Best Peanut Butter Cookies

The BEST peanut butter cookies! They have soft, chewy middles, crisp edges, and a delicious nutty flavor. The recipe is easy to make with 9 ingredients.

Peanut butter cookies

I’ve made a LOT of peanut butter cookies over the years.

These peanut butter cookies are the best ones yet. They have soft and chewy middles, lightly crisp edges, and a delicious peanut butter flavor. I love that the recipe is easy to make with 9 ingredients, all of which I keep on hand in my pantry. And because I have zero patience when it comes to cookies, I also love that you don’t have chill the dough.

What can I say? When I want homemade peanut butter cookies, I want them ASAP.

So if you need a no-fuss peanut butter cookie recipe to add to your rotation, you’re in the right place. This one is simple and classic. It’s guaranteed to be a hit.

Peanut butter cookies ingredients

Peanut Butter Cookies Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy peanut butter cookie recipe:

  • Peanut butter, of course! Creamy peanut butter, to be exact. This recipe calls for a higher ratio of peanut butter to other ingredients than most peanut butter cookie recipes do. It gives the cookies an amazing peanut butter flavor and a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
  • All-purpose flourSpoon and level it to avoid packing too much into your measuring cup.
  • Baking soda – It helps the cookies rise.
  • Unsalted butter – Let it soften at room temperature before making the recipe.
  • Brown sugar and granulated sugar – Two sugars are better than one! This combo keeps the cookies soft and chewy in the middle and allows them to spread some…but not too much.
  • An egg – It acts as a binder, perfecting the cookies’ chewy texture.
  • Vanilla extract – For warm depth of flavor.
  • And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop! Add 1/2 teaspoon if you’re using salted peanut butter. Add 3/4 teaspoon if your nut butter is unsalted.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Can I use natural peanut butter?

Yes! I often use natural peanut butter here because it’s the type that I keep on hand. 365 Organic, Thrive Market, and Smucker’s Natural Peanut Butter are my favorite brands.

  • Tip: Make sure that your peanut butter is well-stirred and smooth before making this recipe. Avoid the dry, stiff stuff that you might find at the bottom of a jar.

Feel free to sub processed peanut butter like Jif or Skippy if you prefer.

Peanut butter cookie dough in bowl of stand mixer

How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies

You can find the complete peanut butter cookie recipe with measurements at the bottom of this post. For now, here’s a quick overview of how to make peanut butter cookies:

First, make the dough. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (a handheld electric mixer works too!), cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla. The mixture will smell amazing!

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture and mix on low speed until just combined.

Cookie dough balls on parchment-lined baking sheet

Next, form the cookies. Scoop slightly heaping tablespoons of the dough, and use your hands to roll it into balls.

Fill a small bowl with 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and roll the dough balls in the sugar.

Recipe Tip

Roll the cookies in sugar. I tested this recipe with and without rolling the cookies in sugar, and the sugary cookies were my favorites every time!

Without it, your fork will stick to the cookies when you decorate them with their signature criss-cross pattern.

It also adds a nice crunch to the outsides of the cookies and brings out their rich peanut butter flavor. Trust me, it’s a total game changer!

Using fork to make cross-hatch pattern on top of homemade peanut butter cookies

Arrange the cookie dough balls on two large baking sheets lined with parchment paper, leaving at least 2 inches between them.

Press down on the tops of the cookies with the tines of a fork to form a cross-hatch pattern.

Finally, bake the cookies. Bake one sheet at a time in a 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies will be just set around the edges but look underdone in the middle.

  • Tip: The bake time affects the cookies’ texture! Bake 10 minutes for softer cookies and 12 minutes for crispier ones.

Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

How to Store Peanut Butter Cookies

Store these homemade peanut butter cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Can I freeze peanut butter cookies?

