Peanut Butter Cookies

By Maria Lichty

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Quick Summary

Peanut Butter Cookies – this is the BEST peanut butter cookie recipe! The cookies are super soft, chewy, and have lots of peanut butter flavor. If you like peanut butter, you will LOVE these cookies!

peanut butter cookies on wire cooling rack with a jar of peanut butter.

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I bake a lot of cookies. And when I say a lot, I mean A LOT! I love creating new cookie recipes, but I also love baking the classics.

Peanut butter cookies are some of my favorites to bake: peanut butter oatmeal, peanut butter chocolate chip, no bake cookies, peanut butter blossoms, and peanut butter cup pretzel cookies, just to name a few.

But whenever I am in the mood for good old-fashioned peanut butter cookies so I make my Soft Peanut Butter Cookies. This is the BEST peanut butter cookie recipe out there.

I’ve been making these peanut butter cookies for years and every time I make them I fall in love all over again. They are seriously the best peanut butter cookies.

The cookies are super soft, chewy, and have the perfect peanut butter flavor. They practically melt in your mouth. I can never stop at one…or three:) They are the BEST peanut butter cookies!

If you are a peanut butter lover, you will LOVE these cookies. They are absolutely perfect!

peanut butter cookie ingredients measured out in bowls.
  • All-purpose flour– to measure the flour, give it a good stir/fluff, spoon it into the measuring cup, and then level it off with a knife. Never pack your flour or you will have dry and puffy cookies.
  • Baking Soda and Baking Powder– to give the cookies a nice lift.
  • Salt– to enhance the flavors.
  • Butteruse unsalted butter that is at room temperature. If your butter is too warm the cookies will be flat and greasy, we don’t want that!
  • Peanut butter– use a brand like Skippy or Jif for this recipe. I like creamy peanut butter, but crunchy will work too if you want a slight peanut crunch!
  • Sugar– brown sugar and granulated sugar.
  • Egg– always use large eggs for baking.
  • Vanilla extract– use pure vanilla extract, the good stuff!
  • Extra Granulated Sugar– for rolling the cookies. The sugar makes them extra sweet and extra pretty.

How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies

(Scroll down for the full recipe with ingredients and instructions)

  • Preheat oven the oven and line a baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
  • Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the butter and peanut butter together until combined. Add the sugars and beat until creamy and smooth.
  • Add in the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
  • Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Don’t over mix the dough.
  • Take about 2 tablespoons of dough and form a cookie dough ball. Roll in granulated sugar until well coated. Place on prepared baking sheet, about 2-inches apart.
  • Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes or until they are golden at the edges and just set. Don’t over bake, the cookies will set up as they cool. If you over bake the cookies won’t be soft and we are going for a soft and chewy peanut butter cookie.
  • Remove pan from oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
stack of peanut butter cookies.

How to Store and Freeze

  • Chilling the Cookie Cookie Dough: Covered tightly, the cookie dough will keep in the fridge for up to 72 hours.
  • Storing Baked Cookies: Store the baked cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. To keep the cookies soft, place a piece of bread in the container. The bread will get hard but the cookies will stay soft. It is magic!.
  • Freezing Baked Cookies: Let the cookies cool completely. Store in a freezer bag or freezer container for up to 3 months.
  • Freezing Cookie Dough: Place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet or tray and freeze until balls are solid. Transfer the dough balls to a freezer container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, remove the balls from the freezer and preheat the oven. Bake the cookies as directed but add a couple of minutes to the baking time.

FAQ

Can I use natural peanut butter?

I recommend using a brand like Skippy or Jif for this peanut butter cookie recipe. Natural peanut butter will make the cookies dry and crumbly.

Do I have to chill the dough before baking?

No, you can make the dough and bake right away.

If you want to chill the dough, it will keep in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to 72 hours. When you preheat the oven, take the dough out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes. Then, you can scoop or roll the dough into balls and bake.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes! You can easily double the recipe…and you might want to because the cookies are SO good!

Can I add chopped peanuts or chocolate chips?

Yes, you can stir in up to 1 cup of chopped peanuts or chocolate chips.

peanut butter cookies on white board with jar or peanut butter and a few peanuts.
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Peanut Butter Cookies

This is the BEST peanut butter cookie recipe! The cookies are super soft, chewy, and have lots of peanut butter flavor. If you like peanut butter, you will LOVE these cookies!
4.78 from 118 votes

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the butter and peanut butter together until combined. Add the sugars and beat until creamy and smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
  • Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Don't over mix.
  • Take about 2 tablespoons of dough and form a cookie dough ball. Roll in granulated sugar. Place cookies on prepared baking sheet, about 2-inches apart.
  • Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes or until they are golden at the edges and just set. Don't overbake, the cookies will set up as they cool. Remove pan from oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Notes

Don’t over bake the cookies! They will finish cooling as they cool. 
Store the cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. 

Nutrition

Calories: 125kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Sodium: 100mg, Potassium: 58mg, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 130IU, Calcium: 13mg, Iron: 0.5mg
Keywords peanut butter cookies

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Maria

I'm Maria and my husband is Josh. We share a love of cooking, baking, and entertaining. We enjoy creating recipes that are simple, fresh, and family friendly. We love sitting around the table with good food, good conversation, and good friends and family! Our kitchen is always open!
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4.78 from 118 votes (78 ratings without comment)

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Comments

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  1. Wow these seriously do look like the BEST peanut butter cookies ever!!

    I fear that my waistline won’t like your recipe as much as my tastebuds will haha!

    1. I grew up using Jif or Skippy so I still use them. It’s a nostalgic thing:) Use your favorite brand!

  2. I’m going to use Peanut Pan Peanut Butter for these cookies, my all time favorite! I did an informal poll in college, asking guys their favorite PB and every single one picked PP over the other brands. Making these for my husband tonight. Maybe he’ll be less cranky then. Ha.

  3. These look great! Love peanut butter cookies so much! I too have the same problem with eating pretzels and peanut butter too, its a great snack! So hard to stop though eating though haha.

  4. Well these look fantastic! Who could resist a plateful of these? I totally need to try your recipe!

  5. These pb cookies look divine! I like how they are a little different from the usual and they look so soft and chewy! Perfection!

  6. Yum! I think I am incapable of saying no to peanut butter cookies!! These look so good!

  7. I miss peanut butter. (My son has a severe peanut allergy.) Maybe I will try them with Sunbutter. Thanks for another great recipe. My mouth is watering!

  8. I feel like every peanut butter cookie I eat is hard and crunchy, which of course I like, but sometimes I prefer a soft cookie. My husband is especially a fan of the soft cookies in any form so I will definitely be trying this recipe. Thanks for sharing!

  9. Classic cookie recipes like this are the best!! You know they must be good if theyโ€™ve stood the test of time.

  10. I made these today and they are delicious. Came out looking exactly like yours did. I love your website and recipes Every new recipe I try turns out great and finds itself in my cooking/baking routine.

  11. Typically when making peanut butter cookies, you gently press them criss-cross. Yours have the nice crackled look. Did you just leave them balls when putting them into the oven? I added chocolate chips to min and they are in the oven now. Taking much longer than 10 minutes for some reason. They are puffy and not flat. They smell divine though and I’m sure they will taste so.

  12. I made these over the weekend and they are to die for! I think my 2 tablespoons per cookie was more like a “heaping” 2 tablespoons because I only got about 20 cookies and needed to cook them for about 5 extra minutes. They flatten out nicely and look beautiful!

  13. Are baking powder and soda interchangeable? I mean, can I use a full teaspoon of one if I don’t have the other? I think they don’t have baking soda in my country/city. Uh.

  14. I’m willing to eat this every single morning from now on to the day i’m on the safety heaven. This is absolutely incredible!

  15. @ Ariel
    Baking powder can be substituted for baking soda but it will affect the taste. Perhaps baking soda is known by another name in your country? It’s also known as sodium bicarbonate.

  16. Thank you for these! I’ve tried about 100 recipes for PB cookies and haven’t been able to find “the one.” Until now. These turned out perfectly and have won a spot in my recipe box. My husband and kids thank you, too ;).

  17. Trying these today! They look delicious. I followed the recipe, but they didn’t flatten out the way they look in your pic…. what could’ve gone wrong?

  18. I made these tonight and substituted 1/2 cup crisco and 1 teaspoon water instead of butter and rolled the balls very lightly in sugar in the raw, which has larger crystals that give it a sugary crunch. I used creamy grocery brand peanut butter, but my favorites are any honey peanut butter of skippy! My cookies were also not as flat as pictures but still adorable and delicious, my batch made 28 little soft and sugary peanut butter cookies!

  19. I made these cookies for my husband tonight. He is a major peanut butter fan & these were such a HUGE hit that my family ate the ENTIRE batch! I ended up making another batch & didn’t mind one bit since they are so simple to make. I used Peter Pan Honey Roasted peanut butter…Amazing!! Thanks soooo much for sharing!!!! Definitely a keeper!

  20. I am officially getting rid of every other pb cookie recipe I have! I am NOT a good cookie maker but these turned out PERFECT!! I added mini chocolate chips to my second batch & they were delicious too!! Thank you thank you!

    1. I have read so many posts on the topic of the blogger lovers except this post is truly a pleasant post, keep it up.

  21. My favorite late night snack is peanut butter and pretzels too!! But I stud it with chocolate chips once I dip my pretzel. Seriously so good!! I haven’t made peanut butter cookies in years so I made them last night and they were delicious. I love how chewy they were. We also made the s’mores cookie sandwiches out of them…now I’m ruined, haha!!

  22. I followed the recipe precisely. They took far longer than 9-10 minutes to bake, and did not flatten out to make nice crackled looking cookies. They just look like dough mounds. I didn’t even want to eat the.

  23. My favorite cookie on this site were the chewy lime and coconut, but these definitely took me back to when i was little visiting my grand. Soooo good!!

  24. Maria, would you say these last well in an airtight container for a few days? ย Also, do you bake one sheet at a time?

  25. These cookies are delicious, so much so that I tripled the recipe as I have a lot of hungry teenagers that go thru my house lol, They all loved em by the way. I am their hero ๐Ÿ™‚

  26. I made these last week and I’m going to make them again! I followed the recipe exactly for my family of four and I can sum this up in three words… What. A. Hit!!

  27. Made these using smooth Barney butter almond butter and followed recipe exactly and baked for 9 minutes. If you feel your cookies aren’t flat enough, you can sort of whack your cookie sheet on the counter when you take the cookies out of the oven (not too hard but hard enough so they crack a little on top) This recipe really brings out the flavor of the nut butter you use and it is truly a winner! I wanted a soft cookie with rich nutty taste and not too sickeningly sweet, and thank God we found it!!! Thank you!

  28. i have been searching forever for a great go to peanut butter cookie recipe (and not just any recipe but a soft and chewy recipe) and this is it! i will look ย no further! ย this recipe is amazing! my cookies come out perfect everytime. ย thank you so much! i am a huge fan

  29. 5 stars
    I just made these tonight and they are delicious!!! ย Thanks for sharing. I am sure I will be making them again!!’

    1. My boyfriend is going thru radiation & chemo treatments. Can only manage soft foods and asked me to find a soft peanutbutter cookie recipe…this looks like a winner…will let ya know, thanks!

  30. 5 stars
    I use your recipe atleast once a month and send everyone I know here because these are truly the BEST peanut butter cookies!!ย 

  31. I have made these cookies so many times and they are to die for! Nobody can ever stop eating them. But – I have a friend who is vegan and would love if she could try these. What do you think about substituting oil or vegetable shortening for butter in this recipe?

    1. There is vegan butter available in most US grocery stores, now. (Earth Balance, I cant believe itโ€™s not butter vegan, etc).

      Donโ€™t forget that vegan people donโ€™t eat eggs either, so you have to make a flax egg. I follow Minimalist Bakerโ€™s instructions for that.

  32. Love the peanut butter cookie s’mores idea! These look amazing — that rich color in the cracks makes me want to bake these today, lol. Thanks for sharing!

  33. 5 stars
    We love these. Please never lose your website because I’d seriously cry if I couldn’t find the recipe again!

  34. 5 stars
    This is a keeper recipe. So much so that I printed if off and put it in my “Family Favorites” notebook. I also pinned it but I wanted a hard copy just in case the website ever went away.

    I’m wondering if the baked cookies freeze well. I often bake in November and freeze for Christmas, and would love to add this one to my holiday platters.

