Ben n’ Jerry’s Inspired Chubby Monkey Cookies

These Chubby Monkey Cookies are the ultimate mashup for anyone who can’t decide between a salty snack and a decadent dessert. Inspired by the iconic ice cream flavors Chubby Hubby and Chunky Monkey, these cookies are massive, gooey, and packed with layers of texture. Between the peanut butter pretzel crunch and the liquid peanut butter center, every bite is a total flavor explosion.

The secret to these cookies is the banana-infused dough, which provides a soft, fragrant base for the dark chocolate chunks and chopped walnuts. Best of all, there’s no chilling required—you can go from mixing to baking in minutes, making them the perfect quick-fix for your next “dessert empire” project.

Why You’ll Love This

• Molten Center: Stuffing the dough with frozen peanut butter creates a warm, melty core that stays soft even after cooling.

• Sweet & Salty: The combination of peanut butter pretzels, dark chocolate, and walnuts hits every taste bud.

• Bakery Style: Weighing them at 4.5 ounces ensures you get those thick, soft cookies that look professional and taste even better.

Ingredients

The Filling:

• 14 tbsp peanut butter (frozen in portions) (approx. 224g)

The Wet Ingredients:

• 1 cup + 1 tbsp unsalted butter, cold (240g)
• 1 cup light brown sugar (200g)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
• 2 eggs, room temp
• 2 egg yolks, room temp
• 1 tsp banana emulsion (5ml)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (10ml)
• Optional yellow food coloring

The Dry Ingredients:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour (500g)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch (8g)
• 1 tsp baking powder (5g)
• 1 tsp baking soda (6g)
• 1 tsp salt (6g)

The Mix-ins:

• 1/3 cup crushed walnuts (35g)
• 1 1/2 cups peanut butter pretzels, lightly crushed (approx. 115g)
• 1 cup dark chocolate chunks (170g)
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (170g)
• 1 cup peanut butter cups, chopped (approx. 150g)

Instructions

1. Freeze the Centers: Spoon 14 individual tablespoon-sized portions of peanut butter onto a parchment-lined tray. Freeze for at least 2 hours until completely solid.

2. Cream the Base: In a large bowl, beat the cold butter with both sugars until combined. Add the eggs, egg yolks, banana emulsion, and vanilla. Mix until smooth and well-incorporated.

3. Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this to the wet ingredients until a thick, heavy dough forms.

4. Fold in Mix-ins: Gently fold in the walnuts, crushed pretzels, chocolate chunks, chocolate chips, and chopped peanut butter cups until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

5. Shape and Stuff: Immediately weigh out 14 dough balls at 4.5 ounces each. Flatten a ball in your hand, place a frozen peanut butter portion in the center, and wrap the dough around it. Ensure it is tightly sealed so the peanut butter doesn’t leak.

6. Bake: Arrange the balls on a lined baking sheet and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 10 minutes and 30 seconds. The edges should be lightly golden and set, while the centers remain soft.

Tips for Success

• Work Quickly: Since you are using frozen peanut butter centers, try to stuff and get the cookies into the oven before the peanut butter starts to thaw.

• Don’t Overbake: These cookies are large and dense; they will continue to set as they cool on the hot pan.

• The Emulsion Edge: Banana emulsion provides a much more robust “bakery flavor” compared to standard extract, which can sometimes fade during baking.

Storage and Freshness

• Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

• The Refresh: For that “fresh-baked” molten center, microwave a cookie for 10–15 seconds before serving.

• Freezing: You can freeze the unbaked, stuffed dough balls for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2 minutes to the total bake time!

Banana emulsion, yellow food coloring, self sealing cookie bags, cookie boxes, cookie scoops and tons of other items I use to bake with is linked for you in my Amazon Storefront!