Yes! These cookies freeze perfectly. Seal them in an airtight container or freezer bag and stash them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Best peanut butter cookies recipe

More Favorite Cookie Recipes

If you love these classic peanut butter cookies, try one of these delicious cookie recipes next:

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Peanut Butter Cookies

rate this recipe:
5 from 50 votes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Serves 30
These homemade peanut butter cookies practically melt in your mouth! They have soft, chewy middles, lightly crisp edges, and the BEST peanut butter flavor. Made with just 9 ingredients, the recipe is easy and delicious.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour,

    spooned and leveled

  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt*
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar, plus ½ cup for rolling
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter**
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and the ¼ cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla and mix until creamy. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined.
  • Scoop slightly heaping tablespoons of the dough, then use your hands to roll it into balls. Place the ½ cup granulated sugar in a small bowl and roll the cookie dough balls in it. Arrange on the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between balls. Press down on the tops of the balls with a fork to form a cross-hatch pattern.
  • Bake, one sheet at a time, for 10 to 12 minutes, 10 minutes for a softer cookie and 12 minutes for a crispier cookie. The cookies will be just set around the edges but still seem underdone in the middle. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Notes

*If your peanut butter is unsalted, increase the salt to ¾ teaspoon.
**If using natural peanut butter, make sure it has a smooth, creamy consistency. Avoid the dry, stiff stuff that you might find at the bottom of a jar. If you store your peanut butter in the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before making this recipe.

 

68 comments

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  1. Kila
    03.07.2021

    Looked through the comments but didn’t see if anyone asked this – apologies in advance if it’s a repeat Q! If I use unsalted peanut butter, should I increase the salt in the recipe?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.07.2021

      Hi Kila, you should be good with this same 1/2 teaspoon either way. If you love sea salt in desserts, a bit of flaky sea salt sprinkled on top would be a welcome addition.

      • Kila
        03.07.2021

        Excellent- thanks for the quick response!

  2. Fran McGuinness
    03.02.2021

    Hi recipe looks great, can i add chocolate chips or will that change things?
    Thanks!!

    • Dudu Flies
      10.29.2023

      I did! Dark Belgium dairy free chips on top. Also used vegan butter and a flax egg. Turned out great.

  3. Linda Nicosia
    11.01.2020

    5 stars
    Love this recipe, but there’s a bit of a flaw: step one is to preheat oven; step 5 is to chill batter for 30 min…do you see?
    I put chocolate chips in it, too!!

  4. NM
    10.30.2020

    5 stars
    Great recipe for a natural peanut butter cookie! They came out crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
    Admittedly, I made just a *few* changes. One, using a gf flour and two, subbing non-vegan ingredients (sorry!) it was hard to find a recipe that used natural pb but this one is great! I’ll definitely be saving it to use again!

  5. KS
    07.22.2020

    5 stars
    These were tasty! My dough was really crumbly, so I added some extra peanut butter. They turned out pretty well. I’ll definitely make these again.

  6. HNH Style
    07.03.2020

    5 stars
    Very good recipe. My daughter loved it so much.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.10.2020

      I’m so glad you both loved them!

  7. Jeanine Donofrio
    06.16.2020

    I’m so glad you loved them!

  8. Leah
    06.10.2020

    5 stars
    In light of national peanut butter cookie day on Friday, I decided to make these along with the peanut butter snickerdoodle in the cookbook! Both are nothing short of amazing… I was planning on bringing all the cookies to share with my family on Friday… I don’t think they are going to make it! Thank you for sharing your recipes 🙂
    Next time I am tempted to try putting Nutella in the centre.. or at least in some of them!
    A quick question also, how do your cookies turn out so well with the fork method on top? Mine never lasts in the oven!!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.12.2020

      Hi Leah, I’m so glad both recipes were a hit! For the hatches – did you change anything about the recipe and are you using natural peanut butter?

      • Leah
        07.12.2020

        5 stars
        I don’t believe I did change anything! I also used natural peanut butter, I even made my own because you gave me the idea too on the blog! However, I clearly did something wrong – haha!

        • Jeanine Donofrio
          07.12.2020

          I think I might just try pushing down harder? Sometimes my hatches bake out too. I don’t know if it’s just a humidity thing or different in moistness of types of peanut butter. I hope they tasted great either way!

