When Emma asked me to teach him how to make peanut butter cookies for his school's bake sale, I realized I'd been making cookies way too complicated for years. Following fifteen years of testing fancy recipes for my cooking column, we went back to my grandmother's simple method - the one that uses just basic ingredients and creates those chewy centers with crispy edges. What started as a baking lesson turned into our most-requested treat, and now Emma can make them pretty much by himself.
Why You'll Love These Peanut Butter Cookies
These cookies have saved me from countless "what's for dessert?" moments because they're so quick to throw together and everyone goes nuts for them. Emma loves helping measure ingredients (and stealing tastes of the dough), while I love how they turn out chewy and soft every single time. The thing that really gets me is how the peanut butter flavor gets stronger as they cool, and those classic fork marks on top make them look like they came from a fancy bakery.
What makes this recipe work for busy families is that you probably already have everything you need in your pantry. No special trips to the store, no weird ingredients, just simple stuff that makes something really good. Plus, they keep well for days (if they last that long), and you can even freeze the dough balls for whenever a cookie craving hits.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love These Peanut Butter Cookies
- Ingredients for Peanut Butter Cookies
- How To Make Peanut Butter Cookies Step By Step
- Smart Swaps for Your Peanut Butter Cookies
- Equipmen For Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies Variations
- Storage Tips
- How My Sister's Kitchen Became Our Family's Heart
- Top Tip
- What to Serve With Peanut Butter Cookies
- FAQ
- Time to Start Baking!
- Related
- Pairing
- Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients for Peanut Butter Cookies
The Basics:
- Creamy peanut butter
- All-purpose flour
- Brown sugar
- White sugar
- Butter
- Eggs
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
Extra Stuff:
- Chopped peanuts
- Peanut butter chips
- Chocolate chips
- Sea salt for sprinkling
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Peanut Butter Cookies Step By Step
Get Everything Ready:
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Line cookie sheets with parchment paper
- Make sure butter is soft
Mix the Wet Stuff:
- Cream butter and both sugars until fluffy
- Add eggs one at a time
- Mix in peanut butter and vanilla
- Beat until it looks smooth
Add the Dry Ingredients:
- Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl
- Add to wet mixture slowly
- Stop mixing as soon as it comes together
Shape and Bake:
- Roll dough into walnut-sized balls
- Place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart
- Press fork marks in a crisscross pattern
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden
Cool Down:
- Try not to eat them all while they're still warm
- Let them sit on the pan for 5 minutes
- Move to cooling rack
Smart Swaps for Your Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut Butter Options:
- Creamy → Crunchy (adds texture)
- Regular → Almond butter (totally different but good)
- Jif/Skippy → Natural (expect them to spread more)
- Standard → Sugar-free peanut butter
Sugar Switches:
- Brown sugar → All white sugar (more crispy)
- White sugar → All brown sugar (more chewy)
- Regular → Coconut sugar (tastes a little different)
- Standard → Sugar substitute (follow package directions)
Flour Changes:
- All-purpose → Whole wheat (makes them denser)
- Regular → Gluten-free flour blend
- Standard → Almond flour (way different texture)
Butter Alternatives:
- Standard → Margarine (not as good but works)
- Regular butter → Coconut oil (let it cool first)
- Dairy → Vegan butter substitute
Equipmen For Peanut Butter Cookies
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric mixer
- Cookie sheets
- Fork
- Measuring cups and spoons
Peanut Butter Cookies Variations
Chocolate Lovers:
- Add chocolate chips to the dough
- Drizzle melted chocolate on top after cooling
- Roll in cocoa powder before baking
- Press a Hershey's Kiss on top while warm
Salty Sweet:
- Sprinkle sea salt on top before baking
- Mix in pretzels pieces
- Add a pinch of flaky salt to the dough
- Roll in salted peanuts
Fruity Mix:
- Add dried cranberries
- Mix in mini marshmallows
- Throw in some raisins (Emma hates this one)
- Add dried banana chips
Holiday Versions:
- Roll in colored sugar for birthdays
- Add pumpkin spice in fall
- Mix in crushed candy canes for Christmas
- Use orange sprinkles for Halloween
3-Ingredient Version:
- Just peanut butter, sugar, and an egg
- Roll and bake the same way
- They're denser but still good
Storage Tips
Counter Storage (1 week):
- Keep them in a container with a tight lid
- Don't stack them too high or they stick together
- Room temperature is fine
- They actually get softer after a day or two
Freezing Cookies (3 months):
- Cool them completely first
- Put them in freezer bags
- Write the date on the bag (you'll forget)
- They taste the same when you thaw them
Freezing Dough:
- Roll into balls first
- Freeze on a baking sheet
- Then put in bags
- Bake straight from frozen (add 2 minutes)
Make-Ahead Tips:
- Dough keeps in the fridge for 3 days
- Wrap it in plastic wrap
- Let it come to room temperature before rolling
How My Sister's Kitchen Became Our Family's Heart
My sister has this tiny kitchen in her apartment, but somehow she always makes the best peanut butter cookies. For years I couldn't figure out what she was doing differently - we were using the same recipe, same ingredients, everything. Then one day I was visiting and watched her make them. She does this weird thing where she lets the dough sit in the fridge for a whole day before baking, and she rolls the balls way smaller than I do. But here's the real secret - she uses a mix of chunky and creamy peanut butter, about half and half.
