Classic Peanut Butter Cookie (2024)

Published: Jul 5, 2021 · Modified: Sep 16, 2021 by Jennie · This post may contain affiliate links

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Nothing better than a dessert with peanut butter. TheseClassic Peanut Butter Cookies are easy to make so taste so good! Simple yet so satisfying, you will be really happy with these cookies once you make them!

Why I love Peanut Butter Cookies:

The peanut butter cookie, a classic. This was actually the very first cookie I ever learned to bake.

I still remember being in the kitchen with my mom making these cookies.

It was one of the first things I really baked on my own, and I was so proud of myself.

How to make Classic Peanut Butter Cookies:

These cookies are a world famous recipe! Classic Peanut Butter Cookies are really easy to make, and they taste so good!

Mix your wet and dry ingredients separately, the mix them together in a stand mixer. Spoon onto a baking sheet, then press with a fork and you are ready to bake!

Ingredients:

Peanut Butter
Butter (unsalted and softened)
Sugar
Brown Sugar (packed)
Egg
Vanilla Extract
All-Purpose Flour
Baking Soda
Salt
Sugar (for topping)

Directions:

Step One: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking sheet.

Step Two: In a large stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer cream together your wet ingredients.

Step Three: Next add in egg and vanilla extract and continue to mix.

Step Four: Meanwhile in a separate bowl sift together all of your dry ingredients. Then slowing add into your wet batter.

If using a stand mixer or hand mixer mix on low until blended then turn up to medium to make sure it is smooth and mixed well.

Step Five: Roll your dough into 1 inch balls or use a cookie scoop to make the balls.

Step Six: Place on a baking sheet and use a fork to make a crisscross pattern. Sprinkle cookies with remaining sugar.

Step Seven: Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies just start to look brown.

Cooking Tip: As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle a little bit of sugar on the hot cookies for the finishing touch.

Cooking Tips:

Why flatten cookie: Peanut butter cookies don't spread when baking as other cookies would. To make sure they bake well you want to press the cookies down. I used a fork to make the traditional marks on the peanut butter cookies.
How to make the peanut butter crisscross: It's actually pretty simple. I just pressed down with a fork and then changed the direction of my fork and pressed again. That's it!
Why the crisscross pattern?Due to the addition of peanut butter to these cookies, they are denser and thicker, so to ensure they bake completely you want to flatten your cookie dough balls, and using a fork in a crisscross pattern does it best.

Here are a few more of my favorite cookie recipes:

Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookie: This is my all time favorite way to make sugar cookies. If you like sugar cookies you have to try this recipe!

Chocolate Chip Cookie: The classic cookie, this one is my all time favorite.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie: This cookie is the ultimate. I mean when chocolate is in the title twice you know it's going to be good.

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Classic Peanut Butter Cookie

Jennie Duncan

Nothing better than a dessert with peanut butter. TheseClassic Peanut Butter Cookies are easy to make so taste so good! Simple yet so satisfying, you will be really happy with these cookies once you make them!

4.80 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

resting time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 cookies

Calories 303 kcal

Ingredients

¾ cup peanut butter
½ cup butter (unsalted and softened)
¼ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar (packed)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar (optional for topping)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet lightly with nonstick cooking spray or with parchment paper.
In a large stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer cream together peanut butter, butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add in egg and vanilla extract and continue to mix until creamy and combined.
Meanwhile in a separate bowl sift together your flour, baking soda, and salt. Then slowing add into your wet batter. Scraping sides as needed while you mix.
Roll your dough into 1 inch balls. Place on a baking sheet and use a fork to make a criss-cross pattern. Sprinkle cookies with remaining sugar.
Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies just start to turn brown. Be careful not to over bake these cookies can get hard quickly. Once cooked allow to cool on the pan or on a wire rack for 10 minutes then serve and enjoy.

Video

Notes

Cooking Tips:

Why flatten cookie: Peanut butter cookies don't spread when baking as other cookies would. To make sure they bake well you want to press the cookies down. I used a fork to make the traditional marks on the peanut butter cookies.
How to make the peanut butter crisscross: It's actually pretty simple. I just pressed down with a fork and then changed the direction of my fork and pressed again. That's it!
Why the crisscross pattern?Due to the addition of peanut butter to these cookies, they are denser and thicker, so to ensure they bake completely you want to flatten your cookie dough balls, and using a fork in a crisscross pattern does it best.

Nutrition

Calories: 303kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 6gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 246mgPotassium: 146mgFiber: 1gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 260IUCalcium: 26mgIron: 1.2mg

Keyword Classic Peanut Butter Cookie, peanut butter cookie

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Josie
November 10, 2023 at 2:52 pm
First time making peanut butter cookies by myself it was so good! I added left over mini Hershey bars from Halloween, on top! Since we didn’t have Hershey kisses ❤️
Reply
Pamela
October 19, 2023 at 9:27 pm
Just finished the first batch and they are delish! Thank you for the quick and easy recipe 😊
Reply
Anne Rodriguez
February 18, 2023 at 8:34 pm
I I made these Peanut Butter Cookies today. I added a bag of Butterscotch Chips. Wow!! Came out Fabulous!! 💛😋🧡
Reply
John owