Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
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These Peanut Butter Cookies are soft, chewy, melt-in-your-mouth delicious, and loaded with peanut butter! Easy classic made from simple ingredients – it’s the peanut butter cookie recipe you’ll crave!
My recipe for peanut butter cookies has been a favorite in my family and on my site for many years. They are soft in the middle with a slightly crisp edge and the characteristic criss-cross on the top. Rich with peanut butter, actually more than in most of the recipes I’ve seen, these are the best peanut butter cookies I’ve ever eaten and definitely one of the favorite cookies in my house!
There’s just nothing like these classic Peanut Butter Cookies, so full of rich peanut butter. Pair these soft, chewy, delicious cookies with an ice-cold glass of milk or a cup of coffee, and you’ve got a treat that everyone enjoys. I’m happy to share my easy Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe with you – they’ve been a favorite in my family for many years!
These Peanut Butter cookies are the BEST and a choice that we all love!
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
Crispy edges with soft, thick center – The bite starts off with a slightly crisp outside but then treats you to a soft cookie inside that’s so delicious!
Rich with peanut butter flavor – The recipe has a huge amount of peanut butter – double that of many other recipes – for a flavor that is rich and most definitely peanut butter!
Easy to make – Made with simple baking ingredients, these come together quickly.
Great to make ahead – This peanut butter cookie dough freezes well – you can bake them later when you want them!
Table of Contents
How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies
Not only are these Peanut Butter Cookies absolutely scrumptious, they make beautiful bakery style cookies. Here’s how you make them.
To make these cookies, you’ll need these simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
- butter – Should be softened before mixing.
- peanut butter – My recipe uses a lot of peanut butter, even double that of other recipes. This gives the cookies such a rich, unmistakable peanut butter flavor!
- brown sugar and granulated sugar – Use both, as the brown sugar helps them to be moist and rich while the granulated sugar gives a crisp edge and helps the cookies to spread. You also use a bit of granulated sugar to roll the cookie dough balls in before baking them.
- vanilla extract – I like to use my homemade vanilla extract, but you can use another pure vanilla extract from the store if you wish.
- eggs – Allow them to reach room temperature before mixing.
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda and baking powder – Leavening agents that help the cookies to rise. Use both as instructed.
- Kosher salt – The salt balances and enhances the sweetness. You can also use sea salt.
Note about the Peanut Butter
I prefer to use creamy peanut butter in these cookies. You can use chunky peanut butter, but the cookies will have a different feel. You can also use natural or lower-fat peanut butter; however, the texture of the cookies may be slightly different. Make sure whichever peanut butter that you use is well-combined when incorporated into the cookie dough.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cream the Butters and Sugars
You’ll begin by creaming together softened butter, peanut butter, both sugars and vanilla. Then, add the eggs one at a time, being sure to combine each fully. You can use either type of mixer to make these cookies. I use a hand mixer often.
Mix Dry Ingredients
Next, you will whisk together all the dry ingredients, making sure well-combined with no lumps.
Combine Dry and Butter Mixtures
Cream the dry ingredients with the peanut butter mixture until just combined. Make sure you are careful not to over-mix.
Scoop and Roll
Then, scoop the dough and roll it into a ball. You’ll then roll each ball in sugar. I love the slightly sweet, almost crisp outside of these cookies after they’ve baked.
Place on Baking Sheet
After you’ve rolled in sugar, place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart. This is important as the cookies will spread as they bake. Make sure you don’t put the cookies too close together on the baking sheet so that they do not spread into each other as they bake.
Criss-Cross
Dip the tines of the fork into sugar and press into the top of each cookie to form a criss-cross pattern.
Bake and Cool
Bake as directed in the preheated oven. Once your cookies are done, remove them from the oven and allow them to sit for about 2 minutes to cool before removing them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
You may need to adjust baking time based on your oven. Watch for the cookies to just barely turn a bit golden on top so as not to overbake them. They bake for about 10 minutes in my oven.
Tips for the Best Peanut Butter Cookies
- You do not have to chill this dough before baking, but you can if you wish to bake the cookies up to 48 hours later.
- Make sure any peanut butter you use is stirred well, especially if it is natural peanut butter. There should be no oil unmixed into the peanut butter, so mix it til creamy smooth before adding to the cookie dough mixture!
- Measure the flour by leveling it in a dry measuring cup! Extra flour can result in a dry or crumbly cookie.
- Be sure to crisscross the top with a fork as directed. These cookies are thick with peanut butter, so this helps to allow the cookies to spread just a bit and bake evenly.
- Do not overbake the cookies. Watch them carefully and remove them from the oven right before you think they are done – just as they barely get the first bit of golden on top.
- Make some extras ahead! I can’t tell you the times I’ve pulled cookies out of my freezer when friends drop by or when we want a treat!
More Peanut Butter Cookies and Optional Mix-Ins
We love peanut butter cookies, so here are a few more favorites, as well as some optional ingredients you can add to this dough if you wish.
Peanut Butter Blossoms – Another favorite cookie with an added kiss of chocolate!
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies – Delicious, grain-free, and dairy-free!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – The treat for peanut butter and chocolate lovers!
You can also easily add any mix-ins you’d like to these peanut butter cookies!
Here are a few favorites:
- Chopped Salted Peanuts
- Peanut Butter Chips
- M&M’s Candies
- Toffee Bits
But honestly, you really need to try these cookies just right by themselves at least once. They are absolutely the BEST peanut butter cookies!
Storage Tips
To store – Allow the baked cookies to cool, then cover well or place in an airtight container for up to one week.
