Peanut Butter Cookies
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You’re going to want to have a big glass of milk ready to serve with these Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies – the perfect salty-and-sweet cookie with a robust peanut butter flavor and delicate, lingering sweetness.
Classic Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
Perfect for an after school snack, Christmas Cookie exchange, or a sweet surprise for peanut butter fans, today’s Peanut Butter Cookie recipe is thick, soft and absolutely melts-in-your-mouth.
It’s decadent and rich, with a buttery, nutty flavor profile and just the right balance of sweetness and saltiness. (I don’t like mine too salty, but you can adjust to suite your personal preferences.)
I’ve made many, many peanut butter cookie recipes over the years, and have learned some lessons along the way. Below are my top tips to help you make the BEST peanut butter cookies ever.
Tips for Baking the BEST Peanut Butter Cookies:
- Use a smooth, salted peanut butter – crunchy peanut butter is typically too thick and will result in a crumbly, dry cookie
- If using natural peanut butter, make sure to mix the peanut butter really well as it can result in a runny cookie (and can also be a lot more delicate/crumbly)
- Don’t overmix the cooke dough; mix until the dry ingredients are just combined to avoid dry, tough cookies
- The cookies are done baking just when the edges of the cookie start to change color – avoid over-baking as that results in a dry cookie.
- Allow the cookies to sit on the baking tray for about 5 minutes after baking, as trying to transfer them to a cooling rack or container too quickly may result in them breaking.
- The exact amount of peanut butter that you need in your dough will vary depending on your brand of peanut butter; use between 3/4 cup to 1 cup of peanut butter to achieve a thick but not crumbly dough
Why do peanut butter cookies have that cross-hatch pattern? Because peanut butter cookies are denser than some other varieties of cookies, they need a bit of help to ensure that they spread out for even baking.
Back in 1936, Ruth Wakefield’s Toll House Tried and True cookbook introduced the method of flattening the peanut butter cookies with the tines of a fork – and it’s become the go-to method for most bakers, plus it is a clear and obvious indication that the cookie is in fact a peanut butter cookie (since this method seems to be exclusively used for peanut butter cookies).
However, if you want to try something different, a cookie stamp would also help flatten the dough before baking and would give it a unique design. (Or, you use the bottom of a glass or jar to flatten the cookies!)
Peanut Butter Cookie Variations:
- Make into peanut butter blossoms by pressing a Hershey’s kiss into the centre of each cookie immediately after baking
- Stuff with chocolates by shaping dough around a chocolate square
- Add chocolate chips, chopped nuts, dried fruit, etc.
- Roll the peanut butter cookies balls in white sugar before flattening with a fork
- Make into peanut butter thumbprint cookies by pressing down the center with a teaspoon shortly after baking and then filling with a teaspoon of jam
- Use almond butter or cashew butter instead of peanut butter
- Make into peanut butter sandwich cookies by sandwiching two together with a peanut butter frosting or jam (we share a from-scratch peanut butter frosting here)
- Add a teaspoon of cinnamon or espresso powder for a subtle flavor boost
How to store peanut butter cookies: Your peanut butter cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week, or they can be frozen for up to three months using your favorite freezer containers. (This set of freezer containers is a crazy bargain.)
Can I freeze peanut butter cookie dough? Our recipe for peanut butter cookie dough can be made 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge, then brought to room temperature about 30 minutes before baking, or the dough can also be frozen 3 months.
You can freeze the dough as a block of dough, or pre-portion into tablespoon-sized amounts.
More Perfect Peanut Butter Desserts:
Peanut Butter Cookie Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Butter
- Peanut butter
- White sugar
- Brown sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: the amount of peanut butter that you need will vary depending on your brand of peanut butter – add up to a cup of PB to achieve a thick but not crumbly dough
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Electric mixer <– this is a great hand mixer if you don’t want to make the investment into a stand mixer
- Mixing Bowl
- Small Bowl
- Cookie Scoop
- Fork
- Cookie Sheet
- Silicone Baking Mat
How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and peanut butter thoroughly.
Add the sugars and beat for 2 minutes, until creamy and light.
Add the egg and vanilla extract, beat for 30 seconds, then slowly incorporate the flour mixture until just incorporated.
Use a cookie scoop to portion out the dough on a lined cookie sheet.
Use a fork to press down on the cookies, flattening them and making a classic criss-cross pattern.
Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden and set.
Cool on the cookie sheet before storing or serving.
Makes approximately 24-28 cookies.
Grab your free printable recipe card for our old-fashioned peanut butter cookies recipe:
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Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3/4 cup to 1 cup peanut butter, as needed*
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter and peanut butter thoroughly.
- Add the sugars and beat for 2 minutes, until creamy and light.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract, beat for 30 seconds, then slowly incorporate the flour mixture until just incorporated.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion out the dough on a lined cookie sheet.
- Use a fork to press down on the cookies, flattening them and making a classic criss-cross pattern.
- Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden and set.
- Cool on the cookie sheet before storing or serving.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
26Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 147Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 178mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 1gSugar: 8gProtein: 3g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
I hope your family loves these easy peanut butter cookies as much as mine does!
For more decadent desserts, check out our full dessert recipe collection here:
For more scrumptious cookies, check out our full cookie recipe collection here:
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