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These are the BEST Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe you’ll ever make. They’re super soft and a classic recipe with tons of peanut butter flavor; chewy soft cookies with crisp edges and the perfect texture. They’re my husband’s favorite peanut butter cookies!
I’ve made hundreds of peanut butter cookie recipes over the years and most of them stem from THIS classic peanut butter cookies recipe.
That’s right: this classic cookie recipe has the perfect balance of flavors and has spawned dozens of others. That’s why I’m proclaiming it to be the BEST peanut butter cookie recipe ever! I’ve made this cookie hundreds of times so you know it works! These are also easy, fast, cookies with NO CHILL TIME! Peanut butter cookie lovers rejoice – you’re going to love this recipe.
How to make Peanut Butter Cookies
- For this recipe, use a regular no-stir creamy peanut butter you can get at the regular grocery store. Don’t use natural peanut butter. You can also use crunchy peanut butter.
- You can whisk all your dry ingredients together but I just add as I go.
- I like using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment but you can also use an electric mixer.
- The milk keeps the cookies super soft! You can use any kind of milk (or nondairy). This is my secrete peanut butter cookie ingredient!
- Once the dough is all mixed together you can use a cookie scoop to make 1-tablespoon or 2-tablespoon size cookies.
- Don’t forget to make the classic criss-cross marks with a fork to flatten the cookies. These won’t flatten that much on their own (like when you make peanut butter blossoms they stay pretty rounded) so you have to press them down with the tines of a fork. If the dough sticks to the fork when you’re making the criss-cross pattern you can dip the fork in sugar.
- Bake until the cookies are alight golden brown and no longer glossy on top.
Click to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions and below the recipe card for process shots.
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Expert Tips
- You can roll the balls of dough in white sugar before placing them on the cookie sheet for a crispier outside.
- These are a soft peanut butter cookie – they’re not going to be crunchy, just a tiny bit crispy on the edges.
- Be sure to use a good quality no stir peanut butter. I love Skippy or Jif Naturals.
- You can tell these cookies are done because they are no longer glossy. They don’t brown much but become dull instead of shiny.
Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
This is the BEST Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe you’ll ever make. It’s soft and chewy and full of peanut butter flavor. It’s a classic – and it’s my husband’s favorite cookie!
Recipe Video
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (200g) creamy peanut butter
- ¾ cup (150g) light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) milk
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cup (217g) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Place butter and peanut butter in a large bowl. Using a hand or a stand mixer, mix until combined then add both sugars. Cream until smooth. Mix in egg, vanilla, and milk and mix on medium speed until combined.
- Mix in baking soda and salt, then slowly mix in flour and mix just until the batter is smooth and comes together. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl during mixing.
- Scoop 2 tablespoon balls of dough and place 2-inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Using a fork, create a criss cross pattern on the cookies to flatten slightly. (Tip: if the dough starts sticking to the fork, dip it in a bit of granulated sugar.)
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges are just golden brown and the tops are no longer glossy. Cool on cookie sheets at least 10 minutes before removing.
Recipe Notes
Baking times: 1-tablespoon cookies: 7-11 minutes 2-tablespoon cookies: 9-13 minutes Jumbo 1/4 cup cookies: 10-15 minutes 9×13-inch pan: 20-25 minutes
- Any kind of milk or nondairy milk may be used
- Omit salt if using salted butter
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months
- Chunky peanut butter can be used but don’t use natural peanut butter.
Recipe Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 152kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 122mg | Potassium: 73mg | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.6mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Step-by-Step Photos
- Cream the butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and peanut butter in a large bowl.
- Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, baking soda, salt, and milk.
- Stir in the flour.
- Scoop cookie dough balls. You can roll them between your palms to make them cohesive if you want. Use a fork to make the fork marks.
- Bake until no longer shiny. I like to bake on parchment paper or silicone mats.
Variations & Substitutions
You can do so many things with peanut butter cookie dough!
- Make a cookie cake or cookie bars with the same dough.
- You can make M&M Peanut Butter Cookies or Rolo Stuffed Cookies.
- Make peanut butter snickers cookies or add butterscotch chips.
- Stuff them with Oreos or turn them to chocolate peanut butter cookies.
- 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies are also a favorite!
- You can use any other shelf-stable nut butters without lots of added sugar.
- Dark brown sugar can be used instead of light.
Every church needs a Cookie Baker!
The Best Peanut Butter cookie is a winner!!!
Easy to make, perfect crunch and flavor!
Made this recipe. Added a healthy dose of reese’s peanut butter chips. Turned out great! About to make a second batch!
OMG. Best recipe ever. Thank you so much for posting it for others to see.
Can I use salted butter and dark brown sugar?
I want to know that too..
If I use salted butter, I just omit the salt that the recipe calls for. Never had a problem doing it that way!
I have been using this recipe for a while now and everyone loves it!
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