Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

Published August 26, 2018. Updated November 16, 2023

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Peanut Butter Cookies, who could resist them? I’ve loved peanut butter cookies for as long as I can remember and they’ll always be one of my favorites. So of course, I can’t help but share the best peanut butter cookie recipe—perfect for after-school snacks or Christmas Cookie Exchanges!

These easy homemade cookies are soft and chewy, packed with peanut butter flavor, and they’re super delicious dunked in milk!

Homemade Peanut Butter Cookies stacked on a grey surface.

The Best Peanut Butter Cookies

The flavor of a peanut butter cookie is just hard to beat. They’re perfectly sweet and buttery rich, and they’re sure to satisfy that peanut butter craving. And who doesn’t love that traditional fork-pressed crisscross pattern? I love how it sets these PB cookies apart from others.

Plus, it makes these fun cookies for the kids to help make! My kids love doing the rolling and pressing with forks to make the perfect pattern.

It’s the weekend so that’s always a good excuse to get baking, especially when your end result is this good! Sure it’s easy to give in to the temptation to just grab a peanut butter cookie at the bakery or mall but you can probably have these cookies ready as fast as that outing would take.

You’ll have extra for sharing with friends or coworkers and they’ll love you for it.

See how to make peanut butter cookies in this video!

Peanut Butter Cookie Ingredients

These homemade peanut butter cookies can be made using ingredients that are already in your pantry. Here’s what you’ll need to make these ultra-soft peanut butter cookies:

  • All-purpose flour – this base builds up the structure of the cookies.
  • Baking soda and baking powder – these are crucial as they help the cookies to rise.
  • Salt – we don’t add that much because there’s already salt in the peanut butter.
  • Unsalted butter – salted butter can be used too, just omit the 1/4 tsp salt from the recipe.
  • Granulated sugar and brown sugar – this blend gives the cookies the perfect sweetness and the brown sugar helps keep them soft.
  • Creamy peanut butter – I recommend using Jif or Skippy.
  • Egg – this helps bind the ingredients together, you’ll only need 1 here.
  • Vanilla extract – this adds that light, classic flavor we all love. Preferably stick with the real stuff not imitation.

Scroll down for printable recipe with amounts.

Showing how to press criss cross pattern into peanut butter cookie dough balls on baking sheet.How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies

  • Preheat oven, prepare baking sheet: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 18 by 13-inch baking sheets with silicone baking liners or parchment paper.
  • Whisk dry ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • Cream butter and sugars: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until combined.
  • Mix in peanut butter then blend in egg and vanilla.
  • Blend flour mixture into butter mixture: With mixer set on low speed slowly add in flour mixture and mix just until combined.
  • Scoop and shape: Scoop dough out and roll into balls (30 grams each or nearly 2 Tbsp) then place on baking sheets spacing them 2-inches apart.
  • Flatten with a fork: Using a long-pronged fork flatten cookies slightly then turn fork going opposite direction and flatten just slightly again (it should create that crisscross pattern).
  • Bake: Bake cookies in preheated oven, one sheet at a time, for about 9 minutes (cookies will appear pale and slightly under-baked, they’ll continue to cook slightly as they cool).
  • Cool: Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies and an airtight container.

Image of creamy peanut butter in jar

What Kind of Peanut Butter Should I Use?

I always stick with the regular creamy peanut butter for best results. If you like texture in your cookies, chunky peanut butter will work great here, it would add a nice crunch. But just be sure to add in extra (I’d maybe add an extra 1/4 cup since there are all those peanuts in there).

Can I Use Natural Peanut Butter?

No, natural peanut butter makes a slightly drier, more crumbly cookie.

Can I Make the Dough in Advance?

Yes, the dough can be made up to 3 days in advance but you’ll need to let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes or so before scooping and shaping. The fats of the peanut butter will solidify in the fridge so it won’t be as easy to work with until it returns to to room temperature.

Peanut Butter Cookies dropped in milk and splashing.

Can I Double This Recipe?

If you are planning to make these simple cookies for a large crowd, the recipe can also be doubled. Double all ingredients listed.

Can I Freeze These Cookies?

