Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

These peanut butter cookies are everything they should be: golden and crisp at the edges, tender in the center, and full of deep, roasted peanut flavor. They come together with simple pantry ingredients and make the kind of classic, cozy treat that’s perfect for holiday cookie trays or just a quiet afternoon pick-me-up.

From cookie dough balls to finished cookies, this recipe is beginner-friendly, bakes in under 15 minutes, and works beautifully with either crunchy peanut butter or creamy peanut butter, depending on your preference. Just be sure to use a high-quality peanut butter (Trader Joe’s Creamy No Salt Peanut Butter is my go-to) and remember to dip your fork in flour before pressing in those signature crosshatch marks so the dough doesn’t stick.

These cookies are part of the little collection I come back to again and again, right along with my Classic Snickerdoodle Cookie and Kitchen Sink Cookie recipes. Try all three and see which one becomes your family’s favorite!

If you happen to have extra peanuts or peanut butter on hand, put them to good use in my indulgent Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, Peanut Butter Sauce, or homemade Peanut Brittle. All are perfect for the holidays, whether you’re entertaining or looking for a thoughtful homemade gift.

And if you’re ever in the mood for something a little fancier, my French Macaron Recipe or French Madeleines make for beautiful treats that are just as irresistible.

They rival my Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Snickerdoodle Cookies and Kitchen Sink Cookie recipes as my favorites. But you can try all 3 recipes and decide which one you like best!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

• This is one of those easy cookie recipes you can make from start to finish in under 30 minutes. No chilling is required, so you can satisfy that peanut butter craving fast.
• The combination of creamy peanut butter, butter, and just a touch of light brown sugar gives these cookies a rich, nutty flavor without being too sweet.
• They have the perfect butter cookie texture: soft in the middle with a slightly crisp edge and just enough salt to bring out the best in every bite.

 

The Ingredients:

• Butter: For the best buttery flavor in the U.S., use Land O’ Lakes Salted Butter. If you’re outside the U.S., go with unsalted since international salted butters tend to be much saltier and can affect the recipe.
• Light Brown Sugar adds moisture and a hint of molasses, giving these cookies their signature chewy peanut butter texture and soft, tender bite.
• White Sugar: This helps the cookies spread and gives you those lightly crisp edges, especially around the classic fork-marked tops.
• Peanut Butter: Use natural peanut butter with just one ingredient: peanuts. No added sugar, oil, or salt. Trader Joe’s Creamy No Salt Peanut Butter is my go-to, but crunchy peanut butter works, too, if you like more texture. Avoid processed peanut butter, which can throw off the dough.
• Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla rounds out the cookie’s sweetness and adds warmth without needing more sugar.
• Egg: Helps bind the cookie dough and adds a soft, rich texture to the baked cookies.
• All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure to the dough without making the cookies heavy or dense.
• Baking Soda: Creates just the right lift and chew. You could substitute baking powder in a pinch, but I find the texture is best with baking soda in a butter cookie recipe like this.
• Salt: A full teaspoon might sound like a lot, but it balances the sugars and beautifully brings out the natural peanut butter flavor.
• Optional Chopped Raw Peanuts: This is a great addition if you love a bit of crunch in your cookie dough balls.

What Kind of Peanut Butter Is Best for Cookies?

• For the best peanut butter flavor, always use natural peanut butter with just one ingredient: peanuts.
• Skip anything with added sugar, salt, or oils. These extras can affect the texture of your cookie dough and throw off the balance of flavors.
• I’ve tested several brands over the years, but the one I always return to is Trader Joe’s Creamy No Salt Peanut Butter.
• It blends beautifully into the dough, adds rich peanut flavor, and gives these cookies a soft texture.

Step #1: Make the Dough Base

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter, white sugar, and light brown sugar until light and fluffy. 
• Mix in the peanut butter until smooth.

Step #2: Add the Egg and Vanilla

• Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Set the bowl aside while you prepare the dry ingredients.

Step #3: Combine Dry Ingredients

• Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. 
• Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, mixing gently after each one until just combined.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl to catch any stray flour.

Step #4: Shape, Crisscross, and Bake

• Scoop six dough balls with a two-inch cookie scoop and place them on the prepared tray.
• Dip a fork in flour and press a crisscross pattern on top of each, flattening them slightly. 
• Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, then let the cookies rest on the tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Why Do Peanut Butter Cookies Have Fork Marks?

Peanut butter is a dense ingredient, and when it’s mixed into cookie dough, it can make the cookies bake unevenly if left as a smooth ball. Pressing a crisscross pattern with a fork helps flatten the dough so the cookies bake evenly, with a lighter and more tender texture.

Those little “hash marks” also create the perfect balance of textures: crisp edges around the cookie and a softer, chewy center where the fork is pressed down. Of course, the crosshatch pattern has become the signature look of a classic peanut butter cookie.

Substitutions and Variations

• You can also use crunchy peanut butter if you like a bit more texture in each bite.
• For a deeper flavor and softer center, swap dark brown sugar for light brown sugar.
• Stir in chocolate chips to turn these into peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.
• Fold in chopped peanuts for extra crunch.
• Use a smaller scoop for bite-sized cookies that bake quickly and look great on holiday trays.

What Kind of Fork Works Best for Peanut Butter Cookies?

While that classic crosshatch pattern is part of what makes peanut butter cookies so recognizable, not every fork will give you the same result. Regular modern dinner forks often have short tines that don’t reach across larger cookie dough balls.

I’ve found that vintage forks, which tend to be a little larger and sturdier, make the best imprint. They create deeper grooves and more surface texture, which means extra crispy bits on top of the cookie. If your fork is on the smaller side, you can always make slightly smaller dough balls so the pattern presses all the way across.

Why Use a Cookie Scoop for Peanut Butter Cookies?

Scooping cookie dough with a two-ounce ice cream scoop is one of my favorite tricks. It makes the dough balls uniform in size so the cookies bake evenly, and it saves you from rolling them by hand.

How Long to Bake Peanut Butter Cookies?

• If you want a soft peanut butter cookie, bake them for 13 minutes, then allow them to cool on their tray to set up even further.
• Bake peanut butter cookies for about 15 minutes to make them crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.

How to Store Peanut Butter Cookies

Once baked, peanut butter cookies should be kept in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh for about three to five days.

If you’d like to prep ahead, you can refrigerate the cookie dough for up to five days and bake as needed. For longer storage, freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to one month. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge, then scoop and bake as usual.

Pro Tips

• Make sure your butter is very soft before mixing. This helps the natural peanut butter and its oils incorporate smoothly into the batter.
• Lightly dip your fork in flour before pressing. It keeps the fork from sticking and makes a cleaner pattern.
• Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a rack. This helps them set up without breaking.

More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love!

• Amaretti Cookies
• White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies
• Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
• Ginger Molasses Ice Cream Sandwiches
• Chocolate and Vanilla Sugar Cookies
• Chocolate Hazelnut Linzer Cookies

If You Enjoyed This Recipe

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