Why You’ll Love These Cashew Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- An unforgettable, nutty flavor. The cashew butter isn’t just a background player here—it’s the star. It brings a wonderfully rich, toasty, and slightly sweet flavor that makes these cookies taste far more complex and special than your average batch.
- The most incredible texture. We’re talking a crispy, slightly crackly exterior that gives way to a soft, chewy, and wonderfully dense center. They have a bit of a sandy, melt-in-your-mouth quality thanks to the nuts that is just divine.
- Surprisingly simple to make. You don’t need any fancy equipment or hard-to-find ingredients. If you can make a standard chocolate chip cookie, you can absolutely make these. It’s a one-bowl situation that comes together in minutes.
- They feel a little bit fancy. These are the cookies you bring to a dinner party or package up as a truly thoughtful gift. They have a gourmet vibe that says you put in a lot of effort, when really, the recipe does all the heavy lifting for you.
Ingredients & Tools
- 1 cup (250 g) smooth, unsalted cashew butter
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups (255 g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips or chunks
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional, but highly recommended)
Tools: A large mixing bowl, a hand mixer or stand mixer, a spatula, a baking sheet, and parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
A quick note on the cashew butter: using a well-stirred, creamy variety is key for the right consistency. And don’t skip the extra egg yolk—it’s our secret weapon for extra chewiness and richness.
Serves: Makes about 24 cookies | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 10-12 minutes per batch | Total Time: About 1 hour (including chilling)
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable. If your butter and eggs are cold, your cookie dough won’t come together properly. It might look curdled or greasy. Take the butter and eggs out about an hour before you plan to bake.
- Really stir that nut butter. Natural cashew butter tends to separate, with oil pooling at the top. Give it a really thorough stir right in the jar before you measure it out to ensure a smooth, uniform consistency for your dough.
- Why the mix of brown and white sugar? Brown sugar adds moisture and molasses flavor for a chewier cookie, while granulated sugar helps with spreading and crispness. This combination gives us the perfect textural balance.
- Don’t skip the chilling time. I know it’s tempting to bake them right away, but chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes is crucial. It prevents the cookies from spreading too much and allows the flavors to meld together beautifully.
- Invest in good chocolate. Since the cashew butter flavor is so nuanced, using a high-quality chocolate chip or chopping up a bar of good dark chocolate will make a world of difference in the final taste.
How to Make Cashew Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Step 1: Cream the Butters and Sugars. In your large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, cashew butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat them together on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and pale in color. This step is important for incorporating air, which helps with the texture.
Step 2: Add the Wet Ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium-low speed until everything is fully combined. The mixture might look a little grainy at this point—that’s perfectly normal, so don’t worry.
Step 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. This ensures the leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the flour, so your cookies rise uniformly.
Step 4: Bring the Dough Together. With your mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix just until the flour streaks disappear. Be careful not to overmix! Overworking the dough can lead to tough cookies.
Step 5: Fold in the Chocolate. Switch to a spatula for this part. Add the chocolate chips or chunks and gently fold them into the dough until they’re evenly distributed. The dough will be quite thick and a little sticky, which is exactly what we want.
Step 6: Chill the Dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 48 hours. This is the perfect time to preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 7: Scoop and Bake. Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, portion out the dough into balls (about 1.5 tablespoons each) and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. If you like, you can press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops for a bakery-style look. Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
Step 8: Bake to Perfection. Bake for 10-12 minutes. The trick is to pull them out when the edges are set and golden brown, but the centers still look a little soft and underdone. They will continue to cook on the hot baking sheet as they cool. This is the secret to a chewy center!
Step 9: The Most Important Step—Cool! Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. I know it’s hard to wait, but this allows them to set up properly. Then, dig in.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- A simple vanilla bean ice cream — served warm from the oven, these cookies make an incredible base for an epic ice cream sandwich. The warm cookie and cold ice cream is a classic combo for a reason.
- A bowl of fresh berries — the bright, tart acidity of raspberries or strawberries cuts through the richness of the cookies beautifully, making for a lovely, balanced dessert plate.
Drinks
- A glass of cold whole milk — it’s a timeless pairing for a reason. The creaminess of the milk is the perfect partner to the nutty, chocolatey cookies.
- A cup of strong coffee — the bitterness of a good espresso or dark roast coffee highlights the deep, toasty notes of the cashew butter and the dark chocolate.
Something Sweet
- A dollop of whipped coconut cream — for a dairy-free option, the light, airy texture and subtle sweetness of coconut cream is a dream with these cookies, especially if you crumble one on top.
- A drizzle of salted caramel sauce — leaning into the butterscotch-like flavors, a little caramel takes these cookies over the top for a truly decadent treat.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Mistake: Using cold butter and eggs. This is the number one reason dough looks broken or greasy. Room-temperature ingredients emulsify properly, creating a smooth, aerated base for your cookies.
