My peanut butter cookie recipe uses all butter and no shortening for the softest, actual-best tasting peanut butter cookies out there. This recipe is great for freezing & making in advance or enjoying the same day! Recipe includes a how-to video!
The BEST Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
Say hello to the softest, butteriest, best peanut butter cookie recipe you’ve ever tried! With their slightly crisp, sugar-coated exteriors that give way to chewy, melt-in-your-mouth, peanut butter-y centers, these cookies are in-cre-di-ble.
This recipe is one of my all-time classic favorites, right up there with my chocolate chip cookies and snickerdoodles. I have so many peanut butter cookie recipes on the blog (a quick search will show you there are at least 13 🫣), but these are the real deal, classic cookies everyone enjoys.
What’s so great about my recipe:
- Freezes well: I typically have a bag of of this cookie dough (portioned into balls) in my freezer!
- Quick chilling: Just 30 minutes!
- Super soft: if you’re looking for a crispy peanut butter cookie recipe, this isn’t it! This recipe was designed to melt in your mouth.
- Incredible flavor. We’re using real, creamy, rich BUTTER (no shortening) for best flavor and texture!
- Can be made ahead of time: simply cover and chill for up to 2 days.
What You Need
You’ll recognize most of the ingredients above, but there are a few key points I’d like to make about the following:
- Peanut butter. I recommend using creamy peanut butter, but chunky peanut butter will also work if you want a little extra texture (smooth peanut butter is my preference). I do not recommend using a natural peanut butter (the kind where the oil separates). I’ve found this can be a bit more drying and can yield crumbly, dry cookies (sadly!).
- Butter. Many peanut butter cookie recipes (including my favorite version growing up) use shortening or a blend of butter and shortening. I developed this cookie recipe specifically to use butter and only butter. The result is a cookie that’s soft and chewy with an oh-so-tender, buttery crumb and a flavor like no other.
- Sugar. We’re using a blend of light brown and granulated sugar. The brown sugar imparts moisture and a touch of extra flavor, and of course, granulated sugar creates that pretty, sparkly exterior.
- Cornstarch. I love using cornstarch in my cookie recipes. It acts similarly to flour by preventing the cookies from spreading too much, but it does so without making them cakey or dry (the way flour might). It’s key for their soft texture!
SAM’S TIP: As with many of my recipes, this recipe uses unsalted butter and salt instead of salted butter. If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use that and reduce the salt in the recipe to ¼ teaspoon. If you’d like to learn more, I have a full post on why I use unsalted butter instead of salted butter.
As always, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies
- Cream the butters and sugars until well combined, then stir in the egg and vanilla.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until combined.
- Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Roll 1 ½ Tablespoon-sized balls between your palms before rolling through granulated sugar.
- Press the tops of each cookie with a fork to create a criss cross design.
- Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 9-12 minutes at 350F.
- Let cool completely on the cookie sheets before enjoying.
SAM’S TIP: Do not over-bake these cookies! The centers should actually seem just slightly under-baked when they come out of the oven. They will finish baking as they cool on the cookie sheet for perfectly soft and chewy results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Peanut butter cookie dough is typically quite dense and needs to be pressed down to encourage spreading and even baking. Typically this is done with the tines of a fork.
With my peanut butter cookies recipe, the fork marks are largely unnecessary as these cookies will spread pretty well on their own. However, a peanut butter cookie without the criss-cross design on top just doesn’t seem right to me, so we keep it classic here!
Yes! My recipe freezes quite nicely. Follow the directions for rolled cookies (if rolling in sugar) or drop cookies (if not rolling in sugar) in my how to freeze cookie dough post.
Absolutely! Feel free to add chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, Reeses pieces, chopped chocolate, or even chopped up Nutter Butters. I would recommend skipping the fork tines if you add any of these ingredients.
This is most likely to happen from over-baking your cookies. Make sure to take them out of the oven when they’re still a bit soft in the middles, that way they can finish cooking on their cookie sheets outside the oven.
Looking for a chocolatey peanut butter cookie? Try my peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies!
