There are no shortcuts when it comes to making a Classic Peanut Butter Cookie. The best peanut butter cookies are made from simple pantry ingredients and time-tested recipes.
Don’t bother with trendy recipes using 3 or 4 ingredients, you’ll be disappointed.
Homemade peanut butter cookies warm from the oven with the aroma of deliciousness permeating throughout the house is a wonderful thing. It’s one of my favorite easy cookie recipes that can be made in minutes and provide a lifetime of memories for those enjoying these delicious bites of peanut butter heaven.
Peanut butter cookies aren’t just for peanut butter lovers. This cookie has been made by families in the United States for generations and will continue to be one of the country’s most loved cookies.
Made with simple ingredients allowing the natural peanut butter flavor to be the star of these classic cookies.
If you’re a peanut butter lover my Peanut Butter Pie is another recipe you’re gonna love!
Ingredients to make Peanut Butter Cookies
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Peanut Butter Cookies. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Can I use Crunchy Peanut Butter to make the cookies?
You sure can. I will make a little to no difference in the texture of the cookie.
How to make the Best Peanut Butter Cookie
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line two 18 by 13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to a medium mixing bowl.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together until well combined.
- Add the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer (or large mixing bowl with an electric mixer)
- Using the paddle attachment cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
- Add the peanut butter to the creamed butter and sugar.
- Mix until creamy.
- Add the egg and vanilla to the peanut butter mixture.
- Mix until well blended.
- Set the mixer on low speed and slowly add in the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture.
- Mix the flour into the peanut butter mixture until just combined. Don’t overmix!
- Scoop out the dough and shape into balls using a #40 cookie scoop or your hands (about 2 tablespoon each). Place the balls on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Using a dinner fork flatten the cookies slightly, then turn the fork going in the opposite direction and flatten just slightly again. This will give you the classic criss-cross pattern.
- Place the baking sheets on two center racks of the preheated oven. Bake for 9 -10 minutes. The cookies will appear pale and slightly under-baked, which is okay. They will continue to form and harden a bit as they cool.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to let them cool completely.
Trust me, when it comes to cookies this chef knows his stuff. And my Peanut Butter Cookie will not disappoint. Just grab a cold glass of milk and a plateful of these cookies and your day will suddenly become better.
Recipe FAQ’s
Peanut butter is very dense. Making the crisscross pattern with a fork helps the cookie bake more evenly.
This gives the cookies a crispy exterior around the edges and that chewy texture we love in a peanut butter cookie.
Well, you can, but the quality of the cookie will not be the same. Natural peanut butter causes has a higher oil content and will cause the cookie to spread more during the baking process making it flatter and crisper. Baking times would also need to be shortened if natural peanut butter is used.
You cannot substitute other nut butter using this recipe, they are not equal substitutions. If you have peanut allergy concerns, look for cookie recipes specifically designed using other nut butters.
More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love!
Classic Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour scoop and level to measure
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line two 18 by 13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to a medium mixing bowl and whisk together until well combined.
- Add butter and sugars to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. creaming the ingredients until light and fluffy.
- Add the peanut butter and mix until creamy.
- Add the egg and vanilla and continue to mix until well blended.
- Set the mixer on low speed and slowly add in the flour mixture until just combined. Don't overmix!
- Scoop out the dough and shape into balls (about 2 tablespoon each). Place the balls on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Using a dinner fork flatten the cookies slightly, then turn the fork going in the opposite direction and flatten just slightly again. This will give you the classic crisscross pattern.
- Place the baking sheets on two center racks of the preheated oven. Bake for 9 -10 minutes. The cookies will appear pale and slightly under-baked, which is okay. They will continue to form and harden a bit as they cool.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to let them cool completely.
- Store the cookies and an airtight container for up to 5 days. These cookies also freeze well.
Julia Tauscher
These cookies came out amazing. I used the Trader Joe’s salted, need to stir, crunchy peanut butter (I was a little worried with this choice). I doubled the recipe and used a 2oz scoop and baked the first tray right after mixing for 13-15 min. and the next two trays were waiting in the fridge, baked them for 15-17. I sprinkled 6 with granulated sugar just to see if this added anything. They were all perfect, I liked the extra crunch and sweetness of the sugar with the salty peanut butter. They were crispy and slightly chewy in center. They came out xl like a bakery cookie. I will hold onto this recipe forever!!
Chef Dennis Littley
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed my peanut butter cookies, they’re one of my favorites!
Sue Smith
wonderful recipe! just like mom used to make.My husband would rather
have these for his birthday than a cake!! Thank you so much.
Chef Dennis Littley
I’m very happy to hear that you enjoyed my peanut butter cookie recipe!
Crystal Richey
Let’s just say I’m not much of a baker. My kids honestly thought that cookies were supposed to be black. I know, I’m not proud. Anyhow, I wanted a classic peanut butter cookie recipe not one that uses only three or four ingredients, I wanted a real one. these cookies turned out so good! They were perfect in every way. They were chewy. The bottoms were a perfect golden brown. I would recommend this recipe to anybody and I’m so glad that I found it. Thank you so much.
Chef Dennis Littley
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed my peanut butter cookies. I hope you find more recipes on my website to make for your family.
Kateena Innis
Can I freeze this dough or refrigerate overnight?
Chef Dennis Littley
Yes you can freeze the dough and also refrigerate the dough overnight.
Jordan
These cookies are absolutely delicious!!! Yummy!