By Erin Clarkson on Mar 18, 2020 (updated Mar 1, 2022)
5 from 16 reviews
26 community comments
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A revamp on the classic New Zealand Peanut Brownie biscuit. These cookies have a chocolate base, and are filled with roasted salted peanuts and milk chocolate chunks.
Table of contents
- Tips for perfect chocolate chip cookies
Hello! Just popping in to share this recipe. Not too sure what to say at this point - I think we are all a bit uncertain about what’s next for all of us, but I promise these cookies will help even if it’s just a tiny bit.
This is a recipe for my take on a Peanut Brownie, which is a classic New Zealand biscuit (cookie for all of you in the states). I am unsure where the brownie part came from as these guys aren’t anything like a brownie. The original was always pretty dry and crumbly, and used those natural peanuts with the skins. They were a childhood favourite, but I realised not too long ago that they could probably do with a good revamp, so here we are. I subbed natural peanuts for roasted and salted, which turned out to be a game changer, and adjusted the matrix of the cookie so that it was a little more chewy and fudgy. I also threw some milk chocolate chunks in just for good measure, and finished it with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. And oh man, what a glow up. These are chocolatey and delicious, soft and chewy and a tiny bit crunchy around the edges, and the peanuts and the chocolate work so well together. I hope you enjoy!
A few wee tips:
Roasted salted peanuts are a game changer here. If you only have raw you can toast them in the oven at 350°f / 180°c for about 10 mins, shaking frequently, then up the salt just a touch.
I used milk chocolate in these but dark would work great - just whatever you have on hand.
I haven’t tried these with other nuts but I bet they would be so so good with walnuts or something!
Tips for perfect chocolate chip cookies
❤️ Made this recipe and love it? ❤️
I would LOVE for you to leave me a review and star rating below to let me know how you liked it! Also, please make sure to tag me on Instagram!
Answers to your baking questions
Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:
- baking in grams
- adjusting oven temperatures
- what kind of salt to use
- and many more!
I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!
Peanut Brownie Cookies (Chocolate Peanut Cookies)
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star5 from 16 reviews
- Author: Erin Clarkson
- Prep Time: 15 minute
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Description
A revamp on the classic New Zealand Peanut Brownie biscuit. These cookies have a chocolate base, and are filled with roasted salted peanuts and milk chocolate chunks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 190g granulated sugar
- 130g dark brown sugar (light brown will work fine too)
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 220g all-purpose flour
- 70g dutch process cocoa
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 300g roasted, salted peanuts
- 300g milk chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c. Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper (you may have to bake these in several batches depending on how many trays your oven can tolerate - I did four trays worth, baking one tray at a time).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, egg and egg yolk and mix to combine. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix on medium speed until just combined. Add the peanuts and chocolate and mix briefly to incorporate.
- Using a 2 Tbsp scoop, scoop balls of dough out onto your prepared sheet pan. Roll into balls using your hands (the dough will be quite sticky, this is fine), and arrange on a sheet pan, leaving enough room for spreading. I did 6 balls per sheet pan just to make sure that they did not touch.
- Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes, or until set around the edges. Remove from the oven and, if desired, gently scoot the cookies into a round shape using a cookie cutter slightly larger than the cookie. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt soon after removing from the oven. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes on the sheet pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container.
Key Ingredients
- Chocolate
- Peanut Butter
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Reader Interactions
Stevie
These are deeeeelish!! A lil crunch on the outside and chewy and soft in the middle! Yum! The salty nuts are life changing. Mind blown.
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Sarah
These are just so, so good!
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Gaby
I want to tryyy but I’m allergic to nuts. What if I skip the peanuts? Does it change texture of the cookie?
xoReply
Erin
Hi! You can do more chocolate if you want but it’s a peanut cookie so based around the peanuts. The Kit Kat cookie has a similar base but no nuts 🙂
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Tracy
These are the most delicious peanut brownie biscuits I have ever made. I don't flatten mine. Thanks for the recipe!
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Kym
These are a real trip done nostalgia lane to childhood in NZ 🙂
I can also confirm if you half the recipe but accidentally still use the same egg and vanilla quantity indicated, they still workout!
Don't be like me and half the recipe!
These are so good you will want a full batch 🙂Reply
Erin
Ahhh so happy you loved them!
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Rebecca W
Sooooo good. And they freeze super well too!
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Vanessa
See AlsoPistachio Shortbread CookiesI made these last week and they are sooo good! Everyone in my family keeps asking when I'm baking these again! I love the salty-sweet-crunchy combination.
Plus Erin is so nice! She helped me with some questions I had about her recipe.Reply
Erin Clarkson
So so happy you loved them!
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Alex
I have made these four or five times now and they are perfection. Thanks Erin!
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Erin Clarkson
Ah yay so happy you love them!
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Toni
Ok. These are amazing. My dad is a Peanut Brownie fanatic. His mum used to make them for him way back when he was a small human and he 100% claims these are better! (beating childhood nostalgia is a hard thing to do!). They're so easy to make and perfect every time. The chocolate addition is a win for everyone.
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Erin Clarkson
Hahahha aw yusss the dad seal of approval is the ultimate compliment!
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Lisa P
I went to a housewarming party with lots of food, and I don't think I'm being biased when I say these were the most talked about snack! I love everything about these - easy to make and the perfect taste and texture!
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Herme
Can I just say, I have never reviewed a recipe before, but these were the best cookies i have ever had. Very well done, thank you for this stunning recipe!
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Emma
Delicious and easy to make! Turned out perfect first try. Will be making these again soon!
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Amber
These are my new favourite cookies, heaps of peanuts and the chocolate chips are a great addition to the standard Peanut Brownie. It was so hard not to eat them all in one sitting!
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Jesse
I normally haaaaate peanut brownies, my mum would make them every single weekend growing up with barely roasted barely shelled peanuts. Today I used up some crushed peanuts, and some dark choc chips and followed this recipe and omg soooo good!
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Louise
Wow!! Love peanut brownies, but wanted to try a recipe with a little “extra”…this is hit, and the ONLY peanut brownie recipe I’ll be using forever more! So delicious!
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Helen
I made a batch of them. Absolutely divine. Thank you for sharing your lovely recipes.
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Anna Cottrell-Davies
Absolutely perfect recipe. So damn delicious!
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Pia
Love these!
Making them for the girls at work for the second time - by request!
Thank you for your amazing recipes xReply
Pam
These were really good and easy to make. A cross between the Edmonds peanut brownie biscuit (I remember from growing up in NZ) and a slightly soft cookie with a hint of salt. I did decrease the salt to half a teaspoon. The peanuts I used were quite salty. The recipe makes a generous batch. I baked half a batch and froze the uncooked dough in balls for later. Keep up the good work Cloudy Kitchen.
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Anna
These were PHENOMENAL. I didn't have enough chocolate (about half the amount) so I used a relative amount of peanuts and these still turned out beautifully - cooked the majority and froze cookie dough for the future. Thank you! X
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Kristin
Only used 200g of peanuts and 200g of chocolate, as that’s all I had, and standard cocoa.
These are delicious! And husband even commented on the salt flakes adding an even better taste!
Thank you!Reply
