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Home » Eats & Drinks » Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

Published on February 10, 2021 by Eden

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These classic peanut butter cookies are chewy, full of flavor and have the perfect balance of sweet and peanut butter! They are made with simple ingredients and perfectly baked with a classic crisscross pattern. They are simply the best!

Classic peanut butter cookies

Did you know that the idea of peanut butter cookies didn’t take off until the mid-1900s? Since peanut butter itself has been around for centuries, it’s hard to imagine a world where people didn’t have access to gooey peanut goodness in cookie form!

cookies with peanut butter and for marks

Invented right here in the States, these cookies come with a mouthwatering chewy texture and the classic waffle pattern on the surface—and there are few things more tempting than the smell of them wafting from the oven!

Here, we’re sharing our best peanut butter cookie recipe: moist, chewy, and full of flavor. As you get to baking, check out the tips below to make the perfect batch.

Brown Sugar, butter, egg vanilla, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in bowls.

How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

  • All-purpose Flour
  • Unsalted Butter
  • Smooth Peanut Butter
  • Brown Sugar
  • Granulated Sugar
  • Egg
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Baking Soda
  • Baking Powder
  • Salt
  • peanut butter
  • peanut butter cookie dough

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

In a mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and give it a whisk with a fork.

Cream together the butter and both sugars using an electric mixer, with the paddle attachment on medium speed for about 5 minutes. Make sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Add in the egg and vanilla extract and continue to mix on medium.

Turn the mixer to medium low and add in the peanut butter. Mix for about 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl so all of the ingredients are incorporated.

Turning the mixer to low, slowly add in the flour mix. Blend only until the ingredients are incorporated.

Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

1" cookie dough ball on a baking sheet

Use a cookie scooper to roll the dough into 1 1/2″ balls.

Place 9 dough balls on the sheet, spaced out.

  • fork pressing on peanut butter cookie
  • peanut butter cookie with criss cross
  • peanut butter cookie with lines

Then, using a fork press into the dough twice making a crisscross pattern.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cookies are a very light golden brown.

Perfect cookie on a baking sheet

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Peanut butter cookie dipped in chocolate with peanuts

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

If you love a peanut butter chocolate combination, you can easily add a chocolate drizzle over the peanut butter cookies.

Simply, melt milk chocolate chips or semisweet chocolate chips in the microwave for about 1 minute. Remove and stir until the chocolate is smooth.

Cookies drizzled with chocolate and crushed peanuts

Using a spoon, drizzle the chocolate over the cookies. Best to add a baking sheet under a wire rack and drizzle while the cookies are cooling on the rack. The extra chocolate will fall below and it makes for a much easier clean up!

Add crushed peanuts for a crunchy texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Do Peanut Butter Cookies Have Fork Marks?

We actually press peanut butter cookies down to ensure that they have a more standard height. This helps the dense dough to cook more evenly.

As for why we use a fork for pressing, it all goes back to the 1936 Pillsbury cookbook that made the cookies famous! This recipe popularized the use of forks for pressing, and the tradition continues today.

Should You Refrigerate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Before Baking?

The short answer is yes. Whenever possible, chilling any cookie dough can keep your cookies from spreading under the oven’s heat. Chilling the dough keeps the softer ingredients—namely the peanut butter, eggs, and butter—from melting too much.

If time allows, chill your dough for up to 24 hours. However, even a 30-minute chill makes a big difference in a pinch!

Peanut Butter Cookies drizzled in chocolate with peanuts

What’s the Best Peanut Butter to Use?

Traditional recipes call for smooth peanut butter, which makes the best peanut butter cookies. Experimenting with crunchy peanut butter can be fun, but it may change the ratio and resulting texture of your cookies.

What Ingredient Makes Cookies More Moist?

Soft peanut butter cookies have eggs and sugars to thank for their moist, chewy texture. Eggs can keep a dough fluffy and help prevent cookies from drying out and hardening once the batch is out of the oven. This is why adding an extra yolk can sometimes make a difference.

Sugars help as well. It’s worth noting that because of how brown sugar is made, it contains more moisture than white sugar. This is why many peanut butter cookie recipes call for at least a little brown sugar.

Why Did My Cookies Get Hard?

It’s natural for the moisture in your cookies to evaporate once they’re out of the oven, but your cookies shouldn’t get too stiff or crumbly. If you aren’t eating them the day they’re baked—a foolproof way to keep them from getting hard —make sure to seal them in an airtight container.

Can These Cookies Be Frozen?

Peanut butter cookies are easy to freeze! Make sure they’re completely cooled, wrap them in foil or plastic wrap, and place them in an airtight container. To thaw them, let them sit in the container until they come to room temperature.

Peanut Butter Cookie

Can I Prepare the Dough Ahead of Time?

For easy peanut butter cookies whenever you want them, you can prepare ahead. There are two ways to do this.