To freeze – Allow the freshly baked cookies to cool completely. Place cooled cookies in layers separated by parchment in an airtight, freezer-safe container in the freezer for about one month.
Thaw at room temperature. You can warm the thawed cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a 300-degree oven for about 3-5 minutes. Do not bake further – you only want to warm them.
Make-Ahead Peanut Butter Cookies
For an easy make-ahead peanut butter cookie recipe, prepare your cookie dough through the step of rolling in the sugar, and place cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet into the freezer and freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer your cookies to a freezer-safe zip-top bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When ready to bake, remove from the freezer-safe bag and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake as directed, adding about 3 minutes to the baking time.
More Favorite Cookie Recipes
Classic Buttery Spritz Cookies
Here’s my recipe for my Peanut Butter Cookies. I hope you love them as much as we do!
Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) butter, softened
- 2 cups (540 g) peanut butter, creamy or chunky
- 1 cup (213 g) brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup (198 g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon (4.7 g) vanilla extract
- 2 large (100 g) eggs
- 2 1/2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (2.6 g) kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (99 g) sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- Cream together butter, peanut butter, sugars, and vanilla extract. Add in eggs one at a time, being sure to fully combine each.
- Whisk together all dry ingredients and cream with peanut butter mixture until just combined. Be careful not to over mix.
- Scoop dough and roll into a ball and then roll in sugar and place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart as the cookies will spread.
- Dip tines of the fork into sugar and then press into the top of the cookie to form a criss-cross pattern.
- Place in preheated oven and bake between 10 – 15 minutes, depending on your oven.
- Remove from oven and allow to sit for about 2 minutes to cool before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Adjust baking time based on your oven. I bake these cookies for 10 minutes and allow them to cool for about 2 minutes for the perfect cookie. Do not overbake – so remove them from the oven just as they barely start to get golden and right before you think they are done.
Storage Tips
To store – Allow the baked cookies to cool, then cover well or place in an airtight container for up to one week. To freeze – Allow the freshly baked cookies to cool completely. Place cooled cookies in layers separated by parchment in an airtight, freezer-safe container in the freezer for about one month. Thaw at room temperature. You can warm the thawed cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a 300-degree oven for about 3-5 minutes. Do not bake further – you only want to warm them.Make Ahead Peanut Butter Cookies
For an easy make-ahead peanut butter cookie recipe, prepare your cookie dough through the step of rolling in the sugar, and place cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet into the freezer and freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer your cookies to a freezer-safe zip-top bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, remove from the freezer-safe bag and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake as directed, adding about 3 minutes to the baking time.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Hello Robyn! I have a few question about these FANTASTIC cookies!!!
1.) I have peanut butter but its runny. And will that work for this cookie???
2.) I have baking powder but not baking soda??? Do I have to have to use baking soda?
3.) Do I have to use brown sugar because ??? ( I don’t have brown sugar, I have regular white sugar ).
4.) I was wondering; do I have to use sea salt??? Can I just use regular salt instead???
******Thank you for everything Robyn!!! I hope you reply back soon because I really want to make these cookies as soon as possible by the way.:)
Hi Grace,
I hope you are doing well. I hope you do make these cookies! They are fabulous and you don’t want to miss them!
1. I would make sure to use fresh peanut butter. Sometimes, if it is a natural peanut butter, it looks runny but when you stir it then it combines again. While I’ve not tried it, I wouldn’t recommend natural peanut butter for this recipe. I use Jif Creamy Peanut Butter.
2. I would use baking soda in this recipe. While baking powder and baking soda both perform similar functions, baking powder does have additional ingredients that aren’t really needed in this recipe.
3. While granulated sugar may work just fine in a cookie recipe, you won’t have the same result in the final taste or texture of these peanut butter cookies that you will if you use brown sugar. I would use brown sugar for the optimal result in these peanut butter cookies.
4. Sure, you can use regular salt. You may need to increase the amount of salt you use if you use regular salt. It should work just fine in these cookies.
Good luck and let me know how they turn out for you!
Hi Robyn! I love these cookies but since we moved out of the country, they don’t have butter, peanut butter and baking soda , brown sugar , also sea salt…., They have peanut butter here but it’s very liquidy ; it’s not chunky or a mostly like creamy, so will the peanut butter work??? Thanks!!!
Hi Robyn,
Love your website! Love the chocolate cake, wanna try these cookies and I’m from Australia could you please tell me how many grams are in a stick of butter? 250grams? Thank you…keep the treats coming!
Robyn, just made these. So so so yum! I crushed some maldon sea salt flakes cause wasn’t sure if the big flakes would disperse enough. Do you use fine or coarse sea salt when you make?
I’ve used both coarse and fine in these. I would recommend fine.
Robyn, I ADORE peanut butter cookies. We are making these this afternoon!
Yum! Definitely hard to pass up. Yours look perfect!
My son was just telling me that he’s decided to deem Peanut Butter Cookies as his all-time favorite cookie. However, I hardly ever make them! You post has inspired me to get cracking.
One of my favorite all time cookies. So classic, so yummy!
Mine, too. I crave them.
Peanut Butter cookies are perfect 🙂 Exact amount of sweetness – just a tad bit salty…. yummm I’m craving one, right about now!!
That little bit of saltiness from the sea salt is perfection in this cookie! 🙂
Oh, Robyn. I was so hoping that you would share this recipe after I saw that Instagram picture yesterday. They look amazing. I should not be reading this before breakfast because I could totally go make these instead of something healthy. Wait…I will start with healthy and then make them for an afternoon snack. That sounds like a much better plan. 🙂
Thanks, Natalie. Won’t they make a wonderful afternoon snack?!