With a chocolate heart candy nestled on top, these super soft sweetheart peanut butter Valentine’s Day cookies are the February version of peanut butter blossoms!
I originally published this recipe in 2012 and have since added new photos, a video, and more helpful success tips.
Just like a good go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookies or sugar cookies, a top-notch peanut butter cookie recipe is a must. Because peanut butter can often leave cookies dry and crumbly, I’ve worked hard to test and succeed with a recipe for the softest peanut butter cookies. Many readers say they taste like the inside of a peanut butter cup!
Naturally, I’ve taken that foundation recipe and created a few different variations. Because if it works, it works! My peanut butter M&M cookies, peanut butter jam thumbprints, and today’s peanut butter Valentine’s Day cookies are just a few of the spinoffs I’ve created with my trusty peanut butter cookie dough.
I know you and your sweetheart will love these festive cookies!
One reader, Jennie, commented: “Just a quick comment. I have made these cookies for many years. I use your recipes so often and the valentine chocolate hearts caught my attention. I thought my recipes were pretty good but yours is a ‘WOW’! Even my husband commented on these. So, I’ll just delete all other peanut butter cookie recipes now… I have found the best. ★★★★★“
Another reader, Amy, commented:“These are delicious and so soft. Traditional peanut butter cookies crumble after a day but these are completely delicious. Thank you for adjusting the old standard and making these so amazing. ★★★★★“
And another reader, Melanie, commented: “Another winner Sally! The cookie part is irresistible! Everyone commented on how beautiful they were too! I’m going to try it with different candies for year-round. Heck I may leave the candy out and just eat the cookie! ★★★★★”
Why Everyone Loves These Peanut Butter Valentine’s Day Cookies
Start With My Best Peanut Butter Cookie Dough
We use the same dough here as my soft and thick peanut butter cookies. (Note that those have 1 extra Tablespoon of flour to help hold the shape when flattening with a fork.)
- Flour: We use all-purpose flour as the base of these peanut butter cookies. You may look at the recipe and wonder why there’s so little flour. Did you know that nut butters act as a binder and can actually replace some or all flour in cookie recipes? See these flourless almond butter cookies and flourless monster cookies. Using more flour will dry out the cookies, so stick with the recipe below.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda helps the cookies rise.
- Salt + Vanilla Extract: Use both salt and vanilla extract for flavor.
- Sugars: Use a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar in this recipe. Both for sweetness, and brown sugar for extra softness.
- Egg: One egg binds everything together; the cookies would fall apart without it.
- Butter: Butter adds flavor and structure. Make sure you have proper room-temperature butter before beginning.
- Peanut Butter: Peanut butter is the most important ingredient for peanut butter cookies. For best results, use processed peanut butter like Jif or Skippy—the same I recommend for my peanut butter balls and peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.
- Chocolate Heart Candies: I love these cookies with Reese’s peanut butter creme hearts, which provide a soft, meltaway texture in addition to extra peanut butter flavor. But you can use any chocolate heart candy you like here, such as Dove or Hershey’s chocolate hearts; just keep in mind those have a firmer texture.
These Step-by-Step Photos Will Help
You can find the full written recipe below, but let me walk you through these steps. These cookies are quick and simple—a welcome recipe during a busy holiday season.
Make the dough. You’ll combine the dry and wet ingredients separately, and then together. Expect a very soft cookie dough:
Chill the dough for at least 1 hour to help solidify it, which helps guarantee your peanut butter sweetheart cookies will hold shape in the oven. Cold dough is also easier to portion and roll. After the dough chills, roll into balls about 1 heaping Tablespoon in size (about 25g each).
It’s optional, but for a little sparkle, roll each cookie dough ball in a little granulated sugar:
Success Tip: Prevent Melting Chocolate Hearts
I mean, these peanut butter Valentine’s Day cookies will obviously melt your heart, but maybe you don’t want the chocolate heart to melt too? 😉
The first thing I recommend to prevent the chocolate from melting and losing their heart shape is to let the cookies cool for 5 minutes after baking, before you add the chocolate hearts on top.
After very gently pressing the chocolate hearts into the tops of your peanut butter cookies, place them in the freezer for 10 minutes. This will ensure the chocolate hearts keep their shapes and don’t turn into melty chocolate blobs.
The refrigerator will also work, but the freezer is most effective. If you don’t have enough room in your refrigerator or freezer for a baking sheet, carefully transfer the cookies to a smaller tray or plate and then freeze.
For best taste and texture, use a creamy, processed peanut butter like Skippy or Jif. They’ll spread less and won’t be as crumbly. I don’t recommend crunchy peanut butter—the cookies will be sandier/crumblier, will spread more, and will taste a bit dry. Natural peanut butter is OK in a pinch, but the cookies crack and crumble more.
You have a few options. For a nut-free version of this recipe, swap the peanut butter for a nut-free spread such as sunflower seed butter, or cookie butter spread. Or you can try my sparkle sweetheart cookies recipe instead, which uses a cream cheese sugar cookie dough. You could also take red velvet blossoms or chocolate cherry blossoms and use a chocolate heart candy in place of the Hershey’s Kiss.
Yes! For a little extra sweetness and some sparkle, roll the dough balls in sugar or colored sanding sprinkles before you bake them.
I love these cookies with Reese’s peanut butter creme hearts, which provide a soft, meltaway texture in addition to extra peanut butter flavor. But you can use any chocolate heart candy you like here, such as Dove or Hershey’s chocolate hearts; just keep in mind those will have a harder texture to bite into, especially if you use dark chocolate hearts instead of milk chocolate.
More Valentine’s Day Treats:
And see this list of 36+ Valentine’s Day dessert recipes for even more inspiration!
Peanut Butter Valentine’s Day Cookies
Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes (includes chilling)
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Yield: 26-28 cookies
Category: Cookies
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American
Description
With a chocolate heart candy nestled on top, these super soft sweetheart peanut butter Valentine’s Day cookies are the February version of peanut butter blossoms!
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on high speed until creamy. Switch to medium-high speed and beat in the brown sugar and 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar until completely creamed and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the peanut butter and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until combined. The dough will be very creamy and soft. Cover and refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 1 hour, and up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside. Also, make sure there’s room in your freezer because the baked cookies will need to be placed inside to prevent the chocolates from melting.
- Roll & bake: Scoop and roll cookie dough, about 1 heaping Tablespoon (around 25g) of dough each. If desired, roll each ball in 1/4 cup of granulated sugar. Arrange cookie dough balls on the baking sheet about 3 inches apart. Bake for 11–13 minutes or until the tops begin to slightly crack.
- Remove cookies from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
- Set the chocolate: Gently press a chocolate heart candy into the center of each, then, using a thin spatula, immediately transfer the cookies to a large plate or a few smaller plates (gently—they’re soft). Place the plate(s) of cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes to quickly set the chocolate in the cookie.
- Remove from the freezer and serve. Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Read my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links):Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats | Cooling Rack | Chocolate Hearts or Chocolate Peanut Butter Hearts
- Peanut Butter: Creamy peanut butter is ideal for this recipe because crunchy peanut butter creates an overly crumbly cookie. For this particular recipe, it’s best to use processed peanut butter such as Jif or Skippy. If you decide to use natural peanut butter, make sure it’s at room temperature and is well stirred, and expect a slightly crumblier cookie.
- Can I use almond butter or other nut butter? Yes, you can use almond butter or another nut butter in this cookie recipe; however, expect a crumblier cookie. I have not tested this recipe with Nutella.
- Can I make a nut-free version? You have a few options. For a nut-free version of this recipe, swap the peanut butter for a nut-free spread such as sunflower seed butter, or cookie butter spread. Or you can try my sparkle sweetheart cookies recipe instead, which uses a cream cheese sugar cookie dough. You could also take red velvet blossoms or chocolate cherry blossoms and use a chocolate heart candy in place of the Hershey’s Kiss.
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