- Mistake: Skipping the chill time. I’ve messed this up before too, in a rush, and ended up with flat, greasy puddles. Chilling the dough solidifies the fat, so the cookies spread gradually and evenly in the oven instead of melting into a mess.
- Mistake: Overbaking. It’s so easy to do! But remember, the cookies will continue to cook on the hot tray. If you wait for the centers to look fully done in the oven, they’ll be dry and crunchy by the time they cool. We want that soft, chewy center.
- Mistake: Overmixing the flour. Once you add the flour, mix just until it’s incorporated. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can make your cookies tough and dense instead of tender and crumbly.
Expert Tips
- Tip: Weigh your flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, fluff your flour with a spoon, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level it off with a knife. Scooping directly with the cup packs in too much flour, leading to dry cookies.
- Tip: Make them ahead. You can scoop the dough balls onto a baking sheet, freeze them solid, and then transfer them to a freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time. Fresh cookies on demand!
- Tip: Add a texture twist. For an extra layer of crunch, fold in 1/2 cup of chopped, toasted cashews along with the chocolate chips. It amplifies the nutty flavor and adds a wonderful textural contrast.
- Tip: Underbake slightly for ultimate chew. If you’re a fan of a super soft and chewy cookie, lean towards the 10-minute mark. The center will look very gooey, but it will set up into pure chewy perfection as it cools.
FAQs
Can I use a different nut butter?
You can, but the results will be different. Almond butter will work and give a stronger, more distinct nutty flavor. Peanut butter will make them taste like peanut butter cookies (which is also delicious, but not the same). Cashew butter is uniquely mild and sweet, which is why it works so well here. If you do substitute, try to use a creamy, neutral variety without added sugar or salt for the best results.
My dough is really sticky and hard to handle. What did I do wrong?
This is normal! Nut butter-based doughs are often sticker than traditional cookie dough. This is exactly why we chill it—it firms up the fats and makes the dough much easier to scoop and roll. If it’s still too sticky after chilling, you can lightly wet or oil your hands before rolling the dough balls. Don’t be tempted to add more flour, as that will dry out the cookies.
Can I make these cookies gluten-free?
Absolutely! I’ve had great success using a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Just make sure it contains a binder like xanthan gum. The texture might be a tad more crumbly, but they will still be delicious. Everything else in the recipe remains the same.
Why did my cookies not spread much?
This usually happens if the dough was too cold when it went into the oven, or if there was a bit too much flour. Next time, let the chilled dough sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes before baking if it’s rock solid. Also, double-check your flour measurement to ensure you didn’t accidentally pack in too much.
How should I store these cookies, and how long do they last?
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll be at their peak for about 3-4 days. The cashew butter makes them stay soft and chewy for a surprisingly long time. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Just thaw them at room temperature when you’re ready for one… or three.
Cashew Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Discover my foolproof Cashew Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe! Chewy, nutty, & incredibly easy to make. A gourmet twist on a classic that'll become your new favorite.
Ingredients
Ingredients
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1 cup smooth, unsalted cashew butter (250 g)
-
1/2 cup unsalted butter (115 g, softened to room temperature)
-
3/4 cup light brown sugar (150 g, packed)
-
1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
-
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk (at room temperature)
-
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
-
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (220 g)
-
3/4 tsp baking soda
-
3/4 tsp baking powder
-
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
-
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips or chunks (255 g)
-
Flaky sea salt (for sprinkling (optional, but highly recommended))
Instructions
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Cream the Butters and Sugars. In your large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, cashew butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat them together on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes. You'll know it's ready when the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and pale in color. This step is important for incorporating air, which helps with the texture.01
-
Add the Wet Ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium-low speed until everything is fully combined. The mixture might look a little grainy at this point—that's perfectly normal, so don't worry.02
-
Combine the Dry Ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. This ensures the leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the flour, so your cookies rise uniformly.03
-
Bring the Dough Together. With your mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix just until the flour streaks disappear. Be careful not to overmix! Overworking the dough can lead to tough cookies.04
-
Fold in the Chocolate. Switch to a spatula for this part. Add the chocolate chips or chunks and gently fold them into the dough until they're evenly distributed. The dough will be quite thick and a little sticky, which is exactly what we want.05
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Chill the Dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 48 hours. This is the perfect time to preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.06
-
Scoop and Bake. Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, portion out the dough into balls (about 1.5 tablespoons each) and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. If you like, you can press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops for a bakery-style look. Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt.07
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Bake to Perfection. Bake for 10-12 minutes. The trick is to pull them out when the edges are set and golden brown, but the centers still look a little soft and underdone. They will continue to cook on the hot baking sheet as they cool. This is the secret to a chewy center!08
-
The Most Important Step—Cool! Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. I know it's hard to wait, but this allows them to set up properly. Then, dig in.09