First, you can prepare the dough and let it sit in the refrigerator for up to 72 hours.

However, if you won’t be baking the cookies for a while, you can also freeze the dough. To do this, shape the cookies and press them with a fork. Place them in the freezer on the baking tray until frozen, and then move them into an airtight container.

More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love!

The Best Shortbread Cookie Crumble Bars

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Charming Gingerbread Cookies

The Best Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Our Favorite Thumbprint Cookies

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Butterless Chocolate Chip Cookies

Roly Poly Santa Cookies

Try These Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

Now that you know how to make peanut butter cookies, it’s time to try your own. These cookies are a genuine crowd-pleaser and they may even disappear within minutes of coming out of your oven!

Let us know what you think by leaving a comment and review below.

Peanut Butter Cookies

These classic peanut butter cookies are chewy, full of flavor and have the perfect balance of sweet and peanut butter! 
5 from 11 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cookies, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 20 Cookies
Calories: 161kcal
Author: Eden

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp.
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup peanut butter, smooth

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  • In a mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and give it a whisk with a fork.
  • Cream together the butter and both sugars using an electric mixer, with the paddle attachment on medium speed for about 5 minutes. Make sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. 
  • Add in the egg and vanilla extract and continue to mix on medium. 
  • Turn the mixer to medium low and add in the peanut butter. Mix for about 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl so all of the ingredients are incorporated. 
  • Turning the mixer to low, slowly add in the flour mix. Blend only until the ingredients are incorporated.
  • Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
    peanut butter cookie dough
  • Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • Use a cookie scooper to roll the dough into 1″ balls. 
  • Place 9 dough balls on the sheet, spaced out. 
  • Then, using a fork press into the dough twice making a criss-cross pattern.
    fork pressing on peanut butter cookie
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cookies are a very light golden brown. 
  • Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. 

Notes

Cookies will continue to bake when they are taken out of the oven, so it’s important that you don’t over bake them. 
Baking times will vary on true oven temperature, location, room temperature, etc. Check on the cookies after 8 minutes to see if they are a light golden brown. 
You can try this recipe with crunchy peanut butter if you like a crunch texture.
Drizzle melted chocolate over the cookies for the best peanut butter chocolate combination. 
We alway say use whole, organic ingredients when possible, however Jiffy really is the best smooth peanut butter to use in this recipe. They make a Jiffy natural that works well too. 

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Peanut Butter Cookies
Amount Per Serving (1 Cookie)
Calories 161 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 20mg7%
Sodium 186mg8%
Potassium 121mg3%
Carbohydrates 13g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 154IU3%
Calcium 24mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @sugarandcharm or tag us #sugarandcharm!


13 Comments

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Comments

  1. Erin says

    February 10, 2021 at 5:44 pm

    5 stars
    A classic cookie we make over and over again! Love them!

    Reply
    • Eden says

      February 11, 2021 at 1:57 pm

      Thanks Erin!

      Reply
  2. Kara says

    February 10, 2021 at 6:17 pm

    5 stars
    Just like the peanut butter cookies I grew up with. I dipped them halfway and chocolate and sprinkled them with chopped peanuts. Oh my. Scary delicous!

    Reply
    • Eden says

      February 11, 2021 at 1:56 pm

      Thank you Kara!

      Reply
  3. Jen says

    February 11, 2021 at 2:19 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks for the idea to dip them in chocolate! No one can resist that flavor combination in my house. A huge hit!!

    Reply
    • Eden says

      February 16, 2021 at 1:57 pm

      Yay! Thank you Jen!

      Reply
  4. Betsy Carney says

    February 11, 2021 at 2:42 pm

    5 stars
    These are my absolute favorite. They freeze really well too!

    Reply
    • Eden says

      February 16, 2021 at 1:56 pm

      Thanks Betsy! So glad you like them 🙂

      Reply
  5. Beth says

    February 11, 2021 at 2:58 pm

    5 stars
    Yum! These look so delicious! My hubby and daughter are going to love these! So excited to try these!

    Reply
    • Eden says

      February 16, 2021 at 1:56 pm

      Thanks Beth!

      Reply
  6. Allyson Reed Zea says

    February 12, 2021 at 2:48 pm

    5 stars
    These turned out perfectly! Thank you for explaining it so well!

    Reply
  7. Lisalia says

    February 12, 2021 at 4:44 pm

    5 stars
    Just like my mom used to make. These are classic and no fuss. Thanks for the helpful pictures along the way too! SO SO yummy.

    Reply
  8. Betsy says

    February 12, 2021 at 4:46 pm

    5 stars
    This classic has stood the test of time! Love these peanut butter cookies! Super delicious! Lovely flavor – both a little salty, a little sweet and also just really the perfect cookie to pair with hot chocolate!

    Reply

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Eden of Sugar and Charm

Adding a little charm to the everyday life with entertaining and lifestyle inspiration, sweet recipes and classic style… your daily dose of sugar and charm!

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