Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

These Peanut Butter Cookies are soft, chewy, melt-in-your-mouth delicious, and loaded with peanut butter! Easy classic made from simple ingredients – it’s the peanut butter cookie recipe you’ll crave!

My recipe for peanut butter cookies has been a favorite in my family and on my site for many years. They are soft in the middle with a slightly crisp edge and the characteristic criss-cross on the top. Rich with peanut butter, actually more than in most of the recipes I’ve seen, these are the best peanut butter cookies I’ve ever eaten and definitely one of the favorite cookies in my house!

There’s just nothing like these classic Peanut Butter Cookies, so full of rich peanut butter. Pair these soft, chewy, delicious cookies with an ice-cold glass of milk or a cup of coffee, and you’ve got a treat that everyone enjoys. I’m happy to share my easy Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe with you – they’ve been a favorite in my family for many years!

These Peanut Butter cookies are the BEST and a choice that we all love!

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

Crispy edges with soft, thick center – The bite starts off with a slightly crisp outside but then treats you to a soft cookie inside that’s so delicious!

Rich with peanut butter flavor – The recipe has a huge amount of peanut butter – double that of many other recipes – for a flavor that is rich and most definitely peanut butter!

Easy to make – Made with simple baking ingredients, these come together quickly.

Great to make ahead – This peanut butter cookie dough freezes well – you can bake them later when you want them!

How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies

Not only are these Peanut Butter Cookies absolutely scrumptious, they make beautiful bakery style cookies. Here’s how you make them.

To make these cookies, you’ll need these simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

• butter – Should be softened before mixing.
• peanut butter – My recipe uses a lot of peanut butter, even double that of other recipes. This gives the cookies such a rich, unmistakable peanut butter flavor!
• brown sugar and granulated sugar – Use both, as the brown sugar helps them to be moist and rich while the granulated sugar gives a crisp edge and helps the cookies to spread. You also use a bit of granulated sugar to roll the cookie dough balls in before baking them.
• vanilla extract – I like to use my homemade vanilla extract, but you can use another pure vanilla extract from the store if you wish.
• eggs – Allow them to reach room temperature before mixing.
• all-purpose flour
• baking soda and baking powder – Leavening agents that help the cookies to rise. Use both as instructed.
• Kosher salt – The salt balances and enhances the sweetness. You can also use sea salt.

Note about the Peanut Butter

I prefer to use creamy peanut butter in these cookies. You can use chunky peanut butter, but the cookies will have a different feel. You can also use natural or lower-fat peanut butter; however, the texture of the cookies may be slightly different. Make sure whichever peanut butter that you use is well-combined when incorporated into the cookie dough.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cream the Butters and Sugars

You’ll begin by creaming together softened butter, peanut butter, both sugars and vanilla. Then, add the eggs one at a time, being sure to combine each fully. You can use either type of mixer to make these cookies. I use a hand mixer often.

Mix Dry Ingredients

Next, you will whisk together all the dry ingredients, making sure well-combined with no lumps.

Combine Dry and Butter Mixtures

Cream the dry ingredients with the peanut butter mixture until just combined. Make sure you are careful not to over-mix.

Scoop and Roll

Then, scoop the dough and roll it into a ball. You’ll then roll each ball in sugar. I love the slightly sweet, almost crisp outside of these cookies after they’ve baked.

Place on Baking Sheet

After you’ve rolled in sugar, place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart. This is important as the cookies will spread as they bake. Make sure you don’t put the cookies too close together on the baking sheet so that they do not spread into each other as they bake.

Criss-Cross

Dip the tines of the fork into sugar and press into the top of each cookie to form a criss-cross pattern.

Bake and Cool

Bake as directed in the preheated oven. Once your cookies are done, remove them from the oven and allow them to sit for about 2 minutes to cool before removing them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

You may need to adjust baking time based on your oven. Watch for the cookies to just barely turn a bit golden on top so as not to overbake them. They bake for about 10 minutes in my oven.

More Peanut Butter Cookies and Optional Mix-Ins

We love peanut butter cookies, so here are a few more favorites, as well as some optional ingredients you can add to this dough if you wish.

Peanut Butter Blossoms – Another favorite cookie with an added kiss of chocolate!

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies – Delicious, grain-free, and dairy-free!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – The treat for peanut butter and chocolate lovers!

You can also easily add any mix-ins you’d like to these peanut butter cookies!

Here are a few favorites:

• Chopped Salted Peanuts
• Peanut Butter Chips
• M&M’s Candies
• Toffee Bits

But honestly, you really need to try these cookies just right by themselves at least once. They are absolutely the BEST peanut butter cookies!

Storage Tips

To store – Allow the baked cookies to cool, then cover well or place in an airtight container for up to one week.

To freeze – Allow the freshly baked cookies to cool completely. Place cooled cookies in layers separated by parchment in an airtight, freezer-safe container in the freezer for about one month.

Thaw at room temperature. You can warm the thawed cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a 300-degree oven for about 3-5 minutes. Do not bake further – you only want to warm them.

Make-Ahead Peanut Butter Cookies

For an easy make-ahead peanut butter cookie recipe, prepare your cookie dough through the step of rolling in the sugar, and place cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet into the freezer and freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer your cookies to a freezer-safe zip-top bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

When ready to bake, remove from the freezer-safe bag and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake as directed, adding about 3 minutes to the baking time.

More Favorite Cookie Recipes

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate No-Bake Cookies 

Best Chewy Sugar Cookies 

Classic Buttery Spritz Cookies

Here’s my recipe for my Peanut Butter Cookies. I hope you love them as much as we do!

Enjoy!
Robyn xo