    1. I only had crunchy peanut butter, unbleached flour and forgot to press them with a fork until 8 minutes into baking. I made them too big, 10 monster cookies. Baked an extra 10 minutes. Turned out pretty. Next Iโ€™ll pay more attention.

  35. Hi Admin,
    this is really awesome post, actually best thing is loved all of your pictures which you clicked.
    Thanks ๐Ÿ™‚

  36. 5 stars
    I made these for the first time last night and they are truly some of the best peanut butter cookies I’ve ever had. I will definitely make them again.

  37. Josh you should add to your post about Wade, and the video, to grab a tissue. Such sweet sentiments for him from his fans.
    Thank you Maria for the discount for the built bars, I have been seeing good reviews for them, and a few people at my WW meeting said they were good too.
    Yummy cookies, peanut butter, looks like Iโ€™m making some too!

  38. 4 stars
    Cookies came out great, but had to bake 14 minutes. Doubled the recipe and got 36 cookies.
    They are delicious

  39. 5 stars
    Very soft and delicious cookies. They even look like yours! I was kinda worried at first because you donโ€™t fork them. Itโ€™s a keeper

  40. 5 stars
    AMAZING! Just the right amount of soft and a bit crispy on the edges and top — I think because of rolling them in sugar. Don’t skip that step! I made mine too big – a double batch just gave me 30 cookies. Cooked for about 13 minutes. You definitely have to trust the instructions. I was sure they must have been raw, but after cooling – lo and behold – they cooled to perfection. These cookies will be in my baking rotation for sure! Thank you for the recipe.

  41. 5 stars
    Made these yesterday and YES – they are new peanut butter cookie favorite. Love the soft texture and big flavor! BTW. Just received your cookbook and canโ€™t wait to jump in for some new recipes. Beautiful book – well done!

    1. Glad you liked the cookies! Thanks for buying our cookbook. I hope you love it!

  42. 5 stars
    I have been on the search for the perfect peanut butter cookie for the longest time. My husband loves peanut butter cookies, but I could never find that “keeper”. I was looking for something most resembling Tiff’s Treats. I finally found it! This recipe is WONDERFUL! My search has ended. I will never use another peanut butter recipe again. Only problem with this recipe is it doesn’t make enough ๐Ÿ™‚ I will double it next time!
    THANK YOU!!

  43. Oh my!!! Melt in your mouth deliciousness!!!! Iโ€™m a big peanut butter cookie fan and today Iโ€™m in heaven because my craving was met! I split the batch and wrapped the dough with 3 dark chocolate chips inside!! Double heaven!! I love the less sugar amounts and didnโ€™t roll in sugar…..perfect!! Thank you for this recipe.

    Cheri

  44. 5 stars
    I just made a batch of these cookies tonight and they are almost gone! Family loved them. I will definitely be making these again!

  45. 5 stars
    So good! They are so soft and delicious. I used margarine instead of butter and had to add an additional quarter cup of flour.
    Saving this recipe because I think it’ll be my new go to for PB Cookies.

  46. 5 stars
    I lost my classic peanut butter cookie recipe I have made for years ๐Ÿ™ so I decided to give this one a try. Wow! They are the best I have ever had. My wife loved them also. If you pull the cookies out of the oven when the middles are just set, the cookies need that 4-5 minutes cooling on the cookie sheet to finish the bake and get “strong” enough to place on cooling racks. The first batch I tried to move from the cookie sheet to the cooling racks immediately and a couple fell apart.

    Another piece of advice…make a double batch!!!

    1. I am so glad you loved my peanut butter cookie recipe! A double batch is always a good idea:))

  47. 5 stars
    The best recipe for peanut butter cookies I have ever made. I have tried different recipes over the years and, though most are very good, there is always something not quite right and I have to tweak it a bit. Not this one, it was perfect as it is. My husband was ecstatic over them. It is now in my permanent collection. I do different things with your base recipe and they are all great. Thank you so much!!!!

  48. I made your persimmon cookie recipe and it was so good that I could not resist looking up a peanut butter cookie recipe I had lost, and thought of you. Although it isn’t the same, I’d be willing to bet they’ll be good so going to give them a try. BTW, signed up for the daily newsletter, hoping for new ideas to try on a picky bunch. Thanks!

