Cookie of the Day: Peanut Butter-Chocolate Swirls

Holiday season is cookie season! We are all about cookies this month: baking, decorating, gifting and hosting the classic cookie exchange. Today, we’re kicking off 30 days of holiday cookies, so be sure to check back every day for a new recipe! And for more inspiration and great recipes, visit our Cookie Central page. 

These crisp chocolate and peanut buttery cookies are great for a crowd, as one batch yields lots of cookies. Make the dough ahead and keep it in the freezer, then just slice and bake what you want.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Swirls

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup good-quality unsweetened creamy peanut butter

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 (12-oz.) bag semisweet chocolate chips

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat all but 1 tablespoon of the butter and the sugar on medium-high speed until lightened. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into the bowl, and stir into the peanut butter mixture. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan filled with about an inch of water, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter with the chocolate chips over very low heat. Stir until smooth. Let cool slightly.

Divide the dough into 2 balls. Place 1 dough ball on a large piece of floured parchment paper. Flour the top of the dough, place another piece of parchment on top, and roll into a rectangle about 10 by 15 inches. The dough should be about 1/8 inch thick. (See Note for tips on rolling out this dough.) Spread the rectangle with half of the chocolate mixture, leaving a 1-inch border on the long side closest to you. Starting from the long side farthest from you, and using the parchment to help, carefully roll the dough into a log. Place the log seam side down and wrap it in the parchment, twisting the ends to hold it tight. Repeat with the remaining dough and chocolate mixture. Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours or ideally overnight.

Space 2 racks evenly in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap the logs, trim the ends of each log, then cut crosswise into slices about 1/4 inch thick. Space the cookies evenly on the prepared pans. You will need to bake in batches, so refrigerate the remaining portion of the logs until you are ready to cut and bake more cookies. Bake until the cookies are puffed and lightly golden, about 10 minutes, rotating the pans about halfway through. Let the cookies cool on the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

NOTE: This is a soft dough, so you have to show it who’s boss! Use the parchment to help you, and keep peeling it up and sprinkling it with flour if it gets too sticky. If you keep the dough floured, it will roll out more easily. When you spread the chocolate, brush off any excess flour, or the chocolate will be difficult to spread.

For more great cookies and other baking recipes be sure to check out our latest book, Williams-Sonoma Home Baked Comfort.