The short answer: Classic peanut butter cookies are a soft, chewy drop cookie made with peanut butter, butter, brown sugar and flour, marked with a fork criss-cross.
Our picks for peanut butter cookies
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Prep time: 15 minCook time: 11 minTotal time: 31 minServings: 30 cookiesTotal includes 5 min of resting, chilling or rising.
Cream 1 cup of peanut butter with ½ cup of butter and 1 cup of sugar, add an egg and vanilla, stir in 1½ cups of flour with baking soda and salt, roll into balls, press with a fork and bake at 350°F for 9 to 11 minutes. Below are the exact amounts, bake times, fixes for dry cookies and a flourless 3-ingredient version.
If kids are helping, rolling the balls and pressing the fork marks is the perfect little-hands job.
Peanut butter cookie ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Creamy peanut butter (no-stir) | 1 cup |
| Unsalted butter, softened | ½ cup (1 stick) |
| Light brown sugar, packed | ½ cup |
| Granulated sugar | ½ cup, plus 2 tablespoons for rolling |
| Large egg | 1 |
| Vanilla extract | 1 teaspoon |
| All-purpose flour | 1½ cups |
| Baking soda | ¾ teaspoon |
| Salt | ¼ teaspoon |
Makes about 30 cookies.
How to make peanut butter cookies
- Heat the oven. Preheat to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Cream. Beat the butter, peanut butter and both sugars for 2 minutes until fluffy.
- Add the egg. Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt, then mix them in on low just until no flour shows.
- Roll. Scoop 1-tablespoon balls and roll them in granulated sugar. Space them 2 inches apart.
- Press. Flatten each ball with a fork in one direction, then the other, to make the criss-cross.
- Bake. Bake 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look a little soft.
- Cool. Leave them on the pan 5 minutes, then move them to a rack.
Bake times and texture
| Result you want | Bake time at 350°F | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Soft and chewy | 9 minutes | More brown sugar; pull while centers look soft |
| Classic | 10 to 11 minutes | Even golden edges |
| Crisp | 12 to 13 minutes | Flatten thinner; use all white sugar |
| From frozen dough | 11 to 13 minutes | Press fork marks after 3 minutes |
Tips for the best peanut butter cookies
- Measure flour carefully. Spoon it into the cup and level it. Packed flour makes crumbly cookies.
- Use no-stir peanut butter for structure. Natural peanut butter works but spreads more.
- Dip the fork in sugar. It stops the fork from sticking to the dough.
- Don't taste the dough. FDA says never eat or taste raw flour, dough or batter, even before the egg goes in.
- Label them for gatherings. Peanuts are on FDA's list of major food allergens. Pack them away from nut-free cookies at a swap.
Peanut butter cookie variations
- 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies: 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup sugar and 1 egg, baked 10 minutes.
- Peanut butter blossoms: skip the fork and press a chocolate kiss into each warm cookie.
- Chocolate chip peanut butter cookies: fold in ¾ cup of chocolate chips. See our chocolate chip cookies for the classic.
- Sandwich cookies: fill two cookies with peanut butter frosting.
Building a holiday tray? Pair these with snickerdoodles, sugar cookies and our full list of Christmas cookies.
Like a chewy cookie? Our easy oatmeal cookies also use pantry staples.
Storing and freezing
Keep baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days. Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Freeze rolled dough balls on a tray, then bag them and bake from frozen. If you're hosting a swap, our cookie exchange guide covers labels and packing.
Peanut butter cookies for a cookie tray
Peanut butter cookies hold up well in tins and travel without breaking, which makes them a good choice for cookie boxes and teacher gifts. Bake them a week ahead and freeze them, then thaw them in the container so condensation stays on the outside. Put them in their own bag or a lined section of the box. Write "contains peanuts" on the label so friends with allergies can skip them. If you're baking several kinds in one day, start with the peanut butter batch last and wash the bowls well afterward. For another cookie on the tray, use our buttery shortbread cookie recipe to plan a separate batch.
Plan your holiday baking
Holiday baking goes better with a plan: what you'll bake, when, and what to buy. A short baking schedule keeps the butter and peanut butter on the grocery list before the rush.
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Browse the Holiday shop or read our Christmas cookie box guide for gifting.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you make peanut butter cookies? Cream 1 cup of peanut butter with ½ cup of softened butter and 1 cup of mixed brown and white sugar, beat in an egg and vanilla, then stir in 1½ cups of flour, baking soda and salt. Roll into balls, press a fork criss-cross on top, and bake at 350°F for 9 to 11 minutes.
Why do you press a fork into peanut butter cookies? Peanut butter dough is dense and doesn't spread much on its own. Pressing it with a fork flattens each ball so it bakes evenly, and the criss-cross pattern has become the classic look of peanut butter cookies.
How do you keep peanut butter cookies soft? Use more brown sugar than white sugar, don't overmix after adding flour, and pull the cookies when the centers still look slightly underdone. They firm up on the hot pan for 5 minutes.
Why are my peanut butter cookies dry and crumbly? Dry peanut butter cookies usually come from too much flour, overbaking, or natural peanut butter that separated. Spoon and level the flour, bake only until the edges set, and stir natural peanut butter well before measuring.
Can you use natural peanut butter in peanut butter cookies? Yes, but the dough is oilier and the cookies spread and crumble more. Stir it thoroughly, chill the dough for 30 minutes, and expect a slightly sandier texture than with a no-stir brand.
What are 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies? Three-ingredient peanut butter cookies use 1 cup of peanut butter, 1 cup of sugar and 1 egg with no flour. They bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes and come out tender and naturally flour-free.
Can you use crunchy peanut butter? Yes, you can use crunchy peanut butter in peanut butter cookies. Crunchy peanut butter works in the same amounts and adds little bits of peanut to every bite. Some bakers use creamy in the dough and fold in ½ cup of chopped peanuts.
Do you need to chill peanut butter cookie dough? Chilling isn't required for most recipes with no-stir peanut butter. Chill for 30 minutes if the dough feels sticky, your kitchen is warm, or you use natural peanut butter.
How long do peanut butter cookies last? Peanut butter cookies keep at room temperature in an airtight container for about 5 days. Add a slice of bread to the container to help keep them soft.
Can you freeze peanut butter cookie dough? Yes, you can freeze peanut butter cookie dough. Freeze rolled dough balls on a tray, then bag them for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, add 1 to 2 minutes, and press the fork marks once they soften in the oven.
Are peanut butter cookies safe for school or a cookie exchange? Peanuts are one of the major food allergens named by FDA, so label peanut butter cookies clearly and pack them separately from nut-free cookies. Many schools have nut-free rules, so check first.
Can you eat raw peanut butter cookie dough? No, you shouldn't eat raw peanut butter cookie dough. FDA warns not to eat or taste raw dough, because raw flour and raw eggs can carry harmful bacteria. Bake the cookies before anyone tastes them.
How do you make peanut butter blossoms? Roll the dough balls in sugar, bake without the fork marks for 8 to 10 minutes, then press an unwrapped chocolate kiss into each warm cookie. They're a Christmas cookie tray favorite.