Just like a good go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookies or sugar cookies, a top-notch peanut butter cookie recipe is a must. Because peanut butter can often leave cookies dry and crumbly, I’ve worked hard to test and succeed with a recipe for the softest peanut butter cookies. Many readers say they taste like the inside of a peanut butter cup! Naturally, I’ve taken that foundation recipe and created a few different variations. Because if it works, it works! My peanut butter M&M cookies, peanut butter jam thumbprints, and today’s peanut butter sweetheart cookies are just a few of the spinoffs I’ve created with my trusty peanut butter cookie dough. I know you and your sweetheart will love these festive cookies!
Why Everyone Loves These Peanut Butter Sweetheart Cookies
Soft, thick, and positively packed with peanut butter flavor A peanut butter version of my popular sparkle sweetheart cookies Perfect for stacking and transporting Only 1 hour of cookie dough chilling Great with any variety of chocolate hearts, plain or filled Fun to serve alongside white chocolate red velvet cookies, Valentine’s Day cookies, or any of these Valentine’s Day dessert recipes
Start With My Best Peanut Butter Cookie Dough
We use the same dough here as my soft and thick peanut butter cookies. (Note that those have 1 extra Tablespoon of flour to help hold the shape when flattening with a fork.) One thing that might jump out to you is the shockingly small amount of flour. In cookies, nut butter acts as a binder and can actually replace some of the flour (or all of the flour like in these flourless almond butter cookies). We use 3/4 cup of peanut butter, which still packs a big peanut butter punch without drying out the cookies. For best taste and texture, use a creamy, processed peanut butter like Skippy or Jif. They’ll spread less and won’t be as crumbly. I don’t recommend crunchy peanut butter—the cookies will be sandier/crumblier, will spread more, and will taste a bit dry. Natural peanut butter is OK in a pinch, but the cookies crack and crumble more. You can, however, use natural-style peanut butter in these peanut butter banana chocolate chip oatmeal bars. You have a few options. For a nut-free version of this recipe, swap the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter or Biscoff spread. Or you can try my sparkle sweetheart cookies recipe instead, which uses a cream cheese sugar cookie dough. You could also take these red velvet blossoms or chocolate cherry blossoms and use a chocolate heart candy in place of the Hershey’s Kiss. I used peanut butter-filled Reese’s chocolate hearts in these photos, and below you’ll see cookies and cream chocolate hearts too (below). There are many different kinds and brands of chocolate heart candies available today. Use whatever your heart desires. 😉 Or skip the hearts and try my peanut butter cup cookies instead. If you have leftover candies, you could use them as toppers on these Valentine’s Day Cupcakes. If you find yourself in the mood to make cupcakes for the holiday (red velvet cupcakes, white chocolate strawberry cupcakes, and chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes are popular choices), chocolate hearts are always an easy and festive finishing touch.
Success Tip: Prevent Melting Chocolate Hearts
I mean, these cookies will obviously make your heart melt but maybe you don’t want the chocolate heart to melt too? 😉 After gently pressing the chocolate hearts into the tops of your peanut butter cookies, stick them in the freezer for 10 minutes. This will ensure the chocolate hearts keep their shapes and don’t turn into melty chocolate blobs. Still delicious? Yes. Just not as cute as a bunch of little heart-topped cookies. The refrigerator will also work, but the freezer is most effective. If you don’t have enough room in your refrigerator or freezer for a baking sheet, carefully transfer the cookies to a smaller tray or plate and then freeze.
More Valentine’s Day Treats:
Strawberry & Cream Cookies Raspberry Sugar Cookies Favorite Cheesecake Recipe Small Chocolate Cake (6 Inch) or Chocolate Cake Flourless Chocolate Cake White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