And get this - she presses the fork marks really deep, almost halfway through the cookie. It makes them cook more evenly and gives them these cool ridged edges that get extra crispy. Now every time we make peanut butter cookies, Emma won't let me do it any other way except "Aunt's way" with the mixed peanut butter and the deep fork marks. Her little kitchen taught us that sometimes the best tricks come from the smallest spaces, and that patience (letting the dough rest) really does make everything better.
Top Tip
- My sister's game-changing combo starts with mixing half chunky and half creamy peanut butter instead of using just one type. The chunky gives you these little bursts of peanut flavor in every bite, while the creamy keeps the overall texture smooth and easy to work with. Then comes the patience part - let that dough rest in the fridge for a whole day before you even think about baking. I know it's hard to wait, but the flavors really do get way better overnight.
- The other trick that makes a huge difference is how you handle the shaping and marking. Roll the balls smaller than you think you should - about walnut size instead of golf ball size. Then when you're pressing those fork marks, go really deep, almost halfway through the cookie. This isn't just for looks - those deep ridges create edges that get extra crispy while the centers stay chewy.
What to Serve With Peanut Butter Cookies
These cookies are pretty much good with everything, but here are the combos that Emma and I have figured out work best. The classic pairing is obviously cold milk - there's something about how the creamy milk cuts through the rich peanut butter that just works. Hot chocolate on winter nights is another winner, and coffee for the grown-ups who want something sweet with their caffeine.
Emma has come up with some weird but good combinations over the years. He loves dipping them in melted chocolate, using them as s'mores instead of graham crackers, and his latest thing is eating them with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (which seems like too much to me, but he's happy). For parties, they work great on a dessert spread, crushed up as pie crust, or even broken up in cereal if you're feeling wild.
FAQ
What are the ingredients for 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies?
The classic 3-ingredient version uses just peanut butter, sugar, and one egg. Mix them together, roll into balls, press with a fork, and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes. They're denser than regular cookies but still taste good when you're in a hurry.
What are the basic ingredients for peanut butter cookies?
Basic peanut butter cookies need peanut butter, flour, both brown and white sugar, butter, eggs, baking soda, salt, and vanilla. The peanut butter and sugars give flavor, flour provides structure, and the butter keeps them soft. Don't skip the salt - it makes the peanut butter taste stronger.
What is Snoop Dogg's cookie recipe?
Snoop Dogg's cookies are basically regular peanut butter cookies with his own twist on measurements and technique. He uses the standard ingredients but adds extra vanilla and sometimes mixes in chocolate chips. The recipe isn't too different from most homemade versions, just with his personal style added.
Why are my 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies falling apart?
Three-ingredient cookies fall apart when the peanut butter is too oily or the mixture is too dry. Make sure you're using regular peanut butter (not natural), and mix everything really well. Also, don't overbake them - they should still look slightly underdone when you take them out.
Time to Start Baking!
Now you've got all the tricks to make peanut butter cookies that'll have people bugging you for the recipe - from my sister's mixed peanut butter method to the deep fork pressing technique. These simple cookies prove that sometimes the best treats are the ones that don't need fancy ingredients or complicated steps.
Want more easy treats that don't require much fuss? Try our Easy Oreo Truffles Recipe that uses just three ingredients and tastes like expensive candy. Craving something cool and refreshing? Our Easy No Bake Lemon Pie comes together in minutes and tastes like summer. Or whip up our Easy Sopapilla Cheesecake Recipe that gives you all the flavors of the restaurant dessert without any of the work!
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Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut Butter Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl (Large, for wet and dry ingredients)
- 1 Electric mixer (Hand or stand mixer)
- 2 Cookie sheets (Lined with parchment paper)
- 1 Fork (For classic crisscross pattern)
- 1set Measuring Cups
- 1set Measuring spoons
- 1 Cooling rack (Optional, for faster cooling)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Creamy peanut - Or ½ creamy + ½ chunky butterfor best texture
- 1 cup Brown sugar - Packed
- ½ cup White sugar
- ½ cup Butter - Softened
- 2 Eggs - Room temperature
- 1½ cups All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Optional Add-ins:
- ½ cup Chocolate chips - Or peanut butter chips
- ¼ cup Chopped peanuts - Adds crunch
- To taste Sea salt - For sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, then mix in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Combine dry ingredients with wet mixture until just blended.
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