Best Peanut Butter Cookies
Look no further for the BEST Peanut Butter Cookies. With just the right โsnapโ and texture from extra crunchy peanut butter, theyโll instantly become a family favorite!
Iโve been making this Homemade Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe for years. Once I find a favorite, thereโs no need to hunt down another. This recipe is the finest!
Why You Must Bake these Classic Peanut Butter Cookies
I was heading to Denver to visit my youngest sister, Maddy, who used to eat slice after slice of peanut butter toast when we were children. I knew sheโd be thrilled with a special delivery of these Easy Peanut Butter Cookies. This recipe uses extra chunky peanut butter to give an added bonus of small bits of peanuts.
I was not mistaken. She loved how tender and not overly sweet these babies were. Bill shared the family tradition he started years ago in his grandfatherโs kitchen with Maddy and her husband. Billโs dad caught his middle son eating cookies and milk early one morning during one of their visits. My father-in-law grew irate and started scolding Bill until Billโs Great-aunt Kate intervened with, โItโs OK. Itโs a breakfast cookie.โ Billโs dad was raised by his aunt and knew immediately he had no retort for any rules put out by the matriarch of the household.
Maddy was happy to adopt the idea of breakfast cookies. I did comment that at least a peanut butter cookie contained a bit more protein than the Oreos and chocolate chip breakfast cookies that Iโd observed the hubby snacking on for his breakfast cookie! Whether you eat these for breakfast or dessert, I hope youโll bake up a batch of these peanut butter cookies ASAP!! Definitely the best peanut butter cookies Iโve ever made or eaten! Scroll down for tips on how to make peanut butter cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Do Peanut Butte Cookies have Crosshatch Fork Marks?
Peanut butter dough is quite dense. Using a fork to press a hash mark onto the top of each dough ball presses each dough ball into a flat disk. These disks will bake more evenly than a round of dough. Plus, these fork marks have become the iconic symbol of a peanut butter cookie! Those with peanut allergies know to steer clear!
How Long Do Homemade Peanut Butter Cookies Last?
Store your peanut butter cookies in an airtight container. At room temperature, they'll stay fresh for about 4 days. Alternatively, store these easy peanut butter cookies in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Tips for How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies
- As with most cookies, have your butter and eggs at room temperature. Theyโll incorporate into the batter better than when theyโre fresh out of the refrigerator.
- Pro-Tip: Make sure both your baking soda and baking powder havenโt expired. Baking powder, in particular, has a shorter life span and since itโs used less frequently, it often loses itโs leavening strength before you even put a dent in the container.
- Use extra chunky peanut butter in this peanut butter cookie recipe. It adds some extra texture and peanut butter flavor.
- If you do not like nuts in your cookies, feel free to use creamy peanut butter instead.
- I used Jif peanut butter. This recipe was not tested with homemade or natural peanut butter, which is not as thick as national brands.
- PRO-Tip: Spray your measuring cup with non-stick spray before measuring out sticky ingredients like peanut butter or honey. It will release like a dream and make clean up a lot easier.
- Use a cookie disher to scoop out even sized balls of cookie dough. Roll them between your palms to form dough balls.
- PRO-Tip: Roll your dough balls in sugar. The sugar helps prevent the fork from sticking to the dough.
- Take a table fork and press down to flatten a dough ball. Rotate the fork and press down to form a hashmark # across the surface. See the photo above for how the markings should look on a batch these easy peanut butter cookies.
More Peanut Butter Recipes
Whether or not you want to legitimize the breakfast cookie at your house, youโll definitely want to bake up a batch of these classic peanut butter cookies.
- Salted Caramel Peanut Pie by Hungry Couple
- Classic Monster Cookies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Caramel Bars
- Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
- Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies
- Frozen Peanut Butter Pie
- Homemade Reeseโs Bars
- Reeseโs Peanut Butter Pie
- Best Peanut Butter Lovers Recipes
- More Dessert Recipes
- More Cookie Recipes
Quick Shopping List for Peanut Butter Cookies
- Kitchen staples: All-purpose flour, sugar, salt
- Baking soda
- Baking powder: (check the expiration date as this product often expires before you use it all)
- Brown sugar
- Eggs: All my recipes use large eggs
- Butter: (I use salted)
- Extra Chunky Peanut Butter: (creamy is fine if you donโt like the texture of extra chunky). I used Jif.
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The Best Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
Easy, old-fashioned peanut butter cookies!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup of peanut butter (I used extra chunky Jif)
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- Additional sugar for rolling the dough balls
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside.
- Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter till smooth and creamy.
- Add the peanut butter and beat for another minute. Add the sugars and beat for a few minutes more.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
- On low speed or by hand, add the reserved dry ingredients, mixing only till incorporated.
- Put some sugar into a pie plate. Scoop out level tablespoons of dough and roll in sugar to coat. Place dough balls on prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2-inches between them.
- To make the criss-cross pattern, dip a fork in sugar and press down on top of the dough balls in one direction, then again in the opposite direction.
- Bake for about 12 minutes. Cool on the cookie sheet for about a minute before moving to a cooling rack.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Dorie Greenspan.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
36Serving Size:
1 cookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 159Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 136mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 1gSugar: 10gProtein: 3g
43 Comments on “Best Peanut Butter Cookies”
mmmmm love nutty desserts! ;P These pb cookies look so soft and full of flavor-my idea of the perfect snack!
I always forget about the classic peanut butter cookie. I have no idea why because they are delicious…they need more respect, but those stupid chocolate chip cookies keep stealing the starring role! Thanks for bringing back a classic!
You can never go wrong with a classic PB cookie, these look so good!
I love peanut butter cookies. I think you need to package these bad boys up and send them to me asap. Quality control and all that. Bah ha ha.
My mom used to make peanut butter cookies all the time. Every time I see peanut butter cookies I think of my mom.
I am so glad you joined us for this event. So much fun. I swear the FB group was a total riot. I laughed all month long leading up to this event. Nothing like a good giggle to ease the stress.
Aw these look just lovely! I really like the cute criss cross pattern on top!
I love such simple and classic cookies and my son would go crazy for these peanut butter cookies…
nothing like peanut butter cookies!
I love love love peanut butter cookies! So dang good it is wrong!
Haha, love that story. I would love to have a few of these PB cookies for breakfast – they look delicious!
There is nothing more comforting than a perfect peanut butter cookie and yours fit the bill!!!
A perfectly classic cookie to show off your nuts.
I would be willing to call these breakfast. And lunch. And dinner. ๐
I’m not only making these delicious looking cookies but I’m telling the boys they’re for breakfast. They’ll love you forever for that!
Breakfast cookies?!?! I’m in and I will take three please!
Peanut butter is definitely my favorite form of any nuts. Can never go wrong with classic pb cookies.
When they’re soft and chewy like yours look, peanut butter cookies are by and far my favorite snack… yum! I’m glad we got nutty together, Lizzy!
Yep, I’d love to have a few of these for breakfast! Also saw Rosettes in your “you might also like”, they are beautiful! I’ve often thought about getting an iron:@)
I love such simple classic cookies ๐ with a glass of cold milk.. ๐
It’d be nutty not to have such delicious looking cooked for breakfast! Your PB photos and recipes look very scrumptious, indeed, Liz =)
P.s. Now I know Maddy is the sister with the gorgeous art work…What a talented family!
How about a #grabyourcookiesday? These look delicious, I just want to steal them all! Your other peanut butter recipes are equally divine!!