Dairy-Free Peanut Butter Stuffed Double Chocolate Cookies

If there are two flavors that were absolutely meant to be together, it has to be chocolate and peanut butter. I don’t care how many fancy desserts come along—give me a warm chocolate cookie with a gooey peanut butter center and I am a happy woman.

And apparently, I have passed that opinion down to my family.

These Dairy-Free Peanut Butter Stuffed Double Chocolate Cookies are rich, fudgy, chocolatey, stuffed with a sweet peanut butter filling, and loaded with chocolate chips. Basically, they are everything my husband and two teenage boys could possibly want in a cookie.

And when you live in a house with a husband and two teenage boys, you quickly learn an important lesson: never assume the cookies you just baked will still be there tomorrow.

Seriously.

I can pull a tray out of the oven, turn around to wash the mixing bowl, and somehow three cookies have already disappeared.

Nobody saw anything.

Nobody knows anything.

It’s a mystery.

Every. Single. Time.

What makes these cookies extra special for me, though, is that they’re dairy-free. My youngest son is dairy-free, and I’m always looking for ways to take recipes that look absolutely amazing and make them into something he can enjoy right along with the rest of us.

Because nothing makes me feel worse than making some incredible dessert and then realizing one of my kids can’t eat it.

So when I got the inspiration for these peanut butter stuffed chocolate cookies from @mersgoodeats on Instagram , I immediately thought, I need to make a dairy-free version of these.

Challenge accepted.

And let me tell you, nobody in my house is complaining about the dairy-free version.

Not even a little bit.

These cookies are soft and chocolatey on the outside, with that slightly crisp edge you want from a good cookie. Then you bite into the center and find a sweet, creamy peanut butter filling hiding inside.

Chocolate.

Peanut butter.

More chocolate from the chocolate chips.

Do I really need to say anything else?

Probably not.

But I’m a mom and a food blogger, so of course I’m going to.

The Cookie That Everyone Can Enjoy

Having one dairy-free kid in a house full of people who love desserts has definitely made me more creative in the kitchen.

There are plenty of recipes where making something dairy-free requires a bunch of specialty ingredients or substitutions that completely change the texture. Thankfully, cookies are one of the easiest desserts I’ve found to adapt.

For this recipe, I use Country Crock Plant Butter in place of regular butter and dairy-free chocolate chips instead of traditional milk chocolate chips.

That’s really all it takes.

You still get a buttery-tasting, soft cookie with plenty of richness. If I put a plate of these on the counter and didn’t tell anyone they were dairy-free, I honestly don’t think anyone in my family would ever know.

Actually, they wouldn’t have enough time to analyze them because my teenage boys would already be reaching for their second cookies.

Teenage boys are excellent recipe testers.

They aren’t always excellent at putting their dishes in the dishwasher, but that’s another story.

Why You’ll Love These Dairy-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

First, they’re surprisingly easy.

The peanut butter center makes them look like you spent hours creating some elaborate bakery-style cookie. In reality, you’re making a simple peanut butter filling, freezing it, mixing up a chocolate cookie dough, and wrapping the dough around the frozen peanut butter.

That’s it.

The freezer does most of the hard work for you.

I also love that these cookies are BIG.

We’re not making tiny little two-bite cookies here. Each cookie gets about two tablespoons of chocolate cookie dough plus a peanut butter center.

These are the kind of cookies that look impressive sitting on a plate.

They’re perfect for parties, holidays, bake sales, family get-togethers, or those random Tuesday nights when you’ve had a long day and chocolate feels necessary.

And yes, sometimes chocolate is necessary.

The Secret Is the Peanut Butter Center

The star of these cookies is definitely that hidden peanut butter center.

It’s made with just two ingredients:

Creamy peanut butter and powdered sugar.

That’s it!

Mixing powdered sugar into the peanut butter gives it enough structure that you can roll it into little balls and flatten them slightly.

Then—and this part is important—you freeze them.

Freezing the peanut butter portions for about 30 minutes makes assembling these cookies SO much easier.

If you’ve ever tried wrapping cookie dough around room-temperature peanut butter, you probably already know why.

It’s messy.

The peanut butter squishes out.

Your hands are covered in peanut butter.

The cookie dough is sticking everywhere.

You’re questioning your life choices.

Freezing the filling solves most of those problems.

Once those little peanut butter centers are cold and firm, they’re much easier to tuck inside the chocolate cookie dough.

Don’t Skip Chilling the Chocolate Cookie Dough Either

I know.

This recipe requires waiting twice.

And waiting for cookies is cruel.

But trust me.

After mixing the chocolate cookie dough, I like to refrigerate it for about 30 minutes.

Freshly mixed cookie dough can be pretty soft, especially when you’re using plant butter. Chilling it makes the dough much easier to scoop, flatten, wrap around the peanut butter filling, and roll into a nice ball.

You don’t want to fight with sticky chocolate dough while trying to keep a peanut butter center tucked inside.

Thirty minutes in the refrigerator makes the whole process much easier.

And if you have teenagers circling the kitchen asking, “Are the cookies ready yet?” every six minutes, feel free to send them away.

Mine somehow think asking repeatedly makes cookies bake faster.

It does not.

I’ve tested the theory.

Let’s Make Dairy-Free Peanut Butter Stuffed Double Chocolate Cookies

Before you start making the cookie dough, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

I love lining my baking sheets because it makes cleanup so much easier.

And anything that results in fewer dishes is automatically a win in my house.

Step 1: Make the Peanut Butter Filling

Start with:

• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• ¼ cup powdered sugar

Add the peanut butter and powdered sugar to a small bowl and stir them together until they’re completely combined.

At first, it might look like the powdered sugar doesn’t want to cooperate, but keep mixing. It will come together into a thick peanut butter mixture.

Scoop out roughly tablespoon-sized portions.

Roll each portion between your hands to form a ball, then gently flatten it into a small disk.

You don’t want them paper thin. You’re just flattening them enough so they’ll fit nicely inside the chocolate cookie dough later.

Place each peanut butter disk onto a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate.

Continue until you’ve used all of the peanut butter mixture.

Now place them in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

You want the peanut butter centers to become firm.

This is the perfect time to start making your chocolate cookie dough.

Step 2: Cream the Plant Butter and Sugars

For the chocolate cookie dough, you’ll need:

• ½ cup softened Country Crock Plant Butter
• ⅔ cup light brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar

Add your softened plant butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer.

Beat them together until the mixture becomes creamy and noticeably lighter in color.

Don’t rush this step.

Creaming the butter and sugar helps create the texture of the finished cookie.

I usually stop the mixer at least once and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Somehow there is always a little pocket of butter hiding at the bottom of my mixer bowl.

Sneaky butter.

Once everything looks light, fluffy, and well combined, you’re ready for the next step.

Step 3: Add the Egg and Vanilla

Add:

• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix again until the egg and vanilla are completely incorporated.

Scrape down the sides of your bowl again if necessary.

At this point, your mixture should look smooth and creamy.

And smell amazing.

Vanilla, brown sugar, and butter—even plant butter—might be one of the best combinations in the world.

Step 4: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a separate small bowl, combine:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup Special Dark cocoa powder

Whisk everything together until the cocoa powder is evenly distributed.

I especially love using Special Dark cocoa powder in this recipe because we’re making DOUBLE chocolate cookies.

We’re not looking for a shy little hint of chocolate.

We’re committing.

The dark cocoa gives these cookies that gorgeous deep chocolate color and rich flavor.

Step 5: Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients

With your mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture.

I definitely recommend the word slowly here.

Unless, of course, you’ve always wanted to see what your kitchen looks like covered in cocoa powder.

I’ve learned this lesson the hard way.

Add the dry ingredients a little at a time and mix just until everything is incorporated.

Once you no longer see streaks of flour or cocoa powder, stop mixing.

You don’t want to overmix your cookie dough.

Step 6: Add the Chocolate Chips

Now it’s time for even more chocolate.

Fold in your favorite dairy-free chocolate chips.

Make sure you check the package if you’re baking for someone who needs to strictly avoid dairy, since ingredients can vary between brands.

You can add as many or as few chocolate chips as you prefer. I like enough that you get little pockets of melted chocolate throughout the cookie without completely overwhelming the peanut butter center.

Although I’m not sure there really is such a thing as “too much chocolate.”

My family certainly doesn’t think so.

Fold the chocolate chips gently into the dough until they’re evenly distributed.

Step 7: Chill the Cookie Dough

Cover the cookie dough and refrigerate it for approximately 30 minutes.

This isn’t just one of those annoying recipe steps designed to test your patience.

It really does help.

The cold dough is much easier to handle when you’re wrapping it around the peanut butter centers.

If your kitchen is warm or the dough still feels extremely sticky after 30 minutes, you can let it chill a little longer.

You want it firm enough to handle easily but not rock hard.

 

How to Stuff the Cookies

Now comes the fun part.

Take your peanut butter filling out of the freezer and your chocolate cookie dough out of the refrigerator.

Scoop approximately 2 tablespoons of chocolate cookie dough into your hand.

Gently flatten the dough.

Place one frozen peanut butter disk right in the center.

Now bring the chocolate cookie dough up and around the peanut butter.

You want the peanut butter filling to be completely enclosed.

Pinch together any open seams and gently roll the whole thing between your hands until you have a ball.

Take a second to make sure you don’t see any peanut butter poking through.

If you do, just grab a tiny bit more chocolate dough and patch it.

Congratulations.

You have officially hidden peanut butter inside a chocolate cookie.

It’s basically culinary arts and crafts.

Place the cookie dough ball onto your lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough and peanut butter centers.

Depending on exactly how large you make them, you should end up with approximately 12–15 cookies.

Remember to leave a little room between them on the baking sheet so they can spread while baking.

Baking the Cookies

Bake your cookies in a preheated 350°F oven for 12–14 minutes.

Here’s one of my biggest cookie-baking tips:

Don’t wait until cookies look completely done before taking them out of the oven.

They’ll continue to set as they cool.

For a softer cookie, I like pulling them out when the edges look set but the centers still look slightly soft.

Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for several minutes before trying to move them.

When they’re fresh out of the oven, they’ll be delicate.

And yes, this is also the hardest part of the entire recipe because now your kitchen smells like chocolate and peanut butter and I’m asking you to wait AGAIN.

Cruel, I know.

But give them a few minutes.

Then transfer them to a cooling rack.

Or eat one while it’s still slightly warm.

I’m not here to judge.

In fact, I highly recommend it.

That First Bite

This is the moment.

Break one of these cookies open while it’s still slightly warm and you get that dark chocolate cookie surrounding the soft peanut butter center, with little melted chocolate chips throughout.

It’s ridiculous.

The chocolate cookie itself is rich without being overly sweet. Then the peanut butter center gives you that creamy, slightly salty contrast.

The powdered sugar sweetens the peanut butter just enough to make it taste like a peanut butter candy filling.

My husband loves them.

My boys love them.

And most importantly, my youngest can eat the exact same cookie as everybody else.

No separate batch.

No sad substitute dessert.

No watching everyone else eat something he can’t have.

He gets the real deal.

And as his mom, that makes me love this recipe even more.

Nobody Cares That They’re Dairy-Free

I think people sometimes hear the words “dairy-free dessert” and immediately assume it’s going to taste like a compromise.

These cookies aren’t a compromise.

They’re just really good cookies that happen to be dairy-free.

That’s exactly the kind of dairy-free recipe I want.

I don’t want my son thinking, “This is pretty good for dairy-free.”

I want him thinking, “Can I have another one?”

Mission accomplished.

Actually, maybe accomplished a little too well.

Because now I have a different problem.

Keeping cookies in the house.

Tips for the Best Peanut Butter Stuffed Cookies

First, make sure your plant butter is softened, not melted.

You want it soft enough to cream with the sugars but not so warm that it’s turning liquid.

Second, freeze that peanut butter filling.

Yes, I’m mentioning it again because it really makes a difference.

Third, chill your chocolate dough.

Trying to stuff soft, sticky dough with peanut butter is a recipe for frustration.

Fourth, don’t overmix your cookie dough after adding the flour.

Mix just until everything comes together.

And finally, don’t overbake them.

Cookies can go from soft and fudgy to dry surprisingly quickly.

Start checking them around the 12-minute mark.

Every oven is a little different, so yours may need closer to 12 minutes or closer to 14.

Make Sure Your Ingredients Are Actually Dairy-Free

If you’re making these for someone with a dairy allergy or intolerance, check your individual ingredient labels.

I use plant butter and dairy-free chocolate chips, but brands and formulations can change.

Peanut butter is generally dairy-free, but I still recommend checking the label of whatever brand you’re using.

The same goes for chocolate chips.

Traditional chocolate chips can contain milk ingredients, so don’t assume they’re dairy-free just because they’re dark chocolate.

When I’m cooking for my son, I’ve gotten into the habit of reading labels automatically.

