These truly are the BEST Peanut Butter Cookies you will ever make! So soft, chewy and thick they are a cross between a peanut butter cookie and a sugar cookie! These peanut butter cookies will be your new favorite Christmas Cookie!
Love cookies as much as I do? Then give my Peanut Butter Blossoms or my Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies a try!
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Peanut Butter Cookies
This Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe is my go to cookie to make during the holidays. It’s super easy to make, I always have all of the ingredients on hand and it’s always a crowd favorite! These are the Best Peanut Butter Cookies you will ever have.
They remind me of a cross between a sugar cookie and a peanut butter cookie. They still get crisp along the edges but are perfectly soft and chewy in the center. After I portion out the cookie dough the cookies are then rolled in granulated sugar then pressed down with a fork for the criss cross pattern.
Best of all these easy peanut butter cookies can be made in less than 20 minutes! If you are a fan of peanut butter like myself you will love these cookies. Here’s what you’ll need to make this peanut butter cookie recipe:
Ingredients
- Butter: I use 1 whole stick of unsalted butter in these cookies.
- Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar: I replaced some of the granulated sugar with light brown sugar to get a chewier cookie. I also love the flavor the brown sugar adds.
- Creamy Peanut Butter: I recommend using regular peanut butter. I have not tried this recipe with any other nut butters.
- Egg + Vanilla: 1 large egg is added to create a chewier cookie.
- Flour: I use all purpose flour in these cookies.
- Baking Soda: Adds the perfect lift to the brownies and keeps them from being too flat and crispy.
- Salt: You can omit the salt if you are using salted butter.
- Extra Granulated Sugar: For rolling.
How to make Peanut Butter Cookies
- Preheat oven: To 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Make cookie dough: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in peanut butter and mix for 1-2 minutes. Add in egg and vanilla. Mix until combined and clump free. Combine flour, salt and baking soda in a small bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the batter in two parts with the stand mixer on the lowest speed. Mix for a little less than a minute. Do not over mix.
- Roll in sugar: Scoop out 16 cookies. Add granulated sugar to a small bowl. Roll each cookie in the sugar and place on a silicone baking mat on top of a baking sheet.
- Bake: Cookies for 10 minutes until lightly golden brown and firm on the edges.
- Cool: Remove from the oven and let set for 3-4 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
- Store: Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days (if they last that long). You can always freeze the cookies for up to 3-4 months.
Tips for making The Best Peanut Butter Cookies
- Light Brown Sugar: I also substitute the granulated sugar with light brown sugar. This produces a chewier cookie with lots of flavor.
- Room temperature Ingredients: I also like to wait until the butter is completely softened and the egg is at room temperature before mixing everything up. This ensures a smooth batter and an awesome cookie!
- Shorter cooking time: I always like to slightly under bake my cookies. Once they look set around the edges I take them out of the oven and let them continue to cook for 5 minutes longer on the baking sheet. Then I transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. This gives you a soft and chewy cookie!
- Overnight Chill: These cookies can be made a day or two in advance. The longer the cookie dough sits the more the flavors develop.
Variations
- Add some semi sweet or dark chocolate chips for peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.
- Add peanut butter chips to the batter.
- Dip cooled peanut butter cookies in melted chocolate and sprinkle with coarse kosher salt or crushed nuts for Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies.
- These cookies make a great base for ice cream sandwiches.
- Add your favorite preserves and peanut butter buttercream to make my Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies!
Here are more delicious cookie recipes to try!
- Chewy Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chewy Monster M & M Cookies
- Skillet Cookie
- Thumbprint Cookies
- Brookies
- Brownie Cookies
- Brown Butter Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter,, softened
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
- pinch of salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add in peanut butter and mix for 1-2 minutes. Add in egg and vanilla. Mix until combined and clump free.
- Add in flour, salt and baking soda and mix just until combined. Make sure not to overmix.
- Scoop out dough and portion into 16 cookie dough balls. Add sugar to a small bowl and roll each cookie in the sugar and place onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Using a fork flatten cookies slightly then turn and do the opposite direction to get a crisscross pattern.
- Bake cookies for 10 minutes until lightly golden brown and firm on the edges. Remove from the oven and let set for 3-4 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Joanne
Classic cookie recipes like this are the best!! You know they must be good if they’ve stood the test of time.
Kelley
Thank you so much Joanne! Yes classic cookies are the best!
Gayle
I’m such a fan of peanut butter cookies, maybe because I’m obsessed with peanut butter! 🙂 I love how chewy and fluffy these cookies look, Kelley! And any cookie that can be ready in 20 minutes is a winner in my book! Your pictures are absolutely gorgeous! Pinned!
Kelley
Thank you so much Gayle you are so kind!
annie
These cookies are very nostalgic! Mom made these all the time when we were growing up! Nice recipe! 🙂
Kelley
Thanks Annie!
Ashley
Peanut butter makes everything better! And I just can’t resist a soft cookie. These looks amazing!
Megan
They look wonderful and the recipe went well until I put them in the oven!! 🙁 it took so much longer than 10 minutes for them to look even remotely done, and now it’s close to 20 minutes in the oven. I can’t tell what went wrong!
Kelley
Oh no! Did you press them down with the fork? Maybe they were too thick. They should take about 10-12 minutes. 20 minutes is definitely too long. Let me know so we can figure this out. Sorry about that!
Susan
Can I use coconut oil instead of butter and is it the same amount
Kelley
Hi Susan,
I have not tried to substitute coconut oil for butter in this recipe. However coconut oil usually substitutes well in baking at a 1:1 ratio. I think this should would out well but I’m afraid to tell you yes for sure because I have not tried it myself. Let me know how it works out for you.
Thank you!
Kelley
Melissa
hi, do i have to roll it in sugar prior baking? i am trying to make one with less sugar actually, can’t handle too much sugar..
Kelley
Hi Melissa,
No it is not necessary that you roll the cookies in sugar before baking. It is OK to skip.
Thanks!
Kelley
Michelle
Finally! I’ve been dying for a recipe that truly targets ‘chewy’! However, I have a thing for super chewy cookies. Do you think it would be ‘safe’ to use more brown sugar? And/or melted butter, maybe? And/or less flour?!? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank You :-}
Kelley
Hi Michelle,
I tested this recipe a couple of different ways so I would be afraid to change it around that it wouldn’t come out right. You can always try under baking the cookies for an extra soft and chewy center.
Hope this helps. Thank you!
Kelley
Gina
I’ve been replacing the white sugar with brown sugar in there’s and they are soooo good and chewy!
Hamza
Granulated sugar or confectioner sugar?
Kelley
Hi Hamza,
Granulated sugar is used in this recipe.
Thank you,
Kelley
Nikki
These were amazing! Omitted rolling them in sugar because I used the Skippy peanut butter with honey (didn’t want them too sweetl). The texture was just perfect (nice, fluffy and chewy on inside). These did not last long in our home, as family loved them. Thanks for sharing.
Kelley
I am so happy you and your family loved them Nikki!!