Buttery and delicious, these Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Shortbread Cookies are the perfect dessert. Melt in your mouth shortbread loaded with creamy peanut butter and sprinkle of sea salt and dark chocolate.
This recipe was originally published in July 2018. I have updated the images and recipe snotes in August 2025.
Aimee’s Recipe Notes
Taste & Texture: Soft peanut butter cookies that melt in your mouth. Topped with dark chocolate and a spinkle of salt to give the sweet and salty flavor.
Easy: No rolling or scooping the dough. Just press onto a cookie sheet and bake. Cut into bars and enjoy.
Make it sugar free: Use my sugar free shortbread cookie recipe, and add sugar free peanut butter and Lily’s dark chocolate.
Found my new go to recipe for shortbread cookies these are absolutely delicious!
– Diane
Ingredients for Shortbread
As you choose your ingredients, choose real butter and vanilla extract. You want the best ingredients to make the best cookies. Scroll down to the recipe card for measurements.
- Butter- I prefer using unsalted butter that has been softened to room temperature. You can use salted butter with no issues.
- Peanut Butter- Choose your favorite peanut butter. Just be sure if it’s a more natural variety you stir the oil and blend the peanut butter well before using.
- Powdered Sugar- Using confectioner’s sugar createds a great, melt in your mouth cookie!
- Dark Chocolate- I love using Ghirardelli dark chocolate melting wafers for a smooth and creamy finish with great flavor.
How to Make Peanut Butter Shortbread
Make the cookie dough.
- Mix until combined. The dough might be slightly crumbly at this point. Use the warmth of your hands to press it together and combine it as much as possible.
- Drop dough onto parchment paper and press into a 12×10-inch rectangle that is about 1/4-inch thick. If you still have some crumbs, press them into shape!
Add Chocolate.
- Once cooled, dip bottom of cookie in melted chocolate.
- You can also drizzle the extra chocolate over the tops and add a pinch of coarse sea salt!
Recipe FAQs
Typically if you’re finding that your cookies are spreading, I suggest you chill your dough before baking. This allows the fats (butter) to re-solidify making it more difficult to spread in a short baking time.
This is normal to have crumbly shortbread dough, for the most part. First, double check your ingredients to make sure that you have used the correct amounts. Second, make sure your butter is softened and you are using creamy peanut butter. When you drop the dough onto your parchment paper, if it’s still crumbly, use your warm hands to help press it back together (if your hands are cold, run them under some warm water for a minute!).
In an airtight container at room temperature, you can keep shortbread cookies for about a week. If you choose to freeze your cookies, I usually say one month (although if I’m being honest I have totally kept frozen desserts much longer)!
Favorite Recipes
- I’m pretty sure it’s a well known fact that sprinkles make everything taste better. These Funfetti Shortbread Cookie Sandwiches are no exception to that rule! Filled with sprinkles, these are sure to go fast!
- Buttery Shortbread Cookies with chocolate and cherries! These Cherry Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies are so easy to make and very pretty too!
- Don’t let these simple Apple Shortbread Bars fool you! While they are “just a bar” they are quite possibly the most amazing dessert ever!
- Buttery shortbread m&m cookies from Oh Sweet Basil! Everyone loves making these cookies for school lunches, picnics at the park, or lazy Sunday afternoons!
- Love chocolate and peanut butter together? These Chocolate Macarons have a delicious peanut butter filling! And with my step by step guide showing How To Make Macarons, you’ll be a professional with the first try!
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Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Shortbread Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- 1 package Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate melting wafers 12 oz
- 1 Tablespoon coarse sea salt for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Line a 15×10-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with powdered sugar and peanut butter until creamy. Add in flour, salt, and milk and beat until combined. Use heat from your hands to combine the crumbs of the dough.
- Drop dough into center of baking sheet, and using the heels of your hand, press dough into a large rectangle. You want the dough to be the same thickness throughout, so keep pressing until you have a rectangle about 12×10-inches and about 1/4-inch thick. Press any extra dough crumbs into the rectangle.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until edges begin to lightly brown. Remove from oven and immediately cut into strips using a pizza cutter. Cool completely.
- Melt dark chocolate melting wafers in a microwave safe bowl for one minute. Stir until smooth (you may need to heat an additional 30 seconds). Dunk bottom of each cookie into melted chocolate and place back onto parchment paper. Once all the bottoms have been dunked, drizzle remaining chocolate over the tops and immediately sprinkle with coarse sea salt, if desired.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days. ENJOY.
Notes
- Add hot water to a tall glass and let sit for a few minutes. Pour out water and put empty glass over a stick of butter. Allow it to soften for about 5 minutes. Works like a charm!
- I don’t recommend using margarine instead of butter. First, margarine can be a little more difficult to manage, a little stickier. Second, you can’t beat the taste of butter. When you only have a few ingredients, you want them to stand out! In a good way!
- In an airtight container at room temperature, you can keep shortbread cookies for about a week. If you choose to freeze your cookies, I usually say one month (although if I’m being honest I have totally kept frozen desserts much longer)!
Nutrition
Easy Cookie Recipes
These look great. Aimee. I haven’t seen a post from you on Instagram lately. I hope all is well with you and your family.
Instagram algorithms are hit/miss. I’m posting over there, but its not showing you. The more you interact with my page over there, the more it will show 🙂
I made these yesterday and am about to make another batch because the others didn’t last! The only think I don’t like about these recipes is deciding which ones to make first! Thank you for all the deliciousness
I LOVE shortbread cookies…..add chocolate and I’ll eat the whole batch myself. 🙂
I have a weakness for shortbread cookies, I love all the chocolate drizzled!
Usually I like cookies that are soft and chewy, but I make an exception when it comes to shortbread. I can’t resist the buttery, melt in your mouth goodness. And of course if you add peanut butter and chocolate, it’s even better. Cannot wait to make these!
Sweet treats like this are my go to! These would be perfect with a mug of cocoa
These were such a delicious take on a traditional shortbread recipe. We loved them!