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A stack of Classic Peanut Butter Cookies with a spoonful of peanut butter next to it

Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

Everyone needs a treat now and then - What could be better with a glass of cold milk than a warm, crisp peanut butter cookie?  
Recipe Video Print
Total Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 24 cookies
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This Classic Peanut Butter Cookie recipe to die for – Soft, crisp texture, crave-worthy flavor & that iconic crisscross pattern.

Two stacks of Classic Peanut Butter Cookies with a spoonful of peanut butter next to it

The Best Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

Welcome to the only peanut butter cookie recipe you’ll ever need. This recipe is loved by all who try it, and I promise if you make them – you’ll make them time and time again.

Peanut Butter cookies are what childhood memories are made of.  If you’re a peanut butter lover, you have fond memories of someone making them for you.  

The smell of them filling up the house is such a nostalgic treat.

Why This Recipe Works

  • The mixture of white and brown sugar adds a chewier texture. 
  • Slicing and chilling the dough cuts the step of rolling each cookie in your hands.

Make-Ahead Peanut Butter Cookies

Refrigerate prepared dough for up to five days. Then just slice as needed when you’re ready to bake.  This is great for when you want to bake a batch for an occasion but won’t have time for prep on the day.

For Even Baking of Peanut Butter Cookies

Line your cookie sheet with baking paper, silicone mat, or nonstick foil instead of greasing the pan. This will stop the bottoms of the cookies from browning too much before they are fully baked.

How to Achieve Crisp, Chewy or Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

For Crisp Peanut Butter CookiesA cooling rack filled with fresh baked Classic Peanut Butter Cookies with golden edges and crisscross pattern

For a crispier cookie add a couple of minutes to the bake time for a crispier texture.

For Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

For a chewier cookie use all brown sugar instead of a combination of brown and white sugars. Brown sugar has more moisture, resulting in a chewier cookie.

For Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

For a softer cookie, use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour.  Cake flour has less protein than all-purpose flour and doesn’t brown as easily.  This creates more steam for a leavening making the cookies rise, resulting in a fluffier texture.

How to Make Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

Start by creaming the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.

A close up of a food processor bowl with fluffy butter and sugar creamed together

Next blend in peanut butter & vanilla.
A close up of a food processor bowl with fluffy butter and sugar creamed together topped with a mound of peanut butterFollowed by the egg.
A food processor bowl mixed cookie dough and an egg on top ready to mix inIn a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Blend it into the peanut butter mixture. Mix until smooth.

A food processor bowl with the cookie dough blended with the flour
Shape into a log and chill until firm 30 minutes – 1 hour. Cut into ¼ inch/5mm thick slices.The chilled dough shaped into a log shape with three slices cut out of it Arrange on a prepared cookie sheet and Flatten the slices with a fork.
A sliced disc of dough with a fork making indents into itMaking a crosshatch pattern on the cookies.
A baking tray with the cookies ready to bakeBake 10 minutes.  Enjoy every last bite.
A stack of Classic Peanut Butter Cookies with a spoonful of peanut butter next to it

Baking Tips:

  • For a gooier cookie, you can add an extra egg.
  • Add a tablespoon of golden syrup and an extra depth of flavor.
  • Over-mixing may result in tough cookies. Mix dough only until ingredients are just combined. 
  • When making the crisscross pattern, to keep the fork from sticking, dip it in warm water or flour. Alternatively, you can coat the disks of dough with cooking spray before pressing with the fork.

Variation

  • Add a pinch of sea salt and a handful of dark chocolate chips for a wonderful, drop cookie variation.
  • Dip your sliced dough in cinnamon and sugar before baking for added texture and a flavorful twist.
  • Pipe Hazelnut Chocolate Spread in between the crisscrosses of the cookies while they’re hot from the oven for an extra indulgence.

FAQs

Can Peanut Butter Cookie dough be frozen? Peanut butter cookie dough freezes well.  Freeze the prepared dough for up to three months. Just thaw and bake.

How do you store peanut butter cookies? To store peanut butter cookies, cool until they’re room temperature, then store in an airtight bag or container for up to 3 days.

Storing cookies when they’re still warm creates steam, which will make them soft and crumbly.

A stack of Classic Peanut Butter Cookies with a spoonful of peanut butter next to it

Let's Make Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

Everyone needs a treat now and then - What could be better with a glass of cold milk than a warm, crisp peanut butter cookie?  
4.81 from 26 votes
Prep15 minutes
Total25 minutes
Serves: 24 cookies
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Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter softened
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar packed
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 1½ cups all-purpose/plain flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Cream together the butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Blend in peanut butter & vanilla, followed by the egg.
  • In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. 
  • Blend it into the peanut butter mixture. Mix until smooth.
  • Shape into a log and chill until firm 30 minutes – 1 hour.
  • Pre-heat oven 350f/180cLine cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper or nonstick foil
  • Cut into ¼ inch/5mm thick slices and arrange on a prepared cookie sheet and Flatten the slices with a fork, making a crosshatch pattern on the cookies.
  • Bake for about 9-12 minutes (until golden).
  • Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack and leave to cool before eating.

Tips + Notes

  • For a gooier cookie, you can add an extra egg.
  • Add a tablespoon of golden syrup and an extra depth of flavor.
  • Over-mixing may result in tough cookies. Mix dough only until ingredients are just combined. 
  • When making the crisscross pattern, to keep the fork from sticking, dip it in warm water or flour. Alternatively, you can coat the disks of dough with cooking spray before pressing with the fork.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 130 (7%)| Carbohydrates: 15g (5%)| Protein: 2g (4%)| Fat: 6g (9%)| Saturated Fat: 3g (19%)| Cholesterol: 16mg (5%)| Sodium: 110mg (5%)| Potassium: 57mg (2%)| Sugar: 9g (10%)| Vitamin A: 130IU (3%)| Calcium: 11mg (1%)| Iron: 0.5mg (3%)

Nutritional Data Disclaimer

Author:Erren Hart
Course:Cookies
Cuisine:Baking
Keyword:cookie recipe, peanut butter biscuits, peanut butter cookies
Follow Me on SocialMention @ErrensKitchen or tag #ErrensKitchen on Instagram

Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in 2014 but published again in 2018 to include step by step directions, nutritional information, new photos, and a video.

Reader Interactions

4.81 from 26 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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  1. Jodie says

    Fantastic recipe! I use a melon baller to scoop the dough right away onto sheets for baking. Every time exactly 40 cookies!

    Reply

  2. Anne says

    I have been looking for a peanut butter cookie recipe as I have lost my Mama’s recipe that I grew up making, then made for my family. Mom has been gone for several years now and I am finally ready to make some peanut butter cookies for my grandchildren who will be here for the holidays. Your recipe is is almost exactly what her’s was so I will be very excited to try your recipe tomorrow. I will give you a note to let you know how everything went.

    Reply

  3. gloria voss says

    i made this peanut butter cookie as i used two eggs and added one tlb.spoon of cream cheese as they were a soft cookie and delicious.

    Reply

  8. Jennifer Brown says

    I LOVE you!!! Thank you for putting the recipe in grams/Celsius!!!! I moved to the UK 4 years ago and converting recipes is SOOO hard. Most of the time my cooking turns out a little on the ‘odd’ side because of weird measurements and temps!!

    Reply

    • Erren says

      You are very welcome! 🙂 I know how hard it is to be an American expat and dealing with crazy measurements! When I first moved here, I made rice that would have fed an army! I had no idea what I was doing! Now, I use US measuring cups along side a scale and can cook recipes from both sides of the pond seamlessly!

      Reply

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