Hazelnut spread peanut butter cookies are thick, chewy cookies made from a brown sugar dough with a full cup of chocolate hazelnut spread and a full cup of peanut butter folded in. They take fifteen minutes to prepare, bake in twelve, and make two dozen cookies that stay soft for days.
The two spreads replace some of the flour and fat, so the cookies bake up dense and fudgy with crisp edges and a soft, almost brownie like center. Brown sugar adds moisture and a hint of molasses, and the peanut butter balances the sweetness of the chocolate, so each bite lands somewhere between a cookie and a candy bar.
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What Makes Hazelnut Spread Peanut Butter Cookies Special
Two spreads give a rich, chewy cookie without chilling the dough.
Brown sugar keeps the centers soft.
Drop cookies need no rolling or cutting.
Ingredients for Hazelnut Spread Peanut Butter Cookies
- The dough is one cup of softened unsalted butter, one cup of light brown sugar, one cup of granulated sugar, two large eggs, and two teaspoons of vanilla extract.
- The dry ingredients are three cups of all purpose flour, one teaspoon of baking soda, and half a teaspoon of salt, plus one cup of chocolate hazelnut spread and one cup of peanut butter.
Chocolate hazelnut spread. It adds chocolate and nutty flavor.
Peanut butter. It adds salty richness.
Brown sugar. It keeps the cookies chewy.
Butter. It gives the edges their crisp.
Baking soda. It helps them spread and rise.
Baking Hazelnut Spread Peanut Butter Cookies Step by Step
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. Cream. Beat the butter and both sugars until pale and creamy, then beat in the eggs and vanilla.
3. Add the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt, then mix them into the butter mixture.
4. Fold in the spreads. Fold in the chocolate hazelnut spread and the peanut butter until the dough is evenly streaked.
5. Bake. Drop rounded spoonfuls two inches apart and bake for ten to twelve minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look soft.
Take the cookies out when the centers still look slightly underdone. They keep cooking on the hot pan, and they set into a chewy texture as they cool. Overbaked cookies turn dry and crumbly because of the peanut butter, so trust the timer more than the color of the tops.
Measure the flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off. Scooping directly from the bag packs in too much and makes the dough stiff and dry. If the dough feels sticky, chill it for twenty minutes, which firms the spreads and makes the cookies thicker.
Serving Ideas for Hazelnut Spread Peanut Butter Cookies
Serve the cookies warm with cold milk or coffee, or sandwich two with ice cream. For more cookies and peanut butter sweets, try crisscross peanut butter cookies, hazelnut filled chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookie cups, or soft double chocolate chip cookies.
Making Hazelnut Spread Peanut Butter Cookies Ahead
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Freeze the baked cookies for up to three months, or freeze scoops of dough on a tray and bake them from frozen, adding a minute or two. A slice of bread in the container keeps the cookies soft.
Tips and Swaps for Hazelnut Spread Peanut Butter Cookies
Flag the allergens. These cookies contain wheat, eggs, milk, peanuts, and tree nuts, so check every label.
Do not taste raw dough. Do not taste the raw dough, since it contains raw eggs and raw flour, and wash your hands and tools after mixing.
Check the doneness. The edges should be set and the tops should look matte.
Use creamy peanut butter. Crunchy makes uneven cookies.
Chill the dough. It makes thicker cookies.
Add chips. A half cup works well.
Use a scoop. It makes even cookies.
Check trusted guidance. Read the Purdue Extension guide to storing leftovers for safe storage of baked goods with eggs.
For a saltier cookie, sprinkle flaky salt on the tops as they come out of the oven. For a sweeter one, press a few chocolate chips into the dough balls before baking. Each change keeps the same time and makes the cookies look neat.
If you only have one spread, you can use two cups of either, but the flavor changes. All hazelnut spread gives a milder chocolate cookie, and all peanut butter gives a classic one. You can also scale the recipe in half, which makes a dozen cookies and bakes in the same time.
Questions About Hazelnut Spread Peanut Butter Cookies
Why are hazelnut spread peanut butter cookies so soft?
The spreads and brown sugar keep the crumb moist.
Can you make hazelnut spread peanut butter cookies ahead of time?
Yes. Freeze the dough and bake as needed.
Can you freeze hazelnut spread peanut butter cookies?
Yes, for up to three months.
Can I use crunchy peanut butter?
Yes, but the cookies will be less even.
Do I need to chill the dough?
No, but chilling makes thicker cookies.
Hazelnut Spread Peanut Butter Cookies
Equipment
- 2 baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
- 1 cup peanut butter
Instructions
Cooking
- Heat. Heat the oven to 350 F and line two sheets.
- Cream. Beat the butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla.
- Dry. Mix in the flour, soda, and salt.
- Fold. Fold in both spreads.
- Bake. Drop spoonfuls and bake 10 to 12 minutes.
