Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe (2024)

Best Ever Soft Peanut Butter Cookies are a classic. Soft & chewy, these peanut butter cookies have quickly become our favorite sweet treat.

My family can’t keep their hands off these easy peanut butter cookies. This peanut butter cookie recipe is not your traditionalcrunchypeanut butter cookie, but there really isn’t a better recipe out there. Trust me, we’ve tried them all.

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Now, I have made this recipe in two different ways. 1 with baking soda, the other with baking powder. This was all an accident, and while I originally posted the recipe with the baking soda, after making this over a hundred + times, we all agree over here that the best cookie results with baking powder. But if you make the same “mistake” I did, these cookies will still knock it out of the park.

What peanut butter cookie recipe is the best?

While I love making homemade peanut butter cookies with just 3 ingredients, they are not as soft and chewy as these. I love three-ingredient peanut butter cookies, but I am just not as satisfied.

These cookies go right in line with my love for creamy peanut butter. Peanut butter is my go-to snack anytime I am hungry.

Whether it’s by the spoonful, with pretzels, on a sandwich or paired with some Nutella, I really could eat peanut butter in any way, shape, or form. Because I have a sweet tooth, cookies are among my favorite foods. This makes soft peanut butter cookies an obvious hit.

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Should I use crunchy or creamy peanut butter to make peanut butter cookies?

While I typically love creamy peanut butter for cookies, there are those moments – like with my morning breakfast toast with bananas – when I reach for the crunchy peanut butter.

We are a house divided into creamy and crunchy peanut butter. My son, Aiden, and I are more in the middle and could eat either. My husband and daughter, Jersey, love crunchy, and my other three kids, Jojo, Cannon, and Madden, will only eat creamy. If I accidentally pack them crunchy, the sandwich will still be in their lunchbox when they get home – making you wonder what they ate for lunch.

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We also have extreme opinions on whether soft or crunchy peanut butter cookies are the best.

I tend to lean towards chewy, soft cookies. The best cookie recipe I’ve ever had is my Best Ever Monster Cookies. But most classic peanut butter cookie recipes I’ve had are too crunchy, leaving a crumbly mess. So, I have been on a mission to find the best peanut butter cookie recipe, and finally… finally… I found it.

Everyone except for Aiden, peanut butter cookies are best when soft and chewy. Aiden loves a good crunchy cookie you can dip in milk. However, he won’t decline these Best Ever Soft Peanut Butter Cookies.

What could you add to peanut butter cookies?

  • The first time I made these cookies, I stuffed them with Rolo candies. I drool as I think about those Rolo Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies they were to die for. The second time I made them, I left them plain ole’ Jane – although the word plain seems a little harsh for these cookies as they are far from it.
  • I mean that they are so dang good that you don’t need any fanfare-like chocolate chips, Rolos, or M&M’s. The cookie is perfect just the way it is. These cookies are so good it will be hard to resist eating them right off the beaters.

Why do peanut butter cookies have fork marks?

When peanut butter is added to the batter, it makes it denser. Putting fork marks in the dough makes it easier for the cookie to bake evenly. This will help keep them soft, so don’t forget this step.

How long do cookies last?

These cookies are kept in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.

If desired, freeze the cookies in an airtight freezer bag. They can last for 1-2 months.

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How do you make Peanut Butter Cookies?

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F, and while it’s heating, line 2 baking pans with parchment paper, if desired.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together peanut butter, butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth & creamy – best if using a stand or hand mixer.
  3. Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue to mix until well combined.
  4. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small mixing bowl.
  5. Stir in the flour mixture with the butter and sugar mixture until well combined.
  6. Form the dough into 1-inch balls, roll in white granulated sugar if you desire, and place on a baking sheet.
  7. Using a fork, press down on each dough ball to flatten and create a criss-cross pattern.
  8. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Do not overbake. Cook on a wire rack.
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I can’t wait for you to get your hands on a dozen or two of these, as they are easy and simply the Best Soft Peanut Butter Cookies you’ll try.

Pin this to your favorite Pinterestboard for later.

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My Favorite Kitchen Tools To MakeThis Recipe

From trusty pots and pans to handy gadgets, I’ve curated a list of products I use and love.

Best Ever Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 8 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

Servings: 30 cookies

Calories: 130 kcal

Best Ever Soft Peanut Butter Cookies these classic cookies have quickly become my favorite cookie. Soft, chewy and made with peanut butter, there isn’t a better peanut butter cookie out there, trust me I’ve looked.

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter use Jif or Skippy type peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper, if desired.

  • In a large mixing bowl, cream together the peanut butter, butter, sugar and brown sugar. Beat together until smooth & creamy best if using a stand mixer or hand mixer.

  • Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue to mix until well combined.

  • In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and mix until well combined.

  • Use a cookie dough scoop, or spoon the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in white granulated sugar if you desire and place onto baking sheet.

  • Using a fork, press down on each ball of dough to flatten, creating a criss-cross pattern.

  • Bake for 8-9 minutes. Do not over bake. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

  • These keep well for a couple of days in an airtight container.

Video

Calories: 130kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 3gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 99mgPotassium: 69mgSugar: 7gVitamin A: 100IUCalcium: 9mgIron: 0.5mg

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Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the basic ingredients for peanut butter cookies? ›

Why are my 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies falling apart? ›

There are a few reasons why your cookies are falling apart. The wrong ratio of ingredients, such as too little sugar or peanut butter will make them fall apart.

Why is peanut butter cookie dough dry? ›

Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

Why do they put fork marks in peanut butter cookies? ›

The reason is that peanut butter cookie dough is dense, and unpressed, each cookie will not cook evenly. Using a fork to press the dough is a convenience of tool; bakers can also use a cookie shovel (spatula).

What is the best peanut butter for baking cookies? ›

Peanut butter: Creamy peanut butter is ideal for this recipe because crunchy peanut butter creates an overly crumbly cookie. You can use processed peanut butter such as Jif or Skippy, or natural-style peanut butter.

What happens if you don't flatten peanut butter cookies? ›

If you don't flatten the cookies first, then the fork does double duty – it performs both functions. One very subtle result of creating the pattern is that the little tips of dough bake up crisper than the rest of the cookie, giving you both a bit of additional texture and deeper taste where the dough is more baked.

Why do my peanut butter cookies taste weird? ›

Ostensibly “regular” peanut butter, with its added emulsifiers, sweeteners, and hydrogenated oils, will contaminate your cookies' flavor with its weird artificiality. Your other source of fat should be butter, not shortening.

Can I use brown sugar instead of white sugar? ›

In most baking recipes, you can substitute brown sugar for white sugar in a one-to-one ratio. So, if your recipe calls for one cup of white sugar, swap one cup of brown sugar. The sweetness level will be the same, but the brown sugar may change the texture of your baked goods.

What are the ingredients in Grandma's cookies? ›

ENRICHED FLOUR (BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS (SUGAR, CHOCOLATE LIQUOR, COCOA BUTTER, DEXTROSE, SOY LECITHIN, VANILLIN), SUGAR, VEGETABLE SHORTENING (PALM AND CANOLA OIL [WITH TBHQ TO PRESERVE FRESHNESS]), WHEY, AND LESS THAN 2% OF ...

Why are my peanut butter cookies so oily? ›

You baked your cookies and they came out an oily greasy mess. Urgh, what an awful feeling! If you've had this happen to you, odds are you made one of two mistakes: either you didn't allow the ingredients to thoroughly mix during the creaming process or you didn't allow the dough to rest enough before baking.

What are the Girl Scout cookies with peanut butter? ›

That's why some of our cookies look the same but have two different names. Whether the package says Peanut Butter Patties® or Tagalongs®, or Samoas® or Caramel deLites®, the cookies are similarly delicious. In 2024, Girl Scouts - Diamonds will be working with ABC Bakers, offering the cookie varieties listed above.

What happens if you don't chill peanut butter cookie dough? ›

The most important part of today's recipe? Chill your cookie dough! The dough is extremely soft due to the creamy peanut butter, eggs, and butter and if it's not cold going into the oven, the cookies will spread all over your baking sheet.

Should I let peanut butter cookie dough rest? ›

We prefer natural peanut butter here, so you can dial in the sugar and salt amounts precisely, and smooth peanut butter over crunchy to better control the cookies' fat and moisture levels. Letting the cookie dough rest ensures the flour is fully hydrated, resulting in crisper edges and chewier middles.

Do you have to refrigerate peanut butter cookie dough before baking? ›

Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm. Refrigerating the dough will give it more structure so the cookies spread less and hold their fork marks through baking.

What are the ingredients in most peanut butter? ›

Roasted Peanuts, Sugar, Contains 2% Or Less Of: Molasses, Fully Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils (rapeseed And Soybean), Mono And Diglycerides, Salt.

What are the 4 main ingredient in baking cookies? ›

While there may be countless variations, each cookie at the core has four ingredients – butter, sugar, flour & eggs. The proportions of ingredients and the methods of mixing are what define our cookies. Dough spreads – Inside the hot oven, the butter starts to melt and the dough gradually starts to spread out.

What ingredients should I look for in peanut butter? ›

The best choice is a peanut butter with one ingredient listed: peanuts. If the peanut butter is made only with nuts, the oil will rise to the top of the jar.

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