The Everyday Peanut Butter Cookie

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Sometimes the classics are the best – they’re like a reliable friend you can turn to any day of the week. And these peanut butter cookies are no exception. Maybe it’s the smell of peanut butter baking in the oven or the way one cookie turns into two. They’re comforting, simple, and the best part is, you don’t need a special occasion to enjoy them. They’re meant for everyday warmth and comfort.  

These peanut butter cookies are the perfect treat to cure any comfort craving. Each cookie is soft, chewy, and rolled in coarse Turbinado sugar for a hint of crunch on the outside and stamped with a signature crisscross pattern. The rich, nutty, perfectly sweet flavor is truly timeless.

These peanut butter cookies are an easy bake for a weeknight get-together with friends, sharing, and keeping on hand whenever you’re craving a peanut butter sweet treat.

Why You’ll Love These Peanut Butter Cookies

• They’re a classic! Sometimes all you need is a simple, classic cookie. Peanut butter cookies are like a warm hug, and they never seem to go out of style. 
• They’re super soft and chewy! If you love cookies with crisp edges and a soft, chewy texture in the center, you’ll love these.
• Rich peanut butter flavor. Just the right amount of peanut butter spread gives these cookies a nutty, sweet flavor in every bite.

How to Make Homemade Peanut Butter Cookies, Step By Step

Step 1. Preheat the oven and prep a baking sheet. 

Preheat your oven to 350ºF so that your oven is at the right temperature by the time you’re ready to pop the cookies in the oven. 

We also recommend lining a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper so that you have your baking surface ready to go as well.

Step 2. Cream butter and sugar.

Start by creaming butter and sugar together in an electric mixer. Creaming is essentially just mixing butter and sugar together until it is smooth and creamy. 

This step is very important because it whips air into the cookies, making them fluffy, so you don’t end up with a flat cookie. After your butter is creamy, mix in eggs, vanilla, and creamy peanut butter until you have a smooth mixture. 

Tip: Scrape the sides of the bowl to get any butter, egg, or peanut butter that hasn’t been mixed in. Mix again to incorporate any of the scrapings and blend until smooth.

Step 3. Mix in the flour mixture.

In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour mixture – flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This will allow each ingredient to blend more evenly into the creamed butter.

Pour the flour mixture into the creamed butter and mix until incorporated. If you see any loose flour, make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to mix it into the dough. 

Step 4. Scoop and roll in coarse sugar and make criss-cross fork marks.

Pour some coarse turbinado sugar into a bowl for rolling. We like our peanut butter cookies to have a nice crunch on the outside, but you can use regular cane sugar if that’s all you have on hand.

Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough balls, roll them in the coarse sugar to coat, and place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Before you pop them in the freezer to chill, press the back of a fork into the top of each dough, making a criss-cross pattern. 

Step 5. Chill the dough and bake cookies until the edges are slightly golden brown.

Once all the cookies have been scooped and rolled, chill for at least 10-15 minutes. Chilling the dough will help the dough solidify so it doesn’t spread too much while baking.

After the dough balls have chilled, place 4-6 cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 350ºF for 12-15 minutes. When the cookies are nice and golden on the edges, they are done!

Take the cookies out of the oven and let them cool on a cooling rack for 5-10 minutes before enjoying. Repeat this step for the rest of the cookies and enjoy!

Tips for Making the Best Peanut Butter Cookies Every Time

We mention these tips in all of our cookie recipes, but they are essential steps for getting the perfect cookie each time!

• Cold butter! This is essential. If your butter is too warm, the cookies can spread too much when baking.
• Room temperature eggs. Make sure to set your eggs out ahead of time to get to room temperature. They will blend more easily into your batter.
• Chill the cookie dough. A little extra chill of the cookie dough is an extra step we never skip! Chilled dough helps solidify the fats to reduce the spread of the cookies. If your dough is too warm, the butter will melt, and your cookies will spread.
• Use creamy peanut butter spread. You don’t want to use a natural peanut butter because the oils in the natural peanut butter will create a greasy and crispy cookie.

What type of peanut butter should you use for peanut butter cookies?

Natural peanut butters don’t have emulsifiers, which can make them have an oily, uneven texture. They can also have a grainy texture. All of these factors can result in a crispy, greasy cookie.

If you want a soft, chewy cookie, we recommend using creamy peanut butter spreads like Jif or Peter Pan. 

Can I use crunchy peanut butter? 

If you want a bit of crunch in your cookies, we recommend using smooth peanut butter to mix into the batter and then mixing chopped peanuts into the dough before forming the dough balls. 

Do I have to chill the dough before baking?

We recommend chilling the dough for at least 10 minutes before baking the cookies, so that the dough can solidify slightly. 

You can bake the cookies without chilling, but if your dough is soft, your cookies may spread and result in a thinner, crispier cookie.

How to store cookie dough and baked cookies

Storing baked cookies: Let cookies cool completely and store in an airtight container or plastic bag in a cool, dry place. They will be good for 3-4 days.

Freeze uncooked cookie dough: Scoop cookie dough balls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill the dough for about 15-20 minutes to harden a bit before you store the dough in freezer-safe storage bags or an airtight container. Uncooked frozen dough is good for up to 3 months in the freezer. When you’re ready to cook, bake as directed in the recipe.

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