7 Delicious Reasons to Make These Chubby Hubby Cookies Today

Thick, soft, and bursting with peanut butter, pretzels, and chocolate—Chubby Hubby Cookies are the ultimate indulgence. Inspired by the famous Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and transformed into a crave-worthy cookie version, these treats combine sweet and salty flavors with a bakery-style bite. Perfectly chewy with a slightly crisp edge, they’re a cookie dough lover’s fantasy come true.

These cookies are everything you want in a dessert: rich, satisfying, and packed with texture. With a flavor profile reminiscent of malted milk desserts, they stand out from typical cookie recipes thanks to their unique combination of ingredients and Levain-style thickness. If you’re looking for your next go-to treat, this one delivers on every level.

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What Are Chubby Hubby Cookies?

Chubby Hubby Cookies get their name from the beloved Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor, which features pretzels, peanut butter, and fudge. The cookie version takes that idea and transforms it into a thick, chewy cookie loaded with salty pretzels, peanut butter chips, and rich chocolate chunks.

While similar in spirit to Chubby Hubby Bars, these cookies are portable, freezer-friendly, and perfect for gifting or late-night cravings. Their soft interior and crunchy mix-ins make them a standout for any cookie tray or bake sale.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These cookies are designed for serious dessert fans. With layers of flavor and a texture that rivals the best Great American Cookie recipes, they bring a professional bakery feel to your home kitchen. Here’s what makes them irresistible:

• Loaded with peanut butter, chocolate, and crunchy pretzels
• Perfectly thick and chewy—no flat, lifeless cookies here
• Easy to freeze and bake later
• Ideal for cookie dough lovers who enjoy texture and contrast
• Loved by kids and adults alike

If you’re a fan of bold, rich desserts like our cookie dough-based bars, this cookie will be a new favorite.

Key Ingredients You’ll Need

These cookies rely on a specific blend of ingredients to get that bakery-quality chew and bold flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ¼ cup shortening (for texture)
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup malted milk powder
• ¾ cup peanut butter chips
• ¾ cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chunks
• 1 cup crushed pretzels

The addition of malted milk powder gives these cookies a nostalgic, sweet-shop depth that elevates them beyond standard chocolate chip varieties.

How to Make Chubby Hubby Cookies

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, shortening, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and malted milk powder.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing just until combined. Stir in the peanut butter chips, chocolate chunks, and crushed pretzels by hand. Scoop large mounds of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing well apart.

Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers look just set. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

These cookies continue to firm up as they cool, locking in that perfect chewy interior.

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The Role of Shortening in These Cookies

Using a blend of butter and shortening is key to achieving the right texture. While butter adds flavor, shortening gives the cookies height and chew. If you’ve ever enjoyed cookies using shortening from old-fashioned bakeries, you’ll recognize that signature bite.

It also helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much, giving them that thick, hearty appearance reminiscent of Levain Bakery classics.

Inspired by Levain Bakery and Milk Bar Cookies

If you’ve ever bitten into a cookie from Levain Bakery in NYC or one of Christina Tosi’s Milk Bar Cookies, you’ll appreciate the inspiration behind this recipe. Like those famous treats, Chubby Hubby Cookies are unapologetically bold—dense, rich, and full of mix-ins.

They’re not just for dessert—they’re a conversation starter, a craving-quencher, and a bakery-level experience right from your oven.

Cookie Dough Ideas and Add-Ins

These cookies are already loaded with flavor, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with cookie dough ideas and variations. Here are some custom mix-in suggestions:

• Swap peanut butter chips for white chocolate
• Add toffee bits or caramel chunks
• Fold in mini marshmallows for a gooey twist
• Use crushed potato chips instead of pretzels for extra crunch
• Add chopped roasted peanuts for texture

You can even create a cookie dough ice cream base using this mixture—just omit the egg and bake only for a few minutes to keep the dough soft and chewy.

Malted Milk Desserts and Why They’re Addictive

Malted milk powder is a key flavor note in old-school fountain drinks and diner milkshakes. When used in cookies, it adds a creamy, nostalgic flavor that enhances everything else—especially chocolate and peanut butter.

It’s what gives these cookies their depth and warmth, placing them in the same category as timeless malt ice cream or chocolate malted cake. If you haven’t baked with it before, this is the perfect way to start.

Serving Suggestions

Serve these cookies with a glass of cold milk, scoop of vanilla ice cream, or even dipped in chocolate. They’re ideal for cookie trays, dessert boards, or stacked and wrapped as edible gifts.

For a show-stopping dessert, sandwich two around ice cream or crumble over our frozen peach lemonade for a sweet-salty contrast.

Storage Tips

Keep these cookies soft by storing them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. To maintain freshness, place a slice of bread in the container to prevent them from drying out.

They’re best the day after baking when the flavors have had time to meld.

Freezing Instructions

To freeze the dough, scoop it into balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag. Label and date—dough keeps well for up to 3 months.

You can also freeze baked cookies. Just wrap each one in plastic wrap and store in a zip-top bag. Reheat in the microwave for 10–15 seconds for that fresh-baked texture.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overbaking: These cookies should look just barely set when you take them out of the oven.
• Skipping the malted milk powder: It’s not optional—it’s the secret to flavor depth.
• Using all butter: You’ll lose that signature height and chew. Stick with the shortening blend.
• Adding too many mix-ins: Too much filling can cause the cookies to fall apart.

Take care with your measurements and you’ll get thick, bakery-style cookies every time.

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FAQ – Chubby Hubby Cookies

Can I make these without shortening?
You can substitute with butter, but the cookies will spread more and be less chewy.

What does malted milk powder do?
It adds a creamy, rich, almost caramelized flavor that enhances the cookie overall.

Are these cookies freezer-friendly?
Yes! Both the dough and the baked cookies freeze beautifully.

Can I make these gluten-free?
You can use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, but be sure to check that your pretzels are also gluten-free.

Can I make these smaller?
Absolutely—just reduce baking time by 2–3 minutes for mini cookies.

Final Thoughts & Call to Action

Whether you’re a die-hard cookie connoisseur or just looking for something special to bake this weekend, Chubby Hubby Cookies are the answer. With their unique mix of textures and flavors, they’re sure to become a staple in your dessert rotation.

Bake a batch today, share them with friends, and don’t forget to subscribe to recipesize.com for more cookie recipes, cookie dough ideas, and malted milk desserts that wow every time.

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