My peanut butter cookie recipe is everything a classic should be. Perfectly sweet (without being overwhelmingly so), soft with slightly crisp edges, and very peanut-forward. They’re made with all butter (no shortening!), brown sugar, and a touch of cornstarch for the perfect, tender, soft and buttery cookie. Recipe includes a how-to video!
This super soft and buttery peanut butter cookie recipe is one of my all-time classic favorites, right up there with my chocolate chip cookies and snickerdoodles. I have quite a few peanut butter cookie recipes on the blog (a quick search will show you there are at least 13 🫣), but these are my take on the classic.
Why This Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe Works:
- All butter, no shortening. Many classic peanut butter cookie recipes (including the one I grew up with) rely on shortening, which can lend thickness to the cookie but leaves them tasting flat. I swap this ingredient for butter, which not only adds flavor, but creates a tender, richer crumb.
- Slightly underbake for just the right texture. The cookies should come out of the oven looking just barely underdone in the center. Residual heat finishes baking the cookies as they cool, leaving you with chewy centers and cookies that are still soft the next day (and the day after that…)
- Classic look, improved method. We still press them with a fork (it’s tradition, after all 😉) but unlike many recipes these cookies don’t actually need it, the dough is already balanced for just the right spread.
- Adaptable. Add your favorite mix-ins (I include a few of my favorites below!), or head over to my recipes for flourless peanut butter cookies or sourdough peanut butter cookies for those equally tasty versions.
Ingredients
- Peanut butter. I prefer creamy peanut butter, but chunky peanut butter will also work if you want a little extra texture. Natural peanut butter (the kind where the oil separates) or homemade peanut butter can work, but will yield more crumbly, dry cookies.
- Butter. Many recipes (including my family’s recipe growing up) use shortening or a blend of butter and shortening. I developed my peanut butter cookie recipe specifically to use butter and only butter. The result is a cookie that’s soft with a buttery, tender crumb and flavor that makes your eyes roll back in your head.
- Flour. Measure this with a scale or alternatively use the technique in my post on how to measure flour. Adding too much flour to the dough will make for hard, dry, and bland peanut butter cookies.
- Sugar. Growing up, peanut butter cookies were only ever made with granulated sugar. One of the first changes I made when developing my own recipe was to swap out a majority portion of that with brown sugar. This not only adds moisture (thanks to the molasses in brown sugar, but also depth of flavor. We do still keep a bit of the granulated sugar in the dough to keep things from being overwhelming, and I also roll my cookies through granulated sugar for a pretty, sparkly exterior that helps encourage just the right amount of spread and gives them a lovely, delicate and subtle crunch (just on the outside!).
- Cornstarch. Cornstarch acts similarly to flour by absorbing moisture and preventing the cookies from spreading too much, but you need less of it than you do flour and it doesn’t toughen the dough the same way. It’s key for a soft texture and you’ll find it in many of my cookies like my peanut butter blossoms and brown butter chocolate chip cookies.
SAM’S TIP: Feel free to add chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, Reeses pieces, chopped chocolate, or even chopped up Nutter Butters to the dough.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies
- Step 1: Make the dough. Cream the butter, sugars, and peanut butter together until well combined and smooth, then stir in the egg and vanilla. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients until you have a cohesive dough, then cover and place in the fridge to chill.
- Step 2: Roll through sugar. After chilling (the dough shouldn’t be sticky–if it is, put it back in the fridge), roll 1 ½ tablespoon scoops of dough between your palms. Roll each dough ball through granulated sugar, then place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Step 3: Press with a fork. Use a fork to gently press down into the cookies in a criss-cross pattern to give the cookies a head start on spreading.
- Step 4: Bake. Do not over-bake these cookies! The centers should actually seem just slightly under-baked when they come out of the oven. They will finish baking as they cool on the cookie sheet for perfectly soft and chewy results.
SAM’S TIP: If your first batch of peanut butter cookies comes out a bit too flat, your ingredients may have just been a tad warm, just pop the dough back in the fridge and chill it a bit longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Since peanut butter is thick and low in moisture, it can keep the cookies from spreading more than you’d expect. Lightly pressing them with a fork gives the spread a head-start (and their signature look).
Peanut butter cookie dough is typically quite dense and needs to be pressed down to encourage spreading and even baking. Typically this is done with the tines of a fork.