Yes, the baked cookies can be frozen. Stack with sheets of parchment paper between cookies in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature.

Easy to make peanut butter cookies laying on tabletop.

Tips for the Best Peanut Butter Cookies

  • Enjoy within two days of baking for best results.
  • Only use real butter — no shortening, no margarine, no imitation butters.
  • If you have a kitchen scale, use that to measure ingredients for the most accuracy.
  • Try these simple peanut butter cookies drizzled with or dipped in melted milk chocolate or white chocolate.
  • Add chopped peanuts for a crunchy peanut butter cookie.

More Delicious Peanut Butter Cookie Recipes to Try:

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

Peanut Butter Cookies
4.91 from 274 votes

Peanut Butter Cookies

These are my idea of the perfect peanut butter cookie! Soft and chewy packed with peanut butter flavor. Plus they're quick and easy to make! A family favorite.
Servings: 24 cookies
Prep20 minutes
Cook18 minutes
Ready in: 38 minutes

Equipment

  • Stand mixer (I own and love this Kitchenaid stand mixer)!

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 18 by 13-inch baking sheets with silicone baking liners or parchment paper
  • In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until combined.
  • Mix in peanut butter then blend in egg and vanilla. With mixer set on low speed slowly add in flour mixture and mix just until combined. 
  • Scoop dough out and shape into balls (30 grams each or nearly 2 Tbsp) then place on baking sheets spacing them 2-inches apart.
  • Using a long pronged fork flatten cookies slightly then turn fork going opposite direction and flatten just slightly again (it should create that criss cross pattern).
  • Bake cookies in preheated oven, one sheet at a time, for about 9 minutes (cookies will appear pale and slightly under-baked, they'll continue to cook slightly as they cool). 
  • Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies and an airtight container.

Notes

  • Enjoy within 2 days of baking for best results.
  • If you have a kitchen scale, use that to measure ingredients for the most accuracy.
  • Try these simple peanut butter cookies drizzled with or dipped in melted milk chocolate or white chocolate.
  • Add chopped peanuts for a crunchy peanut butter cookie.
Nutrition Facts
Peanut Butter Cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 145 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 17mg6%
Sodium 104mg5%
Potassium 77mg2%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 130IU3%
Calcium 15mg2%
Iron 0.6mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.
Recipe originally published July 2017, notes have been updated.

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637 Comments

  • Lily

    I love turning combination of ingredients but there are no measurements!! I wanted to make this for my family but I cannot beacuse i do no know what measurment to use.

  • Chelsea

    Easy instructions, simple ingredients, and quick to make. They turned out perfect. We placed M&M’s on the tops after forking in the criss-cross pattern. Yum! Thank you.

  • HappyinGlendale

    I followed the recipe as written. Cookies turned out perfect and so delicious!

  • Janet

    The cookies were really good. I have been trying to convert cookie recipes to convection bake. I lowered the temperature to 325 convection bake. I thought the time was 18 minutes and cooked them 18 minutes. They were crispy but very good and didn’t think they were over cooked.

  • Sheila

    Why does the recipe say, at the top next to oven temperature, bake for 18 minutes. At the bottom of the recipe it says bake for 9 minutes then leave on the sheet for 5 minutes? I baked the first batch 18 minutes. They were very dark on the bottom and crispy. I lowered oven temp To 325 for the second batch and baked for 15 minutes. They are perfect. Did I misread something or does the recipe contradict itself.

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      18 minutes at the top is the total bake time so people know how much time to allow until recipe is completed. You bake each batch 9 minutes total, remove from oven and rest 5 minutes before you transfer them or they may crumble. Sorry for the mix up.

  • Mellie

    Thank you for putting metric conversions alongside the standard measurements! Saves me time having to switch back and forth to the conversion tables.

    • Jordanne

      I was looking for a good PB cookie recipe with metric measurements and finally found it! Made them this morning, they’re super quick and easy. They turned out perfectly soft and chewy using Sam’s Club PB. I’m not sure how these could turn out dry/crumbly if you’re using a kitchen scale, but I know it is really difficult to measure flour properly without one. I think next time I’d sprinkle them with a bit of flaky sea salt before baking.