          • Leah
            07.12.2020

            Thank you for the tip and quick replies! They tasted absolutely amazing regardless!
            I’ve been on a roll with your second cookbook since the pandemic began, I haven’t been disappointed yet!!

  9. Christin from veggiechick.com
    05.14.2020

    5 stars
    I made these cookies and the only thing I did different was use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour Blend. They were a bit dry using this flour so I had to add a bit of almond milk (about 1/4 cup). And I also had to bake them a little longer, about 16 minutes. They were perfect! Firm enough but still chewy with a great peanut-buttery taste. So good. Thanks so much! =)

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.15.2020

      Hi Christin, I’m so glad you loved them. Thank you for leaving your gluten free tips!

  10. Kris B.
    05.03.2020

    5 stars
    Used crunchy natural peanut butter instead of creamy for 2/4 cup, then used 1/4 cup creamy almond butter. Used 1/4 teaspoon sea salt instead of 1/2. The added 1 1/2 teaspoons tequila to the mix, because why not.

    Baked outcome looked a little crumbly, but still held together and was fantastic.

    Also really liked the coconut oil flavor in this recipe.

    Thank you!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.15.2020

      Hi Kris, I’m so glad you loved them!

  11. mary
    11.01.2019

    5 stars
    Wow! These really are fabulous! Thanks for the recipe.

  12. Katie
    10.30.2019

    These look so good! Can I use gluten free flour?

    • Angela
      11.19.2019

      Hello! Have you tried without using sugars and just maple syrup and/or honey instead?

      • Jeanine Donofrio
        11.21.2019

        Hi Angela, I don’t think it would be an equal swap because it’ll change the wet to dry ingredient ratio.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      11.21.2019

      Hi Katie, I haven’t tried these with gluten free flour so I can’t say.

    • Alene
      03.16.2020

      Hi! I was just wondering if you tried it with gluten free flour.

      • Christin from veggiechick.com
        05.14.2020

        I made them with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free flour. I had to add about 1/4 cup almond milk because the batter was a bit dry, and I baked them longer, around 15-16 minutes. So good!!

        • Alene
          05.14.2020

          Thanks Christin! Wonderful! I’m just afraid to bake them because I will eat them all! My husband is not a peanut butter fan.

          • Christin from veggiechick.com
            05.14.2020

            No problem Alene! =) And if that’s the case, I’d probably make a 1/2 batch, cause it makes a lot of cookies! Enjoy. =)

  13. Veronica
    10.30.2019

    5 stars
    Quick, easy, and very tasty. I used liquid coconut oil and baked for a few extra minutes.

  14. Jeanine Donofrio
    10.30.2019

    Hi Susan, yes, I would definitely try fresher peanut butter that is more runny, it’ll help the dough be less dry and they will be more cohesive.

  15. KareninStLouis
    10.29.2019

    I look forward to trying this. I use Trader Joe’s organic no salt peanut butter with Valencia peanuts. It is a great peanut butter at an amazing price. I typically pour off as much of the oil on top as possible before using the jar, but for this recipe I will blend in all of the oil as I think that is needed since you recommend using a runny peanut butter.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.30.2019

      Hi Karen, I hope you enjoy the recipe! Yes, I would definitely stir the oil into the peanut butter really well.

  16. Averie
    10.28.2019

    These look delicious! I can’t wait to make this for my daughter’s surprise birthday party!

    • Gabby
      10.28.2019

      yes please make these for me (i am her daughter)

      • Jeanine Donofrio
        10.30.2019

        Haha, I hope you both enjoy them 🙂

  17. Lauren Neciuk
    10.28.2019

    5 stars
    These cookies look so good! I love the fork trick you did at the end.

  18. Hey this is a great recipe. Can’t wait to try it!
    Thank you!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.30.2019

      I hope you enjoy them!

  19. Tricia Berkow
    10.28.2019

    These look yummy and I want to make them. Can I ask you what is your favorite brand of runny peanut butter?

    Thanks!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.28.2019

      Hi Tricia, we tested these with both Whole Food’s Organic and regular (natural) peanut butter.

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Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.