With my peanut butter cookies recipe, the fork marks are less necessary (and you can skip it if you prefer unnecessary as these cookies will spread pretty well on their own. However, a peanut butter cookie without the criss-cross design on top just doesn’t seem right to me, so we keep it classic here!
Yes! My peanut butter cookies recipe freezes quite nicely. To do this, simply follow the directions for rolled cookies (if rolling in sugar) or drop cookies (if not rolling in sugar) in my how to freeze cookie dough post.
Over-baking your cookies is a surefire way to ruin their texture, so keep a close eye on them! I actually recommend you remove them from the oven when they’re still a bit soft in the middle, that way they can finish cooking on their cookie sheets outside the oven.
For softer cookies, it’s better to avoid using natural peanut butter AND make sure that you measure your flour properly (see my post on how to use a kitchen scale!).
More Peanut Butter Recipes:
Can’t get enough peanut butter? Try my peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies, peanut butter snickerdoodles, or peanut butter pie next! 🥜
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! Subscribe to my newsletter to be notified of all the newest recipes, and find my free recipe tutorials on YouTube 💜
(The Actual Best) Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 Tablespoons (141 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (140 g) creamy peanut butter¹
- ⅔ cup (135 g) light brown sugar, tightly packed
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- Additional granulated sugar for rolling
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Combine butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar and ¼ cup granulated sugar in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer) and use an electric mixer to beat until creamy and well combined.10 Tablespoons (141 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature, ½ cup (140 g) creamy peanut butter¹, ⅔ cup (135 g) light brown sugar, tightly packed, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- Add egg and vanilla extract and stir until well-combined.1 large egg, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.1 ½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt
- Gradually stir the flour mixture into the peanut butter mixture. Make sure to pause periodically to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are well-combined.
- Cover mixing bowl with plastic wrap and place peanut butter cookie dough in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes to one hour (start with 30 minutes, if the dough is too sticky or your cookies are coming out of the oven too flat, chill for an additional half an hour. This dough may be chilled overnight if you'd like).
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Once dough has chilled, remove from refrigerator and scoop into heaping 1 ½ Tablespoon-sized balls (39g).
- Roll the cookie dough between your palms until smooth and then roll thoroughly in additional granulated sugar. Place on prepared cookie sheet, spacing cookies at least 2" apart.Additional granulated sugar for rolling
- Use the tines of a fork to gently make a criss-cross pattern on the surface of each cookie by slightly pressing down.
- Bake on 350F (175C) for 9-12 minutes. Edges should be just turning golden brown but the cookie centers should appear slightly under-baked, allow cookies to cool completely on the cookie sheets and the centers will finish baking (but remain soft and chewy) as they cool on the cookie sheet. Don't over-bake or the cookies will be dry.
- Allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet before enjoying.
Notes
¹Type of Peanut Butter
Crunchy peanut butter would work fine here (just adds texture to the cookies!). While “natural” peanut butter will “work”, the cookies tend to be a bit more dry and crumbly.Freezing
This cookie dough freezes well. Chill the dough as instructed then scoop and roll through sugar and criss-cross with a fork (if desired) before freezing in an airtight container. Cookie dough will still need to bake on 375F but may need an additional minute or so in the oven.Storing
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
This peanut butter cookie recipe was originally published 05/09/2018. The recipe remains the same but more notes, photos and a video have been added to the post to make it as helpful as possible!
Tonya A
Just made double batch. Excellent cookie! I did 9 minutes for bake time. Cooked on cookie sheet as directed. Perfect!!
Pam S.
A friend posted this recipe and said it’s the best Peanut Butter Cookie she’s ever made. She bakes professionally, so that’s a true compliment! Peanut Butter Cookies are my favorite but I can no longer have gluten. Wondering if anyone has tried to make these with gluten-free flour? If so, can you share what flour you used and any adjustments you had to make?
Sam
Hi Pam! Unfortunately I have not personally tried this and have not had anyone report making these gluten free. If you do try it I would love to know how it goes. 🙂
Linda
As I was preparing the recipe..I had the butters and sugars in the bowl..I had the howl.in my second sink for mixing..the man gave me his bowl I put on the water and poof hit the faucet right into my bowl of sugar n butter..immediately I drain it..all water gone..so was my sugar but I figured before I toss it..lets see…well astonishing enough..these babies came out very well..HE says..lol I’m glad..but I can’t say yay or nay because I don’t eat peanut butter..lol thought I’d share it..ty for your recipe
Patricia McDonald
I made these delicious peanut butter cookies today for my mother‘s birthday. Her husband has cancer and can hardly eat but he sure had one of these cookies and was able to taste it. Thank you for the awesome recipe.
