These peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are three cookies rolled into one, and my boyfriend Gabe’s favorite.

I know these cookies sound like a lot – like three different cookies in one – and honestly, they are. But peanut butter cookies are amazing, and chocolate chip cookies are amazing, and oatmeal cookies are amazing, so can you really go wrong with combining them all into one cookie? Absolutely not, and these peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are proof of that fact. I don’t really think I need to describe their flavor to you, because you can probably imagine it: richly nutty from the peanut butter, earthy from the oatmeal, and subtly sweet from chocolate chips. And they’re most definitely my new favorite way to make chocolate chip cookies.

MY BOYFRIEND’S FAVORITE

Early on in dating, I asked my boyfriend Gabe what is favorite desserts were, to keep the information in my back pocket for holidays and birthdays. But of course he had to make things difficult for me, because instead of being obsessed with anything sweet like most people are, he’s actually not a huge dessert person. He loves ice cream and sorbet, and any dessert that’s really tart, but other than that he’s not big on cakes and pastries. But there are two cookies that he loves, a lot: rainbow cookies, and these peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I made him rainbow cookies a few years ago for Valentine’s day, and since I don’t want to keep making the same treats for him year after year, I decided to try out making these cookies for his birthday this past year.

This peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe comes from an old recipe of one of Gabe’s roommates. I finally got him to give the recipe to me, which was hand-written in a very cryptic way on an index card, as most old recipes tend to be. After deciphering the actual recipe, I realized how easy these cookies really are to make. It’s essentially a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe with the addition of peanut butter and oatmeal, and you make them in the same way you would any chocolate chip cookie. Cream together the sugar, butter, and egg (this time with the addition of peanut butter), combine with the dry ingredients, then add the mix-ins (chocolate chips and peanut butter) and bake.

A TREAT FOR LATER

Like I said, I made these peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for Gabe’s last birthday. I wanted to make him a special treat, but I was actually traveling right around the time of his birthday and didn’t have a ton of free time to bake something for him. But these cookies turned about to be the perfect thing, because I actually made the dough about a week before I needed them and froze it. After making the dough, I simply spooned it into cookie-size balls and froze them flat on a tray for about an hour. Once nice and hard, I transferred them to a ziplock bag for storage. Then, the night before his birthday, I threw them into the oven (for a minute or two longer than usual, since they were baking from frozen), and he had a tray of cookies to wake up to.

Once frozen, this cookie dough actually lasts up to 3 months in the freezer. That makes them the perfect treat for a crowd when you don’t feel like spending time in the kitchen, for an impromptu gathering when you don’t have anything prepared, or even for a little after dinner treat for yourself.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

These peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are three cookies rolled into one, and my boyfriend Gabe's favorite.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8

Course Dessert

Servings 8 people

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick (8 tbsp) butter, room temperature
1/2 cup peanut butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare two baking sheets by spreading them with parchment paper.
Prepare your dry ingredients. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.
Prepare your wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, beat together the butter, peanut butter, brown and white sugars and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Add in the egg and beat until combined.
Slow incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet, mixing until well combined.
Add in the rolled oats and chocolate chips and stir with a rubber spatula until combined.
Scoop dough into 2 tbsp sized balls and roll until round, then transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 3 inches apart, as they will spread. Bake until browned but still soft, 10 minutes.*
Allow the cookies to cool one minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

*The cookie dough can be prepared and rolled into balls in advance, then frozen. Lay the balls of dough flat on a plate or baking sheet and freeze until solid, 1 hour. Then you can transfer the balls of dough to a ziplock bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months. To bake from frozen, simply place the frozen cookie dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350 for just slightly longer, about 12-14 minutes.