These peanut butter brownie cookies are irresistible. Watch out! While they may be only 78 calories each, they tend to disappear quickly.
I adapted this peanut butter version from my own brownie cookie recipe because I wanted a one-bowl (no equipment) version with everyday ingredients. Turns out, I like the taste and texture of these cookies even more! I mean, how could I not? There’s speckles of ooey gooey peanut butter in every. single. bite.
Why This Recipe Works:
- Powdered sugar and eggs make these cookies light, low calorie (78 calories each), and gluten free.
- Peanut butter and chocolate are real supportive pals – when paired together, you get rich, salty, creamy decadence.
- Like a brownie, but light like a meringue-caramel hybrid.
- Common ingredients make this recipe easier than my original brownie cookie recipe that calls for cacao nibs.
- No equipment required – these cookies can be made in a mixing bowl with a whisk or spatula.
FAQ
Why did my cookies stick to the pan? Brownie cookies will stick! To prevent these cookies from sticking, use parchment paper or a Silpat (silicone baking sheet). If you already baked them, wait until they cool and scrape a spatula underneath them to remove.
How to make buckeye brownie cookies? A buckeye is where the peanut butter is in the center of the cookie. Since this recipe involves swirling in the peanut butter, you could drop a ball of peanut butter on the top of each cookie instead.
Can I make these brownie cookies with m & m’s? You can use chocolate or peanut butter m and m’s in place of the chocolate chips!
If I have dutch process cocoa, can I use that instead of cocoa powder? Yes, you can substitute dutch process in this recipe for a darker color and richer chocolate taste.
Why is my batter wet? These are drop cookies – meaning, you drop them on a tray and they bake into rounds. Do not flatten the batter at all because that will cause the cookies to be too thin.
What is the purpose of rotating the trays halfway through? Most people do not have convection ovens – where a fan circulates hot air evenly. Turning the tray part way through is best practice for evenly cooking the cookies.
Why are my cookies over-baked/under-baked? If you follow the time suggested, then you might be scooping more than 1 Tablespoon (larger cookies might need more time) or your oven is not calibrated. I recommend using an oven thermometer so you can make adjustments.
How to Make Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies
In a big mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients – cocoa, powdered sugar, and salt.
Whisk to combine.
Add egg whites plus 1 whole egg and stir (A LOT). This can get a bit messy as the powdered sugar weighs nothing. Work the wetness from the eggs bit by bit…
…keep going…
Great! After a minute or so, you should have a very thick, albeit smooth, chocolate batter.
Here’s the best part: Add the peanut butter and chocolate chips. Don’t stir, but just, swirl a bit. Keep it streaky for a speckled effect.
Bake and rotate the pans halfway through. Enjoy a warm, fudgy cookie with a glass of milk.
Did you make these cookies? Leave a comment to tell everyone how it went!
Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 large egg
- 3 tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 2 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (or a silicone baking sheet).
- Add powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add the egg whites and egg. Whisk a little bit at a time – this will take a few minutes – until fully incorporated and wet. It will be quite thick.
- Add the peanut butter and chocolate chips and just slightly mix. Leave some swirls so the peanut butter will be visible when baked. Spoon 1 Tablespoon of batter, 2" apart to form about 27 cookies. Do not flatten the batter; it will spread as it bakes.
- Bake 7 minutes. Rotate the baking tray and bake another 7 minutes and remove promptly. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the tray.
Notes
Drop Cookies – What should the batter look like?
These are drop cookies – meaning the batter will be wet and sticky.What Do These Cookies Look Like When Baked Properly?
The cookies may appear under-baked right out of the oven. That’s ok. They continue to cook a bit after you remove them. They should not taste burned at all. The inside should be soft and there will be gooey areas where the chocolate chips/peanut butter are concentrated.Nutrition
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These cookies really satisfied my chocolate craving. I’ve been dieting so needed something low calorie. These were a delicious little splurge. They taste more chocolate than peanut butter to me.
Yes, the peanut butter gets muted when baked so you do get more chocolate flavor. Happy to know they satisfied your craving.
I never make stuff like this, I’m not a baker, but they sounded really good and so I tried it and it actually turned out. Really delicious.
Thanks for letting me know. So glad you enjoyed these.
My experience: Bake less time, 10 min v 14 min. Also, there is a variation in what is considered a large egg. If the large eggs look really small, I used 3 egg whites v 2
Thanks Jeanne! I’m glad a 10 minute bake time worked for you. I like these cookies best when they’re on the softer side, so I think the sooner you can remove them (and have them be cooked) the better the end-texture as they cool:)