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Peanut Butter Cookies are perfectly soft and chewy. These pea-nutty morsels come together quickly with only a few ingredients!
These Peanut Butter Cookies are easy and simply delicious, but for an even easier version try 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies, or shake it up a bit with Peanut Butter Oatmeal or Mini Peanut Butter Cookies with chocolate chips.
Easy Peanut butter cookies
Peanut Butter Cookies are a well-loved classic. They are easy to make and are every peanut butter lover’s dream.
They also just happen to be my hubby’s favorite cookie – he loves peanut butter flavor! Although close runner-ups are the Peanut Butter Cup Cookie and the Peanut Butter Kiss Cookie.
Peanut Butter Cookies are tasty fresh and warm from the oven, but I also like these the next day dipped in milk. There are many variations and additions to the classic cookie, but no matter how you “spread it”, peanut butter cookies are scrumptious!
How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies
PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
WET INGREDIENTS. In a large mixing bowl, beat together peanut butter, butter, brown sugar, and 1 cup of granulated sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until creamy.
DRY INGREDIENTS. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk together, then pour into the butter mixture. Stir to combine.
ROLL. Place the remaining ½ cup of sugar in a bowl. Roll dough into 1–1½-inch balls and roll in sugar, making sure to coat all sides.
BAKE. Place on a greased cookie sheet and make a criss cross pattern on top of each ball using the back of a fork. Bake for 8–9 minutes.
- Due to the peanut butter, the cookies may not spread as much as other cookies. Hence the crisscross pattern that is a peanut butter cookie signature. The marks are just a decorative way to press the dough down to your desired shape and thickness.
COOL. Let cookies sit on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then remove them to a rack to cool.
Recipe Tips
Mix-ins. Mix in chopped Reese’s Cups or top with a Hershey Kiss. Some other variations include:
- mini chocolate chips
- Reese’s Pieces
- peanut butter or butterscotch chips
- white chocolate chips or a white chocolate drizzle
The best peanut butter to use when making cookies is the “regular” creamy kind like Jif or Skippy. Or for texture, use regular crunchy peanut butter.
Using natural peanut butter will yield a different texture, both crumbly and drier. Add a pinch more salt and sugar to the recipe since natural peanut butter lacks both.
Storing Info
Make ahead of time. Go ahead and double the recipe. These best Peanut Butter Cookies are great to have on hand as a quick after-school snack, a treat for an unexpected guest, or a late-night snack for you and your spouse.
STORE cookies in dough form or as baked cookies.
STORE cookie dough. Wrap in plastic and store in the fridge for 3-5 days. Or form cookie dough balls, flash freeze them for about 2 hours, transfer them to a freezer Ziploc and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
STORE baked cookies in an airtight container for 7-10 days, or freeze in a Ziploc bag for up 3 months.
When storing baked cookies at room temperature place a piece of white bread in the container. The bread will keep the cookies softer longer.
For more cookies, try:
- Chewy Sugar Cookie
- Jack Jack Num Num Cookies
- Monster Cookies
- Butterscotch Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookie
- Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ cups creamy peanut butter or crunchy
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar divided
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together peanut butter, butter, brown sugar, and 1 cup of granulated sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until creamy.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk together, then pour into the butter mixture. Stir to combine.
- Place the remaining ½ cup of sugar in a bowl. Roll dough into 1–1½-inch balls and roll in sugar, making sure to coat all sides.
- Place on a greased cookie sheet and make a crisscross on top of each ball using a fork. Bake for 8–9 minutes.
- Let cookies sit on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then remove them to a rack to cool.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If I freeze the dough balls, how do I bake them? Thaw the balls first? Or bake from frozen?
Delicious cookie recipe. I made half plain and then mixed chopped Reese’s in the other half.
These are our go-to’s. I especially love these dipped halfway in chocolate!
These are heavenly and so yummy! We love peanut butter here and these were such a big hit here! I’ll definitely make these again very soon!
They best peanut butter cookies are whichever ones I am eating right now! I love them all, thick, thin, chewy, or crunchy. These were beyond delicious and had a great texture. One of my favs!
Amen to that! I love peanut butter cookies too. 😉 So glad you enjoyed these ones!
I am not a peanut butter fan, but peanut butter cookies are my favorite!! They are so soft & the best with a tall glass of milk!
We love cookies. These peanut butter cookies are a favorite. Simple and delicious!