Nothing quite brightens the kitchen like crafting these charming little treats, and that’s exactly what you get with the Chocolate Peanut Butter Penguin Cookies Recipe. They’re playful, delicious, and seriously fun to make, perfect for sharing smiles alongside their rich peanut butter and chocolate flavors.

The image shows a white plate filled with small penguin-shaped chocolate treats. Each treat has a smooth dark chocolate oval base with two white round candy eyes near the top. In the center is a round beige cookie acting as the penguin's belly. Below the belly, three small orange candy pieces serve as the penguin's feet, and one orange candy piece is placed above the belly for the beak. Two small round chocolate pieces are placed on the sides for the penguin's wings. The background is a white marbled surface, with some candies and a woman's hand holding a penguin treat visible near the plate. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Penguin Cookies Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Chocolate Peanut Butter Penguin Cookies Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Chocolate Peanut Butter Penguin Cookies Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

I remember making these adorable penguins with my niece last winter—it turned into one of our favorite kitchen traditions. They’re not just cookies; they’re little edible art pieces that bring out everyone’s creativity and smiles.

Delightful Presentation: These cookies’ penguin shapes make them stand out on any dessert table or kid’s party.
Perfect Flavor Blend: The mix of creamy peanut butter and rich dark chocolate is a match made in heaven, every time.
Kid-Friendly Fun: Decorating these cookies is half the joy, encouraging hands-on involvement from little helpers.
Make-Ahead Magic: They keep well in the fridge or freezer, so you can prep them ahead for stress-free entertaining.

The image shows many oval-shaped treats that look like little birds. Each treat has a smooth dark brown chocolate layer covering the whole top, forming the bird’s body. On the center of each bird is a round, light brown cookie acting as the bird’s belly. Two small white round candies with black dots are placed on the top part to make the eyes. An orange oval candy is used as the beak right under the eyes. At the bottom of each bird, two more orange oval candies are placed side by side to look like feet. On each side of the body, two dark brown oval candies show the wings. All the treats are placed close together on a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

The magic of the Chocolate Peanut Butter Penguin Cookies Recipe comes down to some simple, well-chosen ingredients that combine textures and flavors beautifully without fuss.

Flat lay of a small white ceramic bowl filled with glossy dark chocolate chips, a small white ceramic bowl of smooth creamy peanut butter, a small white ceramic bowl containing salted butter cubes, a neat stack of whole Nutter Butter cookies with their embossed peanut shape visible, a small white ceramic bowl of Mini Nilla Wafers, a small white ceramic bowl holding whole brown Reese’s pieces, a small white ceramic bowl with halved bright orange Reese’s pieces showing their creamy filling, and a small white ceramic bowl filled with candy eyes, all arranged in perfect symmetry and balanced proportions, placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Dark chocolate chips: Using dark chocolate balances sweetness with a rich depth, and melts smoothly when combined with butter and peanut butter.
Creamy peanut butter: It adds that signature nutty flavor and helps give the chocolate mixture a velvety, spreadable texture.
Salted butter: Adds richness and a touch of saltiness to enhance all the flavors.
Nutter Butter cookies: Their peanut butter flavor makes them the perfect penguin bodies with a sturdy base for decorating.
Mini Nilla Wafers: These serve as the penguin’s tummy, adding contrast and sweetness.
Brown Reese’s pieces: Used for the wings, their chocolate flavor complements the cookies perfectly.
Orange Reese’s pieces: Cut in half for the tiny penguin noses and feet—bright pops of color and chewy texture.
Candy eyes: Bring your penguins to life with these whimsical details.

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

I love tweaking this recipe depending on mood and the occasion. Sometimes I swap the dark chocolate for milk chocolate to dial up the sweetness, or add a sprinkle of sea salt on top for a salty-sweet kick.

Variation: My niece and I once made these with white chocolate instead of dark—for a super festive, snowy look. It was a big hit with the kids!
Dietary tweak: For a dairy-free version, almond or sunflower butter and dairy-free dark chocolate work beautifully, keeping the texture just right.
Seasonal twist: Swap the candy eyes for mini marshmallows and the orange Reese’s pieces for red or green candies to turn these penguins into holiday mascots.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Penguin Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Melt the Magic Mix

Start by combining dark chocolate chips, creamy peanut butter, and salted butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds, then stir. Keep microwaving in 10-15 second bursts, stirring each time, until everything is silky smooth and combined. Going slow here helps avoid scorching your chocolate, which can be a total bummer.

