This EASY recipe for homemade Peanut Butter Cookies will win you over. The cookies are soft and packed with peanut butter flavor.
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Classic Peanut Butter Cookies:
This is an easy peanut butter cookie recipe anyone can bake, and so fun to make with kids. They are as classic as Sugar Cookies and Chocolate Chip Cookies. The cookies are irresistibly soft and chewy with just the right amount of peanut butter so they aren’t overly sweet.
You’ll love these cookies, they are:
- So EASY to make
- Use staple kitchen ingredients
- Can be made ahead
- Freezer friendly cookie recipe
- Easy to double the recipe
How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies:
- Dry ingredients: In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients; the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sifted flour (measure the flour before sifting).
- Wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add the peanut butter and egg and mix until combined.
- Cookie batter: Add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture.
- Shape cookies: Form twenty-four 1″ balls. Flatten the cookies in a crisscross pattern using a fork.
- Bake 8-9 minutes at 350˚F for soft cookies, just until cookies start to turn golden at the base. Bake 10-11 for firm cookies. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Peanut Butter Cookie Variations
This is a recipe for classic peanut butter cookies. However, here are some great ideas for addons:
- Sugar: Roll cookie dough balls in coarse sugar before pressing and shaping with a fork.
- Hershey’s kiss: Shape the cookie into a thicker shape (without pressing with a fork) and bake. As soon as the cookie comes out of the oven, press in a Hershey’s kiss into the center.
- Peanut: You can substitute regular peanut for crunchy if you want nuts in your cookies.
How Long do Peanut Butter Cookies Keep?
You’ll want to enjoy the cookies within two days of baking for the best results. Once they are cooled to room temperature, transfer the cookies to an airtight container and it will help to keep cookies soft.
Can Peanut Butter Cookies be Frozen?
You can freeze the cookies before and after they are baked. Freezer-friendly cookies like Baklava and these peanut butter cookies are perfect for a make-ahead holiday cookie platter.
- Cookie dough: Freeze shaped cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once frozen, transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Baked cookies: Once the cookies cool, transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze up to three months. Leave cookies out at room temperature to thaw and enjoy. Repeat in the microwave for a few seconds for warm cookies.
Make-Ahead Option:
This peanut butter cookie dough can be made up to three days in advance and refrigerated. Just shape and bake to enjoy.
I hope these soft peanut butter cookies become a new favorite that you are and your kids will enjoy and make over and over again.
More Cookie Recipes to try:
- Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies – these stay soft for days
- Almond Snowball Cookies – these melt in your mouth
- Tea Cakes – filled with walnuts and rolled in sugar
- Oatmeal Cookies– with raisins and coconut flakes
- Chocolate Meringue Cookies– with chocolate chips
Classic Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2/3 cup peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- With an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Add the peanut butter and egg and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, add baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour (sift flour once measured). Add to the peanut butter mixture, mix until combined.
- Form dough into 1" balls. Place the balls about 3-inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten in a crisscross pattern using a fork.
- Bake 8-9 minutes until cookies just start to turn golden at the base. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool 5 minutes then transfer on a wire rack.
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
hi , i am on a keto diet, can I use almond flour, instead of the all purpose flour. Thank you
Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Can you use crunchy peanut butter in the cookie recipe instead of creamy
Hi Jim, I have not tried this recipe with crunchy peanut butter to advise on the outcome, so I can’t speak to that. Substitutions may hinder the recipe outcome. I always suggest making a recipe as written the first time around.
First I would like to thank you for sharing such a great recipe.
That being said I am surprised that there wasn’t any vanilla in this recipe.
That I added 1 to 2 teaspoons.
The flavor was there. It was just in my opinion what is any cookie recipe chocolate chip or peanut butter without vanilla in them.
I will definitely be using this recipe again, and be adding vanilla to them.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, CJ. Thank you for the feedback.
Can Teddy’s All Natural Peanut Butter be used in this recipe? Some recipes do not turn out well if I use this type of peanut butter. Keep those recipes coming. My family and I have enjoyed many of them.
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoy my recipes. I am not familiar with this peanut butter to advise, I think it could work but may notice a slight change in how they come out. You’d have to experiment with it.
Could almond butter be used in place of the peanut butter? Will try the recipe as written and wil comment later.
Hi Doug, I haven’t tested that to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Can I make these a night ahead and put dough in fridge overnight and bake in the am…thankyou
Hello Dorie, this peanut butter cookie dough can be made up to three days in advance and refrigerated. Just shape and bake to enjoy. You may also review and go back to the recipe for the make ahead tips.
Everyone I know loves these! I often get a whole lot of orders for specifically this recipe! Thank you!!!
Wow, great to hear that! Congrats and keep it up.
Great recipe! I added chocolate chips to one of the batches. They turned out beautifully both ways!
Yum! I bet that made them even better! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
The peanut butter cookies came out perfect !!!! I love this recipe.
Great to hear, Kim! Good to know that you love this recipe.
PB cookies now Oatmeal next. Love the site and recipe access. Thank you
Sounds good, enjoy!
sometimes I use chunky PB in my cookies, they taste great.
Do you think it would be ok to use it in these cookies, and can you put a candy kiss on this cookie if you don’t flatten the cookie before its baked
Hello Julia, I think it will be okay but the texture might come out different. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
Hi Julia, I used this recipe at Christmas and did not flatten them. When they came out of the oven, I pressed a Kiss in the center. They looked good and tasted good.
Lovely cookies, easy recipe, husband loves those.
Thank you so much!
That’s great to hear, Silvie. Thank you for your review!
Wonderful cookies and so easy! Perfect flavor and texture. We all loved them. I got 3 dozen.
I added mini chocolate chips to 6 cookies – full size chips would be a bit large for these. This is my new PB cookie recipe.. Thanks Natasha!
You’re very welcome. Abbie! I’m glad you loved these peanut butter cookies.
my hubby asked for peanut butter cookies, and Natashas Kitchen is my go to for the best recipes.
they turned out great!!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
I have reviewed your peanut butter cookies before & raved how delicious, easy, & soft they are. I recently bought some mini cookie cutters & wanted to make some sandwich cookies .. badly! So I took this recipe punched a star shape in the middle then added some strawberry jam. Then voilà, peanut butter & jam “sammiches”. They’re fantastic! Thank you again Natasha for your inspiration 😀
That sounds beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi Natasha,
I love your recipes. My question is I didn’t use unsalted butter I used Crisco butter and my cookies were crumblely.
Hi Lori, I recommend making the recipe as written without substitutions, which this may have caused the texture issue.
Has anyone tried making these using Gluten Free All Purpose Flour?
Hi Nancy, I haven’t tried that, and I searched through the comments section and couldn’t find anyone trying a substitution. If any of our awesome readers have tried this, please share in the comments section.
Great recipe! After reading the reviews I added some chocolate chips to half of the batter. Since I used salted butter I used less salt. I made did for my 23 year granddaughter. Her response was a yum yum dance!
Nice, I’m glad to hear that you and your family enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for sharing that with us, Evelyn!
My family can’t live through the week without your peanut butter cookies!!!! We make them every week!!!! LOVE them absolutely and forever. Thank you!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Anastasia!
Added about 4 oz of chocolate chips and 1 tsp of vanilla – delicious! Will make again!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me; I’m so glad you enjoyed it!