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
(The Actual Best) Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 Tablespoons (141 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (140 g) creamy peanut butter¹
- ⅔ cup (135 g) light brown sugar, tightly packed
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- Additional granulated sugar for rolling
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Combine butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar and ¼ cup granulated sugar in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer) and use an electric mixer to beat until creamy and well combined.10 Tablespoons (141 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature, ½ cup (140 g) creamy peanut butter¹, ⅔ cup (135 g) light brown sugar, tightly packed, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- Add egg and vanilla extract and stir until well-combined.1 large egg, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.1 ½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt
- Gradually stir the flour mixture into the peanut butter mixture. Make sure to pause periodically to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are well-combined.
- Cover mixing bowl with plastic wrap and place peanut butter cookie dough in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes to one hour (start with 30 minutes, if the dough is too sticky or your cookies are coming out of the oven too flat, chill for an additional half an hour. This dough may be chilled overnight if you'd like).
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Once dough has chilled, remove from refrigerator and scoop into heaping 1 ½ Tablespoon-sized balls (39g).
- Roll the cookie dough between your palms until smooth and then roll thoroughly in additional granulated sugar. Place on prepared cookie sheet, spacing cookies at least 2" apart.Additional granulated sugar for rolling
- Use the tines of a fork to gently make a criss-cross pattern on the surface of each cookie by slightly pressing down.
- Bake on 350F (175C) for 9-12 minutes. Edges should be just turning golden brown but the cookie centers should appear slightly under-baked, allow cookies to cool completely on the cookie sheets and the centers will finish baking (but remain soft and chewy) as they cool on the cookie sheet. Don't over-bake or the cookies will be dry.
- Allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet before enjoying.
Notes
¹Type of Peanut Butter
I do not recommend using a natural peanut butter (the kind where the oil separates that you have to stir). You could use crunchy peanut butter, if you don’t mind the texture.Video Note
Please note that the recipe video states to bake the cookie dough on 375F for 8-11 minutes. This will work, but recently I’ve found that baking on a slightly lower temperature (350F) for a minute longer makes the cookies even softer and so that is now what I recommend.Freezing
This cookie dough freezes well. Chill the dough as instructed then scoop and roll through sugar before freezing in an airtight container. Cookie dough will still need to bake on 375F but may need an additional minute or so in the oven.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
This recipe was originally published 05/09/2018. The recipe remains the same but more notes, photos and information have been added to the post with the hope to make it as helpful as possible!
Diana
They taste awesome,the recipe was easy to follow. I have not been disappointed with any of your recipes. Thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you, Diana! I am so glad that you have enjoyed my recipes and the peanut butter cookies. I appreciate your feedback. 🙂
Jeanne Quesnelle
I only have a stainles steel bowl, will that make a differants in the end product ?
Sam
Nope that should work just fine. 🙂
Krystal
These were a huge favorite for my husband and kids! They held together and cooked perfectly. So soft!!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you for the 5-star review, Krystal. I am so glad that the peanut butter cookies were a hit with your family. 🙂
Jacky
Hi! Can I use this recipe to make peanut butter blossoms?
Sam
Yes, I actually have a peanut butter blossom recipe that is essentially the same, you might want to check that out 🙂
Amy
Can I ball out this dough and freeze.
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Amy! Yes that would be fine! They may just need another minute or so to bake. I hope that you enjoy the peanut butter cookies. 🙂
Megan
Wooo!!!Another winner of a recipe! Last batch cooling on counter as I type this. From an earlier batch I tried, these taste amazing! They came out really good, only the crisscross pattern with the fork tines didn’t “stay” so to speak. Well after the first batch I did use a little more pressure to press down and that seemed to help. While they don’t look as pretty with the pattern as your photo they do taste great, so that is what matters. Guess just means I will have to make again to perfect my fork tine technique! LOL Thanks again for another great recipe 🙂
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you, Megan! I am happy that the peanut butter cookies turned out well. With a few more batches (lol) you will be a pro! Enjoy! 🙂
J LEWIS
Excellent recipe, great cookies
Sam
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed! 🙂
RozMichele
Hmm and I DID find your WORST cookie recipe and am ready. Btw, years ago I got a wacky idea to add maple flavoring instead of/or half&half with vanilla. Man oh man. Now newly inspired, taking your advice re: cornstarch & butter. Double-ready to bake, once the weather cools some more. You are making us very wicked. Kindest regards 🙂
Sam
Thank you so much! I hope you love the cookies! 🙂
Mary Coleman
Beautiful cookies yummy love the recipe
Sam
Thank you so much, Mary! I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies! 🙂
Silvia Garcia
So do we really need cornstarch for this peanutbutter cookie dough? I have everything on hand only missing the cornstarch. Is there a substitute we can use?