Step 2: Dipping and Decking Out the Penguins

Grab a Nutter Butter cookie and dip it fully into your yummy chocolate-peanut butter mixture, then use a fork to gently shake off any extra drips. Place it on parchment paper or a wire rack. While the coating is still wet, add a mini Nilla wafer to the bottom half for the penguin's tummy, stick on candy eyes near the top, and position half an orange Reese’s piece for the beak. Use two more orange Reese’s halves for feet, and add brown Reese’s pieces as wings on each side just under the cookie’s indent. Repeat until you’ve created your whole penguin army.

Step 3: Chill and Set

Pop your penguin cookies into the fridge for at least 3 hours—or even overnight if you’re planning ahead. This step is key because it lets the chocolate set nicely, keeping everything in place when you bite in. You can serve these chilled or at room temperature; just know that room temp means softer chocolate that might get a little melty — but isn’t that part of the fun?

Top Tip

After making these a few times, I’ve learned that prepping all the small decorating pieces first is a game changer. It makes the assembly so much smoother and more enjoyable—no scrambling to cut candy or hunt for eyes mid-process.

Prepare candies ahead: Sort the brown and orange Reese’s pieces, halving the orange ones, before you start dipping to keep things moving fast.
Manage melting: Don’t rush melting the chocolate and peanut butter – low heat prevents grainy texture and keeps the mixture glossy.
Use parchment or wire rack: Both work great, but a wire rack lets any excess chocolate drip off evenly, which makes your penguins neat and tidy.
Keep extras close: Have some extra candy eyes and wafers handy to replace any that get damaged or lost during decorating.

How to Serve Chocolate Peanut Butter Penguin Cookies Recipe

Chocolate Peanut Butter Penguins - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I like to keep garnishes fun but simple — a dusting of powdered sugar feels like fresh snow around the penguins, and a few fresh mint leaves add a pop of green that makes your spread feel festive without competing with the cookies.

Side Dishes

These penguins pair wonderfully with a bowl of cold milk (classic!) or a warm cup of coffee or hot cocoa. They’re also charming alongside a savory cheese board if you want to mix sweet and salty flavors at your party.

Creative Ways to Present

For holiday gatherings, I’ve arranged these cookies standing upright in shallow trays lined with faux snow or coconut flakes to look like a penguin gathering. Kids love the interactive aspect, especially if you let them “decorate” their own little friends right at the table.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Once chilled, I keep leftover penguins in an airtight container in the fridge. They hold up nicely for up to a week—just remember the chocolate will be firmer when cold, but soften pleasantly at room temp.

Freezing

If I’m making these for a big party, freezing is a lifesaver. I freeze them flat in a single layer inside a sealed container for up to 6 months, then thaw slowly in the fridge overnight. It preserves their shape and yummy flavor perfectly.

Reheating

Since these cookies are best served chilled or room temperature, I don’t recommend direct reheating. Just let frozen penguins thaw in the fridge and then bring to room temp for a few minutes—this keeps everything intact and delicious.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I make these penguin cookies without peanut butter?

Peanut butter is essential for giving these penguin cookies their signature flavor and the creamy texture in the chocolate mixture. However, you can substitute with almond butter or sunflower seed butter if you have allergies or prefer a different nut butter flavor. Just be sure to pick a creamy, spreadable variety for best results.

How long do Chocolate Peanut Butter Penguin Cookies last?

When stored properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator, these cookies will stay fresh for up to one week. If you prefer a softer chocolate texture, you can leave them at room temperature for a day or two, but they may become messy as the chocolate softens.

Can I freeze the Chocolate Peanut Butter Penguin Cookies?

Absolutely! These penguin cookies freeze wonderfully. Place them in a single layer inside an airtight container, freeze for up to 6 months, and thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before serving to preserve their flavor and decoration.

What’s the best way to avoid melting chocolate mess while making these cookies?

The key is to melt the chocolate mixture slowly, using short bursts in the microwave and stirring frequently. Also, prepping the candies ahead means you can work quickly to dip and decorate, reducing the time your hands are touching the warm chocolate, which helps keep the process neat and fun.

Final Thoughts

To me, the Chocolate Peanut Butter Penguin Cookies Recipe is pure joy wrapped up in a bite-sized bundle. They’re a wonderful way to make baking interactive and playful, especially when you want to bring a little whimsy to your kitchen table. I hope you enjoy making (and eating!) them as much as I do—trust me, these penguins turn any day into a celebration.