Vegan peanut butter stuffed cookies

These vegan peanut butter chocolate cookies are stuffed with a sweet and salty peanut butter filling and wrapped in rich, fudgy chocolate dough. If you’ve ever wished a Reese’s cup came in cookie form, Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows are your answer.

This recipe has been on the site since 2009 and it’s one of the most beloved cookies we’ve ever posted — over 300 comments and counting. The name comes from Terry Hope Romero, my longtime co-author, and it stuck because it’s perfect. They really are little pillows. Soft, chocolatey, with a heart of peanut butter that practically melts when you eat them warm out of the oven. We use dutch processed cocoa powder for the deepest chocolate flavor, but regular cocoa works, too.

If you’ve never made stuffed peanut butter cookies before, these are a great place to start. The dough comes together fast and the whole thing is more sculpting than actual baking. Roll a ball of peanut butter filling, flatten some chocolate dough around it, and you’re done. Kids love this part if you can keep them from eating all the filling.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows FAQ:

Can I use regular cocoa powder instead of dutch processed? Yes. Dutch processed gives you a darker color and a deeper, less acidic chocolate flavor, but regular unsweetened cocoa powder works fine. You can also skip the black cocoa entirely and just use a full ½ cup of whatever cocoa you have.

What kind of peanut butter should I use? Natural peanut butter, the kind that’s just peanuts and salt. It gives the filling the right texture and flavor. Conventional peanut butter (like Skippy or Jif) is sweeter and oilier and can make the filling too soft. If that’s all you have, you may need to add a little extra powdered sugar to firm it up.

Can I use a different nut butter? Almond butter or cashew butter both work. Sunflower seed butter is a good nut-free option. Just make sure whatever you use is salted. The sweet-salty contrast is what makes the filling so good.

My chocolate dough is crumbly. What do I do? Add a splash of water or non-dairy milk, about a tablespoon at a time, until it comes together. Since we’re not weighing the flour, the amount of moisture can vary. Mix by hand rather than with an electric mixer for the best texture.

Can I make the dough ahead of time? Yes. Both the chocolate dough and the peanut butter filling can be made a day ahead and stored in the fridge. Let them come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before shaping so they’re easier to work with.

How do I know when they’re done? They’ll look slightly underdone at 10 minutes and that’s what you want. They firm up as they cool. Overbaking makes them dry instead of fudgy.

Can I freeze these? You can freeze the shaped, unbaked cookie balls on a sheet pan, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the bake time. Or freeze baked cookies for up to a month and warm them in the microwave for 10 to 12 seconds.

My filling is too wet / too dry. How do I fix it? Different natural peanut butters have different moisture levels. If the filling is too dry, stir in another tablespoon of non-dairy milk. If it’s too wet, knead in a little more powdered sugar until it holds its shape when rolled into a ball.

Can I make these gluten free? A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend like Bob’s Red Mill seems to be working for everyone! The dough may be slightly more fragile, so handle gently.

How should I store them? In a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They’re good warmed up in the microwave for 10 to 12 seconds — that’s when the peanut butter filling gets all melty again.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows

Rich, fudgy chocolate cookie dough stuffed with a sweet and salty peanut butter filling. These vegan stuffed peanut butter chocolate cookies taste like a homemade Reese's cup in cookie form.
5 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients
  

For the chocolate dough:

  • ½ cup canola oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons non-dairy milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups all purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons black unsweetened cocoa or more dutch processed cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

For the filling:

  • ¾ cup natural salted peanut butter crunchy or creamy
  • ⅔ cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons non-dairy milk
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, sugar, maple syrup, non-dairy milk, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, black cocoa if using, baking soda, and salt. Mix to form a moist dough.
  • Make the filling: In another mixing bowl, beat together the peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, 2 tablespoons of non-dairy milk, and vanilla extract to form a moist but firm dough. If the filling is too dry (different natural peanut butters have different moisture levels), stir in the remaining tablespoon of non-dairy milk. If the dough is too wet, knead in a little extra powdered sugar.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Shape the cookies: Roll the peanut butter dough into 24 balls. Scoop a generous tablespoon of chocolate dough, flatten into a disc, and place a peanut butter ball in the center. Fold the sides of the chocolate dough up and around the peanut butter center and roll into a smooth ball between your palms. Place on a sheet of waxed paper and repeat with remaining dough. If desired, gently flatten cookies slightly, but this is not necessary.
  • Place dough balls on the lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in a tightly covered container. If desired, warm cookies in the microwave for 10 to 12 seconds before serving.
Keyword Cookies, Sweets
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