Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies

Irresistible Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies are so delicious and impressive. A soft, peanut butter cookie filled with chocolate ganache in the center. This delightful combination of sweet and nutty flavors will be a hit.

I like to think that whoever came up with thumbprint cookies discovered them by happy accident. You know, they probably accidentally smushed the middle of a warm cookie and thought “how can I salvage this and make it look better?” Then they filled it with a warm and gooey chocolate ganache and voila! Peanut butter thumbprint cookies were created.

Now, I don’t know if that’s how they actually came to be but it sure makes me smile! Thumbprint cookies are just a delicious cookie loaded with something amazing in the middle. My s’mores thumbprint cookies are a favorite of ours and so is this recipe! They’re pretty similar to peanut butter blossoms, but instead of a Hershey kiss there’s a soft and gooey ganache in the center. The perfect cookie for peanut butter chocolate lovers!

Why You’ll Love these Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies

• You can make this recipe in under a half hour. I love cookie recipes that don’t take hours and hours to make! My tastebuds don’t have the patience to wait too long for a fresh baked cookie.
• Peanut butter thumbprint cookies are a great bake sale and cookie swap recipe. No one turns down a classic cookie like this one!
• This recipe is made from all simple ingredients. In fact, you may have everything you need in your pantry and fridge already!

Ingredients for Chocolate Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies

• All-purpose flour – You can’t make cookies without a good all purpose flour!
• Heavy cream – Use heavy cream to make the gooey chocolate ganache that you’ll use to fill the center of each thumbprint cookie. You can use half and half if you prefer.
• Salted butter – Allow the butter to soften before mixing it into the cookie dough mixture. It will mix more easily and more evenly!
• Creamy peanut butter – I do not recommend using a natural peanut butter since the oil and nut butter separate and are difficult to mix together.
• Egg – Allow the egg to come to room temperature to more easily mix into the dough for these peanut butter thumbprint cookies.
• Vanilla extract – Add a bit of vanilla extract to create a depth of flavor in your cookies.
• Granulated white sugar – Sweeten the cookie dough with both white sugar and brown sugar.
• Light brown sugar – If all you have on hand is dark brown sugar, that will work well too!
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips – Feel free to use milk chocolate or dark chocolate if you prefer.

How to Make Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies

Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Then set them to the side.

Cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar with a hand mixer and bowl or a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Mix together until light and fluffy.

Add the peanut butter to the mixture and beat together until well combined. Then mix in the egg and vanilla extract.

Slowly add the flour and mix on low speed until just combined. Be careful not over-mix the dough!

Scoop out the dough with a cookie scoop and roll it into about 1-inch balls. Then place the rolled cookie dough balls onto the previously prepared baking sheets with about 1 ½ inches in between them.

Bake one sheet of cookies at a time for 10-14 minutes until the cookies have cracked and the edges are golden brown.

Remove the peanut butter cookies from the oven and allow to cool for 3-5 minutes. Then use a rounded teaspoon to make an indent in the center of each cookie.

Allow the cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes before removing them from the baking sheet and transferring them to a cooling rack.

While the cookies bake and cool, you can make the ganache! Pour the chocolate chips into a bowl and then add the heavy cream to a microwave safe bowl.

Heat the heavy cream in 30 second increments until steaming, do not boil it.

Pour the warmed heavy cream over the chocolate chips and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Then whisk together until smooth and creamy.

Once the cookie are on the cooling rack, scoop about 1 teaspoon of ganache into each indent. Allow the cookie to cool and the ganache to set!

Serve and enjoy!

How to Store Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies

Place cookies into an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze leftover cookies! Transfer to an airtight container or freezer safe bag and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Why are my thumbprint cookies falling apart?

These cookies are pretty fragile when they are still warm, so make sure that you do not press to hard to make the indention in the center. Whether you’re using a spoon or your thumb, it only takes a bit of gentle pressure to make the indention that will hold ganache.

Should you fill thumbprint cookies before baking?

If you are making a jam centered thumbprint cookie, then you will likely add the filling before baking. However, with these peanut butter thumbprint chocolate cookies you will add ganache after you bake the cookies! This will allow you to control the temperature of the chocolate so that it doesn’t get too hot and seize.

A classic cookie that everyone knows and loves! This peanut butter thumbprint cooke recipe is a go-to that turns out perfect every time.

More Peanut Butter Dessert Recipes

• These Apple Peanut Butter Cookies are a fabulous fall dessert recipe!
• Make Peanut Butter Banana Muffins as a quick breakfast or a tasty snack.
• Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies — a crunchy, crispy, sweet dessert that is downright delicious.
• Need more snack ideas? Make these No Bake Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars.