Peanut Butter Cookies

The reviews are in, and if readers have anything to say, it’s that this might just be the ultimate peanut butter cookie recipe. Instead of a classic crumbly cookie with a criss-cross top, these peanut butter cookies have a soft-baked, chewy texture, a bit like a chocolate chip cookie. There’s still plenty of flavor in every bite, with creamy peanut butter and peanut butter chips folded in.

After tasting what could be hundreds of peanut butter cookies, I’d never found “The One” until I made these. Some were too greasy, some dry, while others left a feeling of peanut butter sticking to the roof of my mouth. The real magic in this perfect peanut butter cookies recipe is that they’re incredibly tender and meltingly soft… not crumbly or cakey at all.

This Soft & Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe, at a Glance

• The exact right amount of peanut butter, plus brown sugar and cornstarch, for a slightly crispy edge and soft middle.
• Peanut butter chips are unconventional (and optional), but they add nice, creamy sweetness. Swap them for chocolate chips to make peanut butter chocolate chip cookies!
• There’s no chilling, rolling, or shaping needed to get these in the oven.
• A “melt-in-your-mouth” texture that’s original to this recipe, totally different from the sandy texture of a typical peanut butter cookie.

I’ve loved reading your reviews and hearing how many of you come back to these cookies again and again. I figured it was time to refresh the post with new notes and baking tips so you can continue baking the best peanut butter cookies ever!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Head to the pantry and gather the following ingredients. This is a look at what you’ll need, with the full ingredients list and measurements found in the recipe card below.

• Butter – Brought to room temperature. I like to use a combination of butter and peanut butter in these cookies. 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.
• Creamy Peanut Butter – Be sure to use shelf-stable, creamy peanut butter. Jif and Skippy are my favorites. Avoid natural peanut butter (like the kind you need to stir), as the oils tend to separate and make the peanut butter cookies oily.
• Sugar – I use a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar in my peanut butter cookie recipe. It makes the edges a little crispy while still offering the depth of flavor brown sugar brings.
• Egg and Vanilla – Staple ingredients needed for structure and subtle flavor. Use pure vanilla extract or an equal amount of vanilla paste, not imitation.
• Cornstarch – Cornstarch gives these peanut butter cookies a melt-in-your-mouth texture and soft centers.
• Baking Soda, Baking Powder, and Kosher Salt – Together, these ingredients give the cookies rise without being cakey. You can use table salt; just reduce it to ¾ of the kosher salt amount, since table salt is finer.
• All-purpose Flour – Measure the flour using a digital kitchen scale, or the spoon-and-sweep method. Overmeasuring makes the cookies dry.
• Peanut Butter Chips – I like to add peanut butter chips to this recipe for sweetness and extra flavor for peanut butter fanatics (that’s me, I’m the fanatic). You could also use semi-sweet, dark, or white chocolate chips.

How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies

These cookies are easy to make, with a few tricks for keeping them moist and not too thick. 

1. Get ready to bake. Set the oven to 350ºF while you line a baking sheet.
2. Cream the wet ingredients. Next, combine the butter and peanut butter in a bowl and beat for 1 minute, until smooth. Cream in both sugars until it’s lighter in color and fluffy. Lastly, add the egg and vanilla and mix for about 45 seconds.
3. Add the dry ingredients. Now, you’ll mix in the cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the flour, just until a soft dough forms. Fold in the peanut butter chips.
4. Scoop the cookie dough. Use a medium-sized cookie scoop to drop the dough onto your prepared baking sheet. If you’d like, press a few extra peanut butter chips into the top of each cookie for a bakery-style finish.
5. Bake. Bake these peanut butter cookies at 350ºF for 9-10 minutes. The cookies will puff up slightly in the oven, then settle as they cool into a soft, crinkly texture.
6. Cool. When the cookies are lightly golden at the edges, take them out. Let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack.

These Cookies Don’t Have a Criss-Cross Top

You’ll notice these soft peanut butter cookies are missing the iconic criss-cross pattern that’s a signature of many peanut butter cookie recipes. Since you don’t chill the dough, it’s fairly sticky, making it tricky to roll into a ball and hold a criss-cross imprint. Instead, you get melty peanut butter chips throughout and on top. A fair trade-off, if you ask me!

If you love a traditional criss-crossed peanut butter cookie, my recipes for flourless peanut butter cookies and whole wheat peanut butter cookies have you covered.

FAQ

Storage and Freezing

• At room temperature. These chewy peanut butter cookies last in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.
• Freeze the baked cookies. The cooled peanut butter cookies can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw the cookies at room temperature before serving.
• Scoop and freeze the cookie dough. After portioning the peanut butter cookie dough onto the baking sheet, pre-freeze the cookies until solid. Transfer them to a freezer bag or container and freeze the dough for up to 3 months. You can bake the cookie dough balls straight from frozen. See how to freeze cookie dough. 

More Favorite Cookie Recipes

• Peanut Butter Blossoms
• Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
• Chai Sugar Cookies
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
• Triple Chocolate Cookies
• White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies