Peanut butter paw print cookies take classic peanut butter blossoms to a new level of cute. They are built on a chewy peanut butter cookie with fun a chocolate paw print design on top.
Are peanut butter blossoms always on your list of favorite cookies? They are definitely on ours.
While we love the classic cookie, you can make them even more fun by turning them into paw prints. Once you make them this way, you won’t want to go back.
I originally called these bear paw cookies, but you can call them dog paws or cat paws if you would rather. No matter what animal you choose, be sure to make these sweet treats.
When should I make paw print cookies?
These cookies are perfect for so many occasions. We make them as a cute addition to our Christmas cookies, but they would also be perfect for cat or dog themed parties.
Or make them for tailgates and game day if your mascot is a cougar, bear, dog, cat, lion, tiger and more.
Tips For Making Bear Paw Cookies
The base of these cookies are the same as our favorite peanut butter blossom cookies. It is a nice soft and chewy cookie.
Because of the high peanut butter to butter ratio, they taste amazing and chilling the dough isn’t necessary. All of the cookies you see here were baked without stopping to chill the dough.
That being said, if you bake the first tray of cookies and they are spreading, go ahead and pop the dough in the refrigerator for a half hour. I have just found that it isn’t necessary when making this recipe.
The dough is soft but not super sticky. It scoops easily with a small cookie scoop.
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You can roll the balls of dough in granulated sugar if you want to. Or just scoop them straight onto the cookie sheet if you prefer.
The sugar rolled cookies will have a little extra crunch on the exterior. The dough without the sugar coating has a softer bite, both ways taste great so it is whatever your preference is.
The cookies should look puffy when they come out of the oven without taking on a lot of color. As soon as they come out of the oven push in the chocolate pieces to look like a paw.
We used Ghirardelli milk chocolate melting disks for the center of the paw. The size is perfect and they taste amazing.
Use the right size chocolate chips
For size reasons, it is best if you use a different brand of chocolate chips. The Ghirardelli chips tend to be bigger which makes them harder to fit on the cookie and changes the visual effect.
Three (or four) milk chocolate chips complete the paw. Feel free to use dark chocolate if that is your preference.
Allow the cookies to cool completely and ensure the chocolate is set before stacking the cookies in an airtight container. That’s all it takes!
Storage
Cookies store for up to a week at room temperature. Put them in an airtight container with a slice of sandwich bread to keep them softer for longer.
For longer storage, the baked cookies freeze well. Just put them in a freezer safe container and pop them in the freezer for up to 6 months. Let them defrost at room temperature to enjoy.
Paw Print Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 48 melting chocolate disks
- 144 chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together ½ cup butter, 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 cup granulated sugar and ½ cup light brown sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Add the 2 large eggs and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, stirring to mix.
- In a small bowl, stir together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture and mix until just combined.
- Scoop slightly rounded tablespoonsful of dough onto a sheet pan leaving two inches between the balls of dough, a small cookie scoop works well for this. Roll balls of dough in additional granulated sugar if desired, otherwise roll them between your hands until they are a smooth ball.
- Bake for 7-9 minutes. The cookies should look puffy and soft, but set.
- Press 1 chocolate wafer into the lower center portion of each cookie, then add 3 or 4 chocolate chips to make a paw shaped pattern.
- Move cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Allow chocolate to reset before stacking for storage.
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Can these be frozen?
Yes. They freeze beautifully. Just put them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 6 months.
Seriously SO GOOD! Made them for my son’s first teddy bear themed birthday party and everyone raved. We’ve made them since just for us 😂
That makes me so happy!!
I made these for a Puppy Bowl party !! They are so cute and wonderful !! Thank you !!
What a fun idea! I am so glad you liked them!
WARNING! CHOCOLATE IS POISONOUS TO PETS! It was not mentioned even once in the article! Substitute dark yogurt chips for the pad and paws and all is well. I was shocked that all people commenting on making these for animal charity events didn’t mention it either. Some added they gave them to the animals. I find this whole situation distressing and irresponsible for a recipe group to have neglected to warn your readers about this danger!
The cookies are meant for human consumption, not animal consumption. Those selling them an animal charity events are selling them at bake sale type events for humans to consume… but the money raised is going to shelters or other animal charities.
These were delicious and so easy to make! So cute too. Mine came out looking exactly like the picture except I did add a fourth chocolate chip to the paw. Thanks for the recipe. Will definitely make these again.
Yay! I am so glad you liked them!
Oh my!! These are so delicious!! I added a fourth chocolate chip and made them for a pet rescue bake sale and they were a hit! I could not find melting discs and used the tiny Reese’s peanut butter cups from baking chips as the paw pad. I packaged them in clear celophane bags with a silver twist tie and some donors purchased them as Xmas gifts. It was a win-win for everyone! Thank you!
I’ll bet the Reese’s are so good, that is a fabulous idea! I am glad they were a hit!
These are so good! I got exactly 48 cookies but ran out of the bottom pad. Somebody got in my little rolos, just 5 short. Had a candy bar so I broke it up & used it. Thanks for the great recipe!!
Candy thieves are everywhere! I am so glad you liked them.
Corrected the toe amputation. Why I gave 4 stars.
Made these for 2 parties, one at the veterinarian / dog daycare and one for the kennel club. I did correct the cookie by using a smaller chocolate chips so the paw did not have a amputated toe. If you are a “dog person,” you realize how strange 3 toes look.
Made big batches. Great taste.
Everyone loves peanut butter & chocolate!
Made for a fundraiser for Humane Society. Very cute! The ingredients listed below the steps in the recipe are greatly appreciated! Saves a lot of scrolling up and down on my phone.
I am so glad you liked the cookies! I am also happy the recipe format was helpful, I agree that it does save some scrolling!
Sorry, I forgot the 5 stars.
Thank you so much!