Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookies come together with a handful of pantry staples—chocolate cake mix, peanut butter, butter, and eggs—for a soft, chewy cookie that tastes like a peanut butter cup!
If you’ve been sleeping on cake mix cookies, this is the one that will change your mind—I’ve said it before, but I really do love making cookies with boxed cake mix because it just makes everything easier without sacrificing flavor.
These chocolate peanut butter cookies stand out because they take that simple shortcut and turn it into something that tastes surprisingly close to a Reese’s peanut butter cup, thanks to the perfect blend of chocolate cake mix, creamy peanut butter, melted butter, and eggs. Keep reading, because once you see how quickly these come together (and how soft and chewy they bake up), you’ll want this recipe in your regular cookie rotation.
Recipe Highlights
- Tastes Like a Peanut Butter Cup– The combo of chocolate cake mix and creamy peanut butter creates a rich, candy-like flavor in every bite that’s seriously close to a Reese’s peanut butter cup.
- Only a Handful of Ingredients– You only need chocolate cake mix, peanut butter, melted butter, and eggs—no long ingredient list or complicated steps.
- Soft, Chewy, Foolproof Texture– The cake mix base guarantees cookies that bake up soft and chewy every time, with almost no guesswork or risk of dry cookies.
Ingredients in Cake Mix Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Chocolate cake mix: This is the shortcut base that gives the cookies their deep chocolate flavor and soft, chewy texture without needing extra dry ingredients.
Peanut butter: It adds the signature nutty richness and creamy texture that makes these cookies taste like peanut butter cups.
Melted butter: It helps bind everything together and keeps the cookies extra tender and moist while making the dough easy to mix.
Eggs: They provide structure and stability so the cookies hold their shape while still staying soft in the center.
Tips for making Peanut Butter Cookies from Cake Mix
Here are a few tips for making cookies with cake mix!
- Don’t skip the melted butter step—use it warm, not hot. Warm melted butter blends more smoothly into the cake mix and peanut butter, giving you a uniform dough without overworking it, which helps keep the cookies soft instead of dense.
- Expect a thick, sticky dough and resist the urge to overmix. Once everything is just combined, stop mixing—overmixing can make the cookies tougher and throw off that soft, fudgy texture.
- Press the criss-cross gently, not deeply. A light fork press is enough to shape the cookies; pressing too hard can flatten them too much and cause uneven baking.
- Pull them out early, even if they look slightly underdone. At around 8 minutes, they may seem soft in the center, but they continue setting on the hot pan for that perfect chewy, Reese’s-like bite.
How long are these chocolate peanut butter cookies good for?
These Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookies will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3–4 days, staying soft and chewy the whole time.
Yes, they freeze really well—once cooled, store them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2–3 months. You can thaw them at room temperature, or warm one up for a few seconds in the microwave if you want that fresh-baked, melty texture again.
WHAT BRAND OF CAKE MIX SHOULD I USE?
You can use any brand of cake mix, whether that is a store brand, Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker or another store brand. All of them should work the same but I recommend picking one that you have tried before so you know you like it.
Enjoy more of our favorite Peanut Butter Cookie Recipes here:
- These Easy Peanut Butter Cookies are the perfect go-to when a sweet craving sneaks in! They mix up in minutes and are so good they rarely make it past the cooling rack.
- Our Fudge Peanut Butter Cookie Cups are little bite-sized treats made by baking soft peanut butter cookies in a mini muffin pan and topping them with a smooth, rich chocolate fudge filling.
- Packed with chunks of Reese’s peanut butter cups, these Reese’s Peanut Butter Pudding Cookies deliver a rich, creamy chocolate-and-peanut-butter bite in every single cookie.
- Cream Cheese Peanut Butter Cookies are incredibly soft and chewy thanks to the cream cheese in the dough. They’re the kind of cookies that disappear almost as soon as they hit the plate.
- These Buckeye Cookies start with a soft chocolate cookie base and are filled with a creamy, gooey peanut butter center that melts with every bite!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookies are soft, chewy and taste a little bit like peanut butter cups! Made with a chocolate cake mix, peanut butter, eggs and butter for a quick and easy cookie recipe.
wilhelmina says
I love these cookies! They are so easy and delicious. My daughter loved to help make them!
Kaylie says
Thank you, Wilhelmina!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
The combination of flavors in this dish is great! Love it!
Kaylie says
Thank you, Shadi!
Melissa Cottrell says
Can’t wait to try this recipe.
MaryannD. says
Great Recipe! Quick, Easy & DELICIOUS!!! A Keeper!
Judith says
Super easy but I folded peanut butter by hand to make marbled cookies. GOOD
Jessica says
Good idea Judith!
Kathy says
Everyone loved these!!
Jessica says
thank you!