If there is one thing I will apparently never get tired of, it’s finding new ways to make an already good cookie slightly ridiculous. These Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate M&M Cookies take an already good chocolate cookie (very chocolatey, almost a brownie cookie base) and make it even better by stuffing a thick, creamy peanut butter center inside. They start with my soft and fudgy chocolate cookie dough, get covered in colorful mini M&M’s, and are stuffed with a sweet peanut butter filling before baking.
And honestly, the center is the best part. When you break one of these cookies open, you get that thick layer of peanut butter surrounded by the dark chocolate cookie. It almost looks like a giant peanut butter cup hiding inside a cookie, and the mini M&M’s add just the right amount of crunch and milk chocolate.
These are definitely a bigger, bakery style cookie, but that’s kind of the point.
Why You’ll Love These Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate M&M Cookies
These are based on my Chocolate Mini M&M Cookies, which are already one of my favorite chocolate cookie bases. They’ve got perfectly crispy edges with a fudgy, chewy center.
For this version, I kept that chocolate cookie dough and took things one step further by stuffing each cookie with a homemade peanut butter filling. Then, instead of simply mixing the mini M&M’s into the dough, the outside of each cookie gets covered in them so you get plenty of M&M’s in every bite.
The peanut butter filling is intentionally simple. Creamy peanut butter is mixed with powdered sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt. Freezing the filling before assembling the cookies makes it much easier to wrap the chocolate dough around it and helps create that thick, defined peanut butter center after baking.
How to Make Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate M&M Cookies
Start by making the peanut butter filling. Mix creamy peanut butter with powdered sugar, vanilla and a pinch of kosher salt until smooth and completely combined.
Scoop the peanut butter mixture into approximately 2 teaspoon portions and place them on a parchment or wax paper lined plate or baking sheet. Freeze for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until firm enough to easily handle.
While the filling chills, prepare the chocolate cookie dough. This is the same base as my Chocolate Mini M&M Cookies, so there was no reason to mess with a good thing. The melted butter and combination of granulated and brown sugar give the cookies their soft, chewy texture, while the cocoa powder makes them rich and chocolatey. Cornstarch helps keep the centers nice and soft.
Once the peanut butter portions are firm, take a portion of chocolate cookie dough and flatten it slightly. Place one peanut butter filling portion in the center and bring the cookie dough completely around it. Make sure the peanut butter is fully enclosed, then gently roll the dough into a ball.
Press the outside of each cookie into the mini M&M’s, then chill the assembled cookies before baking. Bake at 350°F until the edges are just set. The centers will still be very soft when they come out of the oven, so leave them on the hot baking sheet for several minutes to finish setting without over baking.
Recipe Tips
Freeze the peanut butter filling. Don’t skip this step! Freezing the individual portions makes it so much easier to completely surround the filling with cookie dough. You want the peanut butter firm enough that it doesn’t squish out while you’re shaping the cookies.
Make the filling sweet enough. The first time I made these, I loved the texture of the peanut butter center but wanted it just a little sweeter. Using ¼ cup powdered sugar with ½ cup peanut butter gives the filling more sweetness while still keeping peanut butter as the dominant flavor.
Use regular creamy peanut butter. A traditional creamy peanut butter works best here rather than natural peanut butter. Natural peanut butter tends to separate and can be much runnier, which makes it harder to get that thick, defined center.
Completely cover the filling. Once you place the frozen peanut butter in the center of your cookie dough, bring the dough completely around it and pinch together any seams. You don’t want any peanut butter exposed before the cookies go into the oven.
Don’t overbake your cookies. This is one of the most important tips from my original Chocolate Mini M&M Cookies. You want these to stay soft and fudgy, especially around that peanut butter center. Pull them from the oven when the edges are set and allow them to finish setting on the hot baking sheet.
Chill the cookie dough. Chilling helps control spreading and gives the dough time to develop more flavor. Keep the remaining cookies refrigerated while each batch bakes so you’re always putting cold cookie dough into the oven.
Use a cookie scoop. Since these are large stuffed cookies, keeping your portions consistent helps them bake evenly. A cookie scoop (I use the largest one in this set) also makes portioning the dough much easier. This is a natural spot to link the cookie scoop you use.
Use a flat cookie sheet. I prefer baking my cookies on a flat cookie sheet rather than a jelly roll pan. I find cookies can brown differently around the edges when baked on pans with higher sides. You can link your favorite cookie sheets here as well.
Reshape them while they’re hot. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, place a large round cookie cutter or glass around each one and gently scoot it in a circular motion. This gives you those perfectly round, bakery style cookies.
Choose whichever cocoa powder you prefer. Natural cocoa powder works great in this cookie dough. If you prefer a darker color and deeper chocolate flavor, you can use dark or Dutch process cocoa powder instead.
Storage & Make Ahead Tips
Store the baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 to 5 days. Because the cookies are intentionally kept soft and fudgy, they stay nice and chewy as they sit. You can also make the peanut butter filling ahead of time. Scoop it into individual portions and keep them chilled or frozen until you’re ready to assemble your cookies.
To freeze the assembled cookie dough, place the stuffed cookie dough balls on a baking sheet and freeze until solid before transferring them to a freezer safe container or bag. They can then be baked from frozen, adding a little additional baking time as needed.
If chocolate and peanut butter is one of your favorite combinations, these cookies need to be next on your list. The fudgy chocolate cookie and crunchy mini M&M’s would already be good on their own, but breaking one open to reveal that thick peanut butter center takes them completely over the top. And if you can eat one while it’s still a little warm, even better. For more cookie recipes, click here!
Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate M&M Cookies
Ingredients
For the filling:
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
For the cookies:
- 1 cup salted butter melted
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar packed down
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder I use Hershey's Special Dark but you can use another brand or natural cocoa powder as well!
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups mini M&Ms
Instructions
For the filling:
- Line a small baking sheet or plate with parchment or wax paper. Add the peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt to a medium bowl and mix until smooth and completely combined.
- Scoop the peanut butter mixture into approximately 2 teaspoon portions and place on the prepared baking sheet. Freeze for 20 to 30 minutes, or until firm.
For the cookies:
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Mix on low until combined. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda and kosher salt. Mix just until a chocolate cookie dough forms.
- Scoop 20 even cookie dough balls. Take each dough ball and flatten it slightly. Place one frozen peanut butter filling portion in the center. Bring the chocolate cookie dough up and completely around the peanut butter filling. Pinch any seams closed and gently roll into a ball.
- Pour the mini M&Ms into a shallow dish. Press the top of the cookie dough into the mini M&M’s, then place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough and peanut butter filling. Cover and chill the assembled cookies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange 4-5 of the chilled cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet, leaving plenty of room between each one. Keep the remaining cookie dough refrigerated while each batch bakes.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes, or until the edges are just set and the centers still look soft. Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, use a large round cookie cutter or glass to gently reshape them if needed.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack.