The Perfect Soft Peanut Butter Cookie
These are The Perfect Soft Peanut Butter Cookie! No old fashioned criss-cross necessary, these peanut butter cookies melt in your mouth!
I feel like I have recreated a classic here, guys. I am so super excited to share this recipe for the BEST Peanut Butter Cookies in the game. They are little love nuggets and I want you to make them and fall in love just like I did!
Of course I am a peanut butter cookie fan…and while I have even made many peanut butter cookie recipes here on my site I have never LOVED a peanut butter cookie as a standalone item. Is that weird? I mean stick a Reese’s Cup on top and the cookie takes a backseat. Right?
What makes the perfect soft peanut butter cookie?
I think peanut butter cookies are sometimes too peanut buttery? Is that a thing? Or often times they are too crumbly which is never a cookie goal. OR you get that icky peanut butter “feeling” in your mouth. I don’t know, I can’t describe it, but I know you know…
You will find NONE of those issues here today with this Perfect SOFT Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe.
My recipe has the EXACT right amount of peanut butter, a slightly crispy edge and a soft middle. Oh, and did I mention I added peanut butter chips? Yeah THAT was a good idea. You totally don’t have to…you could even use chocolate chips or white chips, but the addition of peanut butter chips just adds a creamy sweetness to this peanut butter cookie recipe that makes it THE BEST!
How to make the BEST Peanut Butter Cookie
- This recipe is spectacularly easy…just a few little tweaks to keep them from being too thick, hence no crisscross necessary.
- I add a teaspoon of cornstarch to the dough, which gives the cookies a slightly melty texture, while keeping the cookie centers soft.
- Also I recommend using a combination of baking soda and baking powder in this peanut butter cookie recipe, which gives these cookies the perfect height without being cakey. The cookies will puff up ever so slightly in the oven due to the baking powder and then settle a touch while they are cooling to create a soft crinkly texture.
- I like also like to use a butter/peanut butter combo to tone the flavor down a bit. Some peanut butter cookie recipes use only peanut butter, and while that’s great for flavor, it tends to make the cookies a little crumbly.
- Finally I use a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar in my pb cookie recipe, which helps give the edges an itty-bitty crisp, while still having the depth of flavor that the brown sugar brings.
Why don’t these peanut butter cookies have the criss-cross pattern on top?
- Another great tip when baking these cookies, as well as any cookie recipe, is to use a cookie scoop to portion out the dough. This ensures that all the cookies are the same size and shape!
- And notice these peanut butter cookies don’t have the famous criss-cross pattern! Since there is no chilling of the dough it’s fairly sticky and will be really difficult to roll into a ball, so if you don’t have a scoop do your best using a heaping tablespoon.
- And like I said before, I like to add peanut butter chips in this recipe. You can add them before they bake or as soon as they come out of the oven. It’s a step you certainly can skip, if you wan to, or find yourself fresh out, but including the chips adds a creamy sweetness to the cookie. And like I said earlier, you can add white chips, milk chips, or even semi-sweet chips!
When they are baked up they will look like this…
I know these will now be your go-to peanut butter cookie recipe.
Looking for more Peanut Butter Cookie Recipes?
- Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
- Thick and Soft Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cookies
- Homemade Nutter Butter Cookies
Description
The best SOFT peanut butter cookies EVER!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, room temp
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup peanut butter chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside.
- Add the butter and peanut butter into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer onto medium speed and mix for 1 minute, or until smooth and combined. Add both sugars and with the mixer still on medium beat the mixture for 2 minutes until pale in color and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add in the egg and vanilla and continue mixing for 45 more seconds until combined and smooth.
- Add in the cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix for an additional few seconds until combined.
- Turn the mixer to low and add in the flour, mixing until the dough comes together. Stir in the peanut butter chips evenly.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons) scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, placing the scoops 2 inches apart.
- Garnish with extra peanut butter chips, if desired.
- Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes until they are golden at the edges.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Store airtight for up to 3 days at room temperature
Keywords: peanut butter cookies, recipe, best peanut butter cookies, peanut butter
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These Cookies look AMAZING. I agree sometimes peanut butter cookies can have too much PB and they’re kinda, stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth! I shall definitely try these, thank you for posting such a fab recipe. Sammie x http://www.feastingisfun.com
These look like the perfect soft peanut butter cookies!! Pinning these and trying them soon!!
These sound incredible! I love a good peanut butter cookie 🙂
These really do look perfect! Total melt-in-your-mouth cookies!
I have a soft spot for peanut butter cookies..but whenever I make them they always turn out crumbly. But these ones look awesome!
I don’t think I will ever get tired of new peanut butter cookie recipes! Thanks for this one, it looks so good!
Can’t wait to try these! Thanks!
You can NEVER go wrong with a peanut butter cookie. These look wonderful! I adore soft batch cookies.
They would be perfect with milk!
These do look perfect! Definitely on the to make list (which is getting rather long from visits to your blog…)! And you’re right, peanut butter cookies MUST me soft and chewy, crumbly just doesn’t cut it!
I made these today. I put butterscotch chips in place of PB chips. I added roasted peanuts and only used b sugar. I added a little more flour. I just used what I had in my pantry! Thanks. Really good!!!
Love this idea!!
They are soooooooo good I ate one and must stop to save for my out of town company!!!!’
These cookies are rockin’ my world! So delicious!!!
So good! Peanut butter cookies aren’t my fave, but my Dad loves them. These changed my Mind! Oh my gosh, what a keeper.
Love your recipe.Peanut butter cookies are delicious.
I made these tonight. They are amazing! I followed the directions except replaced the peanut butter chip with chocolate. My husband keeps saying how good they are. Thanks for this recipe!
These cookies are amazing! This recipe called to me and no one in my house is disappointed. They are a perfect soft peanut butter delight. I’ve resisted making peanut butter cookies for so long because they are always too crumbly, too dry or peanut butter overload.
I recognize that teaspoon! I have that measuring set too and I love it so much I asked for another one for Christmas last year.
I tried these just like your’s and they R Great.. Love Them.
★★★★★
I would love to make lots more of your recipe’s. They r great. Thank You…….????
★★★★★
Does it work with dairy free margarine for those with dairy allergies?
OMG! I just made these and I swear, they r the best and easiest p cookies I have ever made.
No kidding, they are a describe soft in the middle and crispy on the edges.
I must have made a bit to big for I only got 28 cookies and not 48.
These will be one of my go to holiday cookies from now on.
★★★★★
Made these the other night to bring in for my co-workers who all said these were absolutely perfect! This will definitely be my go to from now on!
Am making them now will be anxious to sink my teeth into them
Oh my goodness they just melt in your mouth I hope my husband doesn’t eat them all
So glad you liked them! They are really a favorite of mine!
This is my second batch ! They are delicious. Soft, chewy and peanutbuterry. There’s a coffee shop nearby that has what was my favorite PB cookie. Now I can make my new favorite whenever I like! The extended family hasn’t had them yet… I anticipate ooooohhh’s and ahhhh’s . Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
So so glad you like them!
OHEMGEE! This was the cookie recipe I’ve been searching for! Perfect melty, softness with the crisp edge! After trial and erro I’ve found the best recipe! Ughhhhhh I’m so excited. I’m obsessed with these cookies!
★★★★★
SO glad you liked them! Great timing too… I just remade these yesterday and took some pretty new pictures. They really are my favorite peanut butter cookies ever!
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My hubby is a peanut butter connoisseur so will make these for him real soon and let you know the outcome! -)
Can’t wait to hear what he thinks!
DEELISH!!!!!!!!!! I do believe this recipe will be THE peanut butter recipe going forward! Hubby gave two thumbs up as well………and since I try to add chocolate to most everything I bake (so true), mini chocolate chips were added and knocked it out of the park with additional flavor………THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!
★★★★★
Love adding chocolate chips! So glad you liked them!!
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Do you think this recipe would work with all purpose gluten free flour without additional tweaks?
use the brand cup4cup when I make g-free recipes and have great luck. I have never tried it with this specific recipe, but I imagine it will work well!
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So I recently found your blog and recipe page. You did not disappoint with the snickerdoodles and now also with the peanut butter cookies. Both of these recipes are bakery quality! BRAVO!!! To you and many kudos! When I started my Christmas cookie marathon, I am soo happy I found your recipes. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
★★★★★
You made two of my favorite recipes! So glad you fond me too!
Thank for the great tips on making real good peanut butter cookies.
I like the peanut butter chips being incorporated with other garnish ideas.
(Not your typical, traditional peanut butter cookie-with the fork stroke design,..no room for that).
I look forward to trying out the recipe soon.
These were so incredible that I had to come back to the page to lend praise where it’s due! Before I make a recipe I search tons of posts online and usually settle for one that strikes my fancy. I am so glad I kept searching before settling. This is THE peanut butter cookie you need in your life. She has mastered it hands down. I am generally not a fan of PB cookies because of all the reasons she listed, but they are now going to be a regular in my rotation. Make these and you won’t be disappointed!
★★★★★
Made these with Werther’s soft caramels chopped up into bits and white chocolate Reeses placed on top… Fantastic Fantastic recipe!!!
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What a great idea!!
Hi!! I made these cookies and the taste of amazing, but they got more crispy on top versus soft like yours look. I followed the directions to a T because I am extra like that LOL. I even set the timer on the stove to make sure I mixed it long enough. What kind of flour are using? I know that can make a difference! Any other ideas why mine would come out like that? Also, I under baked them so that they would stay soft. Thank you for your help!
What rack in the oven did you bake these on? Possibly you had them closer to the top heating element which might have made them cook a little more on top?
They were on the bottom rack. I was just wondering about the flour because I get different results from different brands. Is there a video for this recipe?
This is now my fav pb cookie recipe! I was going to bake choc pb cookies but found I was out of cocco. Found your recipe. Perfect! I’ve never seen cornstarch in a cookie recipe so that got me curious. Kinda soft, kinda crispy, not too sweet or too much peanut butter taste.
★★★★★
Thank you!! I worked hard on this recipe to get it just right!