Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

Classic Peanut Butter Cookies are so, so good and so, so easy to make. A must-bake for peanut butter lovers!

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies are a classic for good reason. They’re the perfect combination of sweet and salty! I’ve baked SO many different peanut butter cookies over the years, and this is the recipe I use as my go-to when I want a traditional peanut butter cookie. They’re a little crispy on the outside and so, so soft on the inside. Just how a peanut butter cookie should be!

If you’ve got some peanut butter in your pantry, then you likely have everything you need to whip up a batch of these cookies. They mix quickly and easily, scoop nicely, and bake like a dream!

For more classic cookie recipes, try my chewy chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies.

Why You’ll Love This Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

• Simple ingredients. This recipe uses basic ingredients you’re likely to have in your pantry.
• Easy to make. Perfect for season bakers and beginners, too!
• Comforting and familiar. The classic, homey feel of peanut butter cookies is loved by many and brings back fond memories.
• Perfect texture. With a crisp outside and a chewy center, these cookies are a joy to bite into!

What You’ll Need

One of the reasons these cookie are a classic is because the ingredients are so easy to come by. You probably have everything in your pantry right now! Here’s what you’ll need to make the best peanut butter cookies. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific ingredient quantities and full instructions.

• All-purpose flour – Measure by weight or use the spoon and sweep method. Learn more: How to Measure Flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Unsalted butter – Softened by letting the butter sit on the counter for about 30 minutes. Learn more: How to Soften Butter
• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar – You can use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar. This is an important part of the recipe because the brown sugar makes the cookies slightly chewy. Firmly pack it in the measuring cup or measure by weight.
• Peanut butter – You can use crunchy or creamy peanut butter. I don’t recommend natural peanut butter though; more on that in the “tips” section below.
• Egg – Allow the egg to come to room temperature before mixing. I recommend baking with large eggs.
• Vanilla extract
• Peanuts – These are optional, but they do add a nice crunch to the cookies! You can use roasted, salted, unsalted, honey roasted – whatever variety you like.

How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies

Okay, are you ready to make some cookies? Let’s do it:

1. Prep your tools. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
2. Combine dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Mix wet ingredients. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix well.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined or a few streaks of flour remain. Stir in the peanuts.
5. Bake. Drop the dough by 2-tablespoon portions onto the prepared pans. Use a fork to flatten the cookie dough balls and make a cross-hatch pattern on top of them. (If the fork sticks to the dough, dip it lightly in flour.) Bake, one pan at a time, 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned.
6. Cool the cookies on the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Do I Need to Chill the Cookie Dough?

This dough doesn’t strictly require chilling before baking, but I do recommend refrigerating it if your kitchen is warm. And I almost always chill cookie dough between baking batches. If you refrigerate the dough for more than 20 minutes, you may need to let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before scooping and baking. So while this recipe does not require chilling the dough for hours like many recipes, use your best judgement and chill the dough if it is too soft/warm to scoop easily.

Why Do Peanut Butter Cookies Have Fork Marks?

Using a fork to make the cross-hatch mark isn’t just for aesthetic purposes. It’s done to flatten the cookies because they won’t spread much on their own. If you don’t want to do the classic criss-cross pattern, then you can just flatten the dough some other way.

Variations

Here are some easy tweaks you can make to make these peanut butter cookies a bit different:

• Chocolate chips. Toss a handful of chocolate chips into the dough along with the peanuts for that irresistible peanut butter-chocolate combo.
• Sea salt sprinkle. A light sprinkle of sea salt on top before baking can enhance the flavors beautifully.
• Honey-roasted crunch. Use chopped honey-roasted peanuts for an extra hint of sweetness.
• Chocolate drizzle. Once the cookies are cooled, drizzle them with melted dark chocolate or white chocolate for a fancy touch.
• Cinnamon spice. Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the dough for a warm, spicy note.

How to Store

You can store these cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days on the counter, and up to 1 week in the fridge. Make sure you let them cool completely before putting them in a container or the warmth from the cookies will build up moisture and make them soggy.

Can I Freeze These Cookies?

Yes, you can also freeze these cookies!

To Freeze the Cookie Dough

The peanut butter cookie dough can be frozen by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper, then freezing the unbaked cookie dough in rows. Make sure you press the dough with fork tines before freezing just like you would if you were baking the cookies. Once the dough is frozen (this takes a few hours) you can transfer the dough to freezer safe bags or containers. The dough will keep for 3 months.

When you’re ready to bake the cookies simply take out the desired amount of dough and bake them as directed in the recipe below. You will need to add 3-4 minutes to the baking time since the dough will be quite cold.

To Freeze Baked Cookies

You can also freeze baked peanut butter cookies. I like to wrap each cookie in plastic wrap before placing the cookies in a freezer safe bag or container. They will keep for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat them just defrost on the counter for a bit or zap in the microwave for about 15 seconds.

I’m pretty much never without a jar of peanut butter in my pantry. That means lots of peanut butter cookies get made around here. So I don’t say lightly that this is the recipe I use most of the time when I want a classic peanut butter cookie. If you’re a peanut butter lover, too, I hope you’ll indulge in a batch of these Peanut Butter Cookies!

Find more cookie recipes in the Recipe Index.

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