Thank you.
Silvia G.
Sam
Hi Silvia, I recommend the cornstarch (see my post for more info on why). You can substitute additional flour for the cornstarch but it’s not exactly the same.
Laura rose
Best cookies ever I used crispy M&M’s as well and did the fork pattern halfway through cooking, only because I forgot and they were great.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them, Laura! 🙂
Marie Calvin
Thanks Sam: I tried your Peanut Butter Cookie recipe and they came out delicious. The only thing I didn’t have was cornstarch, but the simply melt in your mouth.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Marie! 🙂
Sylvia Mastrantonio
THE MOST AWESOME EVER PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE RECIPE, AND THE ONLY ONE I WILL NOW EVER USE! SIMPLY CRAZY AWESOME GOOD! JUST MADE AWHILE AGO, AND THEY ARE JUST BEYOND FABULOUS! WILL BE SHARING WITH FAMILY & FRIENDS WHO I KNOW WILL LOVE THEM AS MUCH AS I DO! THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THIS RECIPE. THE COOKIE ITSELF IS EXTREME EXCELLENCE! PEANUT BUTTER FABULOUS TASTE, PERFECT TEXTURE, CRISPY EDGE , SOFT CHEWY MIDDLE. THE APPEARANCE = GORGEOUS! I DID ADD REESES PEANUT BUTTER CHIPS, ABOUT 3/4 TH CUP.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies, Sylvia! I love the addition of the Reese’s chip. Great idea! ☺️
April
Oh my goodness! These are freaking amazing! Every time I bake from you I feel like my silicone mat can not cook off enough to try what I’m baking from you. I so recommend everyone trying this recipe, I was not disappointed (I never am). These are freaking so good!!! Thank you so much!
April
Not Cool down*
Susan B.
Sam…do you recommend this recipe can be doubled with ease? I have family and friend that I love to bake for.
Sam
Definitely can be doubled, enjoy!! 🙂
Stephanie
Too many recipes with peanut butter? No such thing. Hope to try these soon. Are they good contenders for chipwiches?
Barb
Hi Sam- this recipe looks wonderful! Was wondering if you could add chocolate chips to it.
Sam
Hi Barb! Yes you could, I actually also have a GREAT peanut butter chocolate chip cookie recipe if you want to check that out!
Michelle
Sam I would like to cut the recipe in half as it’s only one person consuming. What should I do about the egg? All other ingred can be halved. I would like to make these this week for my husband. Unfortunately I am on a strict calorie controlled diet. But.. I’m invluding one cooking into my daily allotment of 1200 calories!
Sam
Hi Michelle! I’m tempted to recommend just using the yolk but I’m worried it won’t come out just right, so what I’d suggest is actually breaking the egg into a small cup, using a fork to gently scramble it, and then just add half of that to the batter and discard the other half. I think just approximately eyeballing it to half the egg should be fine, as the size of eggs generally varies anyway.
I really hope that helps, and I hope you love the cookies!!! 🙂
Katlyn
These are the BEST peanut butter cookies, possibly EVER! Just made them with butterscotch peanut butter, added mini M&M’s, butterscotch chips, and chocolate chips! Did recipe + half to make more! Made 2 bakers dozen. Baked one and froze the other! Goodness now and later. 😉
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Katlyn! I am so glad that you loved the cookies. I hope that you enjoy this recipe for years to come. Thanks for commenting. 🙂