  49. 5 stars
    I love their recipes. I’ve made peanut butter, chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, and oatmeal raisin cookies using them. All are big hits!!! All are amazing!

  50. This recipe is amazing and they are for sure the best peanut butter cookies I have ever made. We wouldn’t bother trying another recipe in this house! ๐Ÿ™‚ I have one predicament every time I make these- I do not come near to 24 cookies though- it’s more like 12. Anyone else?

    1. 5 stars
      Tried the peanut butter cookie recipe today and added peanut butter chips and chocolate chips to the batter as I love both, and they turned out great! also love the option to 1x 2x 3x the recipe, just tap the one you want and it does all the calculations for you, for a no fail doubled or tripled recipe. Thank you for the great recipes โค๏ธ

  51. 5 stars
    These peanut butter cookies really are the best of the best. I have made these successfully vegan several times. They have turned out well with vegan butter, but also coconut oil. I have made them with JustEgg as well as a flax egg. Both have turned out well. These just melt in your mouth! So dang good!!

  52. 5 stars
    Delicious cookies! I made one batch with crunchy and one batch with creamy peanut butter. Iโ€™m putting vanilla bean ice cream between some of the cookies for a cool dessert tomorrow! This recipe is definitely a favorite!

  53. 5 stars
    Just made these for the first time. Took 14 min to bake. Next time I will add 3/4cup peanut butter and 1/4cup butter for more peanut butter flavour. Otherwise, chewy and delightful. This is a keeper. Thank You
    Lynn in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

  54. 5 stars
    This recipe makes by far the best peanut butter cookies I’ve ever had. I made them last night for a neighbor’s retirement party, and couldn’t help but make ANOTHER batch this morning!! My husband has never complimented another cookie more.

  55. 5 stars
    The Perfect PB Cookies! Melts in your mouth, soft & quite delicious cookies! Thanks for sharing your recipe!!!

  56. 5 stars
    they tasted really good. how did you make cookies crackled? mine didn’t turn out like that at all. thanks

    1. Mine didn’t either but I used a large serving fork to press them down as soon as i pulled them out of the oven. not an exact replica of what it photographed here but it did the trick ๐Ÿ™‚

  57. Perfect recipe I wouldn’t change a thing. The best dense, chewy peanut butter cookie I’ve made! Thanks for the recipe

  58. Oh my goodness these were good! I made them for my dad’s birthday and they were a hit! However, my batter was a little thin and I added all the ingredients in the correct order and the correct amount. is there anything I could do to make that better?

    1. Maybe your butter was too warm? You can also try adding 1/4 cup flour.

  59. 5 stars
    My bf said he wanted peanut butter cookies for his bdayโ€ฆ and these did not disappoint. They are soft but chewy and not overly sweet. Saving this for later!

  60. 5 stars
    Recipe is simple and my whole church says these cookies are divine. I add a pinch more salt and use natural peanut butter, and it comes out great every time!

  61. 5 stars
    These are wonderful cookies. Soft and chewy. I added a few milk chocolate chips for fun. These are actually the best peanut butter cookies I have ever made. Thanks for the great recipe!

  62. do you press the rolled cookies down or put them in the oven as balls? Ive used your recipe a few times and have done it both ways. But would like to know which..Love these cookies.

  63. 5 stars
    You were right! These are literally the best peanut butter cookies. We make this recipe all the time.

  64. So easy and delicious! I was only able to get 12 cookies out of the batch with 2 tbs size cookies. Mine also needed more baking time. Closer to 12 minutes.

  65. Is there any way that someone can provide “real” measurements?
    Outside of the US nobody knows what is meant by “cup of butter” and the sizes of tablespoons vary from household to household…..

  66. 5 stars
    I love how peanut-buttery they are! Plus, even better the second day!
    – Used my large cookie scooper (which is 3 tbsp in size) and got about 14 cookies out of it.
    – I didn’t have enough granulated sugar, so I used coconut sugar, which worked great!
    – Next time I think I will drizzle chocolate on top to be like a peanut butter cup.

  67. 5 stars
    these were really good! I really needed a good way to use up peanut butter and my whole family loved these! thanks!