It’s amazing how many foods can contain dairy when you wouldn’t necessarily expect them to.

Can I Make These Ahead of Time?

Absolutely.

This is actually a great cookie recipe to prep ahead.

You can make the peanut butter centers first and keep them frozen while you’re preparing the dough.

You can also prepare and chill the chocolate cookie dough ahead of time.

That makes these perfect if you’re planning to bake for a party or holiday and don’t want to do everything at once.

I love any recipe where I can break the work into smaller pieces.

Busy mom life means I’m constantly starting something, stopping because someone needs me, remembering what I was doing, forgetting again, and eventually finding my coffee sitting cold on the counter.

So yes.

Make-ahead recipes are my friend.

How to Store These Cookies

Once completely cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container.

If your family is anything like mine, this section may be completely unnecessary.

“Storage” implies leftovers.

We don’t always have those.

But theoretically, should you find yourself with leftover cookies, keep them tightly covered so they stay soft.

And if you love a warm cookie, pop one in the microwave for just a few seconds before eating it.

That soft chocolate cookie with the peanut butter center warmed back up?

Dangerous.

You’ve been warned.

Perfect With a Glass of Dairy-Free Milk

These cookies are rich, so they’re absolutely perfect with a cold glass of your favorite dairy-free milk.

Almond milk, oat milk, soy milk—whatever your family prefers.

They’re also pretty fantastic with coffee.

Not that I have experience sneaking one with my morning coffee before my children wake up.

I would never do such a thing.

Okay.

I absolutely would.

And I have no regrets.

Dairy-Free Peanut Butter Stuffed Double Chocolate Cookies

Makes approximately 12–15 cookies

Ingredients

Chocolate Cookie Dough

• ½ cup Country Crock Plant Butter, softened
• ⅔ cup light brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup Special Dark cocoa powder
• Dairy-free chocolate chips, as desired

Peanut Butter Filling

• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• ¼ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven.
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2. Prepare the peanut butter filling.
In a small bowl, mix together the creamy peanut butter and powdered sugar until completely combined.

Scoop the mixture into approximately tablespoon-sized portions. Roll each portion into a ball and gently flatten it into a small disk.

Place the peanut butter disks onto a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate and freeze for approximately 30 minutes, or until firm.

3. Cream the plant butter and sugars.
Add the softened Country Crock Plant Butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer.

Cream together until the mixture is smooth, fluffy, and lighter in color.

4. Add the egg and vanilla.
Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until completely combined. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as necessary.

5. Combine the dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

6. Make the chocolate cookie dough.
With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

Mix only until the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Fold in the dairy-free chocolate chips.

7. Chill the dough.
Cover and refrigerate the chocolate cookie dough for approximately 30 minutes. This makes the dough much easier to handle when stuffing the cookies.

8. Assemble the stuffed cookies.
Scoop approximately 2 tablespoons of chocolate cookie dough into your hand and gently flatten it.

Place one frozen peanut butter disk in the center.

Bring the chocolate cookie dough up and around the peanut butter filling, completely enclosing it.

Pinch any seams closed and gently roll the dough between your hands to form a ball.

Place on the lined baking sheet.

Repeat with the remaining cookie dough and peanut butter filling.

9. Bake.
Bake at 350°F for 12–14 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still appear slightly soft.

10. Cool.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for several minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.

Then try to keep your family from eating all of them before they’re completely cool.

Good luck.

My Final Thoughts

I started making these Dairy-Free Peanut Butter Stuffed Double Chocolate Cookies because I wanted my youngest son to be able to enjoy the same incredible chocolate-and-peanut-butter cookie the rest of us could eat.

They’ve quickly become one of those recipes that I know I’ll make again and again.

They’re decadent without being complicated.

They’re dairy-free without tasting like a “special diet” cookie.

They’re impressive enough to bring to a party but easy enough to make with ingredients I normally have around the house.

And most importantly?

My family absolutely devours them.

There is something so satisfying about breaking open a chocolate cookie and finding that surprise peanut butter center hiding inside.

My teenage boys think they’re amazing.

My husband thinks they’re amazing.

My dairy-free youngest gets to enjoy every gooey, chocolatey, peanut-butter-filled bite right along with everybody else.

And I get approximately 30 seconds to enjoy the satisfaction of having baked a beautiful batch of homemade cookies before someone walks through the kitchen and asks:

“Can I have another one?”

Yes.

You can have another one.

Just please save one for your mother.