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Oh my goodness, this chocolate-peanut butter combo is just ridiculous. I stumbled across this idea years ago when I needed something fun for my kid's sleepover, and it's been requested at pretty much every family gathering since. It's basically a giant chocolate chip cookie smothered with peanut butter and topped with all kinds of candy goodness. The warm cookie part gets slightly crisp around the edges but stays soft in the middle, and when you spread that peanut butter on top while it's still warm? Magic happens.
Last summer I brought this to my nephew's baseball team party. The coach, who swore he was "watching his sugar," ended up having two slices and then asked if I could make it for the end-of-season celebration. His wife texted me later saying he wouldn't stop talking about "that cookie pizza thing."
What You Need
- Refrigerated cookie dough saves so much time, and honestly works better than homemade for this because it holds its shape perfectly in the pan
- Creamy peanut butter needs to be the regular kind, not natural - the natural stuff gets too oily when warm and slides right off
- Chocolate chips start melting just enough to create these amazing little pockets of melty chocolate throughout
- Peanut butter cups should be the mini ones cut in half so you get that peanut butter filling oozing out a bit
- Colorful candy bits add those pops of color that make everyone smile when they see it
- Chopped peanuts give it this nice salty crunch that cuts through all the sweetness
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Making It Happen
First, crank your oven to 350°. You want it fully hot before the cookie goes in.
Grab a pizza pan and give it a quick spray of cooking oil. Nothing fancy.
Take that cookie dough and just start pressing it out with your fingers. Keep going until you've covered the whole pan. I sometimes flour my hands a bit to keep it from sticking.
Pop it in the oven and set your timer for 22 minutes, but start checking around 20. You want it golden around the edges but still a bit soft in the middle.
Let it cool just a bit - maybe 10 minutes tops. If it cools completely, the peanut butter won't spread right.
Spoon the peanut butter right in the middle and start spreading it around. It gets easier as the warmth melts it a little.
Now the fun part - just start sprinkling all those toppings on. There's no wrong way to do this.
Cut it while it's still a bit warm using a pizza cutter or large knife.
I've made this so many times I could probably do it in my sleep. My first attempt was actually for a potluck where I completely forgot I'd signed up to bring dessert. I literally ran through the grocery store grabbing ingredients on my way home from work, made it in a panic, and it was the hit of the party. Sometimes the best recipes come from desperation, right?
Serving Ideas
This looks really cute served on a pizza stone if you've got one. If you're feeling extra, warm up some chocolate syrup and drizzle it from a spoon over individual slices right before serving. My friend Lisa does this whole ice cream sundae bar situation where she serves warm slices with vanilla ice cream and bowls of different toppings for people to add themselves.
Switch It Up
If peanut allergies are a concern, try sun butter instead - it works surprisingly well. During Christmas I sometimes swap in crushed peppermint candies and drizzle white chocolate over top. My kids love when I use M&Ms that match whatever holiday or team colors we're celebrating - it makes it feel custom-made for the occasion.
Keeping Fresh
In the unlikely event you have leftovers, just cover them with foil or pop into a container. It'll keep on the counter for a day or the fridge for about three. The cookie part firms up in the fridge, which some people actually prefer. To get that fresh-baked vibe back, 10 seconds in the microwave does the trick.
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I've been making this chocolate peanut butter pizza for about eight years now, and it never fails to make people happy. There's something about that combination of warm cookie, creamy peanut butter and chocolate that just hits all the right notes. My husband claims it's the reason he proposed - I made it the night he came over to "talk about our relationship." Whether that's true or just his sweet tooth talking, I'll never know for sure!
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I use homemade cookie dough instead?
- Yes! Homemade chocolate chip cookie dough works great. Just make sure it's thick enough to form a sturdy pizza base.
- → How do I store leftovers?
- Cover loosely with foil and store at room temperature for 1-2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate up to 4 days.
- → Can I make this ahead of time?
- You can bake the cookie crust ahead, but add toppings right after cooling for 10 minutes so the warm base helps melt the chocolate.
- → What can I use instead of peanut butter?
- Try cookie butter, Nutella, or almond butter for different flavors or to make it peanut-free.
- → Why isn't my cookie crust cooking evenly?
- Make sure to spread the dough evenly across the pizza pan. If edges brown too quickly, cover them with foil while the center finishes baking.