies
A few notes on some of the ingredients used in the cookies:
All-Purpose Flour – I use all-purpose flour in my baking. It’s very very important to measure your flour correctly. Never pack flour into a measuring cup. Use a food scale for best results.
Peanut Butter – Use conventional/regular peanut butter. The natural or organic variations have not been tested in this recipe (they are far more oily). You can use a chunky or extra-chunky peanut butter if you wish!
Chocolate Candy Hearts – I used Hershey’s Extra Creamy Hearts.
Other ingredients: In addition to the ingredients discussed above, also gather unsalted butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt.
Substitutions
You can experiment with the chocolate candy option in the middle of the cookies. Chocolate kisses are the traditional candy used, but mini peanut butter cups are also great and even white chocolate hearts or candies would be yummy too!
How to Make the Cookies!
Here’s a summary of how this recipe is made. Find the complete ingredients list and full instructions within the printable recipe card below!
The peanut butter dough comes together quickly with a hand mixer. After the dough is ready, we’ll chill it for 2 hours (though you can make it ahead a few days in advance if you wish). Then, allow the dough to sit at room temp for 15-25 minutes while the oven preheats.
After the cookies are scooped and baked, a chocolate heart is gently pressed into the center of each piping hot cookie. The cookie edges may crackle a bit–this is totally fine and just adds to the charm!
The chocolates will melt completely, but maintain their heart shape. You want to be careful with these cookies until they are totally set! I usually pack them in single layers in airtight containers once they are cool. Once they have rested several hours and the chocolates have hardened, it’s safe to stack them.
How to Store or Make Ahead
These cookies keep really well. I think they are BEST on & before day 3, but they still taste amazing on day 4 and 5. If you want to make them waaay ahead, you can also freeze them as directed below.
How to Freeze
Allow cookies to cool completely. Allow chocolates to set completely. Pack in layers (wax paper in-between is great if you have it) in a freezer-safe container or wrap cookies (packs of two works well) in plastic wrap and then place in a zip-top freezer storage bag.
Cookies keep best in my freezer for 1-2 months, but I’ve found my deep freezer will keep them even longer! If you know that your freezer tends to “freezer burns” food items, then stick to 4-6 weeks max.
FAQS for Cookies
Sometimes cookies just do not turn out well!
There is always a reason why and the following troubleshooting advice might help you figure it out!
No one wants dry peanut butter cookies. This recipe was carefully tested to be perfectly soft and chewy–and not dry at all! So, this problem could be one of two of things. First, the flour may have been measured incorrectly. If too much flour was added, the dough probably felt dry and crumbly. I highly suggest always using a scale when you bake!
Or, the cookies might be overbaked. These cookies should be baked until they are just golden brown on the edges. If you struggle to get perfectly done cookies, bake a tester cookie before you bake the others (noting that a full tray of cookies will need just a tiny bit more time than a single cookie).
This problem is usually caused by a dough that is too warm. Perhaps the butter was too melty or you are working in a very warm kitchen. If the dough seems too sticky and hard to work with, give it an hour or two in the fridge to chill before baking.
Cookies can burn if left in the oven too long of course, but if you have consistent issues with burnt edges and overcooked baked goods, it’s time to invest in an oven thermometer. If the oven temp is off it will negatively affect your baking–and even the best recipes won’t work correctly.
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Related Recipes
- Peanut Butter Oreos
- Heart-Shaped Marbled Sugar Cookies
- Strawberry Pretzel Pie Cookies
- Single Sugar Cookie
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Heart Cookies
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 ounces, room temperature
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed 3.5 ounces
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar 2.5 ounces
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 4.5 ounces
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 6.25 ounces
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar optional, for rolling cookies in
- chocolate candy hearts, unwrapped (I used these ones)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer with beaters to cream together softened butter and the sugars. Beat until totally combined and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add peanut butter and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add egg and beat until just combined.
- Sprinkle the flour, baking soda, and salt over the mixture and mix on low or use a (spatula to fold together) until combined and no streaks of flour remain. The dough will be soft and a bit sticky.
- Chill dough for two hours or up to two days.
- Remove dough from fridge and allow to soften at room temperature for 15-25 minutes. It should be easily scooped at this point. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Use a #40 scoop (1.5 tablespoons) to scoop cookies. Optional: roll in granulated sugar. I forgot when I took the pictures and they are delish either way!
- Place on baking sheet 2” apart. Bake a single sheet for 9-11 minutes or until cookies are puffed, lightly crackled on top, and the edges are golden. Don’t overbake. Immediately after pulling the cookies from the oven, press an unwrapped chocolate heart into each cookie. The sides may crackle, which is just fine!
- Cookies will be puffy and then flatten as they cool. Cool on the cookie sheets for about 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