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them, Patricia! I wish him a speedy recovery! 🙂
Lori
Made these yesterday – they are divine!
Janice Locke
the cornstarch trick is a must for all future cookie baking! Thank you for a wonderful and successful experience. I used hazelnut butter and had to adjust ingredients according to my 13 oz jar – it worked!! adding about 1/4 more to ingredient list and using 2 eggs.
Lucy
You say 375 degrees in the video but 350 degrees in the write up.
Which temp is correct for the peanut butter cookies?
Love your videos!
Thanks!!
Sam
I’m so sorry for the confusion, Lucy! The written recipe is correct. 🙂
Lucy
Made these yesterday, delicious!!
Maggie
I made these exactly how you posted and they are delicious. Next time I’ll try the chunky PB. Thanks so much for this recipe it is great.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Maggie! 🙂
Beverly Froscher
Hi!! I love ALL of your recipes and love this Peanut Butter cookies recipe is no exception. They are the best I have made, and they are perfect & freeze beautifully. Anytime I bake something, specifically “Very Best Banana Bread”, and “The Worst Chocolate Chip Cookie” recipes, I receive the most compliments and requests to make more! You are my go-to! I always look forward to any new recipes you post! With school in session, I will be making this and freezing some of the dough as well. I am forever a Sugar Spun Run fan!
Sam
Thank you so much, Beverly! I’m so glad to hear that you’ve enjoyed everything so much, and I really appreciate your support. 🙂
Cara
Once again, Sam, a recipe that everyone loved!! I used your recipe to make my grandson’s cookies for his 3rd birthday party. Everyone thought they were so delicious!
The theme of his party was dinosaurs, so after I cooked the cookies I took a cleaned dinosaur & used its foot to dip it in a cinnamon, sugar, water mixture & then pressed it into the top of the cookie. They were so cute!
I’ve said it before & I’ll say it again & again, I love your recipes & your blog!! Always so easy to understand & informative. I’ve learned so much about cooking/baking since I stumbled across your blog & I’ve been cooking/baking for about 25 years. 💜
Sam
Thank you so much, Cara! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed the cookies so much! The dinosaur idea is the cutest! I LOVE IT! I’m so happy to hear that everything has been such a success and you’ve enjoyed the website so much. I really appreciate comments like this. 🙂
Leah
I follow you on YouTube so I wanted to use your recipe for peanut butter cookies. Thank you so much for listing the ingredients in the actual instructions! I’ve never seen a recipe do that before and it made it so much easier to follow! I look forward to making this with my kids.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you find it helpful, Leah! It really does make things easier. Hope you love the cookies! 😊
Shelby
I must have done something wrong these tasted terrible
Sam
Oh no, it sounds like something definitely went wrong. Any details, I’d like to help troubleshoot.
Mary
Excellent.
jim hynes
Hi Sam
These did not spread for me. They remained almost the same size as when they went into the oven?
Not sure what i did wrong.
jim hynes
I discovered what i did wrong when i lifted a dish towel and found the egg that was supposed to go into the cookie dough. So, I made “egg less”
peanut butter cookies. They taste fine, just did not spread. Off to make them correctly.
Happy Easter to you and yours.
Jim Hynes
Sam
O no! I’m glad you caught the mistake! 🙂
Ryan McIntire
Would adding Chocolate chips or Chocolate Flakes change anything about the texture of these. I sometimes buy a Chocolate bar and grate it with my cheese grater for decoration. I do this on my peanut butter pies because it is more economical than buying a Bag of Mini reese’s and looks better I think. Anyway would it change anything about these besides making them peanut butter Chocolate cookies?
Sam
Hi Ryan! You would just be adding the texture of the chocolate into the cookies, but that would be really the only difference here. 🙂
Bee
Absolutely the best peanut butter cookie I’ve ever made. So good! Not dry at all. I got 25 cookies and I baked mine for 8 minutes and they were perfect once cooled. I was worried I pulled them out a bit early but you were right, the trick was to pull them out early!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Bee! 🙂
Tammy L. Murphy
I have never been a peanut butter cookie fan, but these are the absolute best peanut butter cookies I have ever had, and many have told me they are the best! I love your recipes, Sam! You have done an outstanding job creating them! PS: I am now a peanut butter cookie fan! 🙂
Sam
Thank you so much, Tammy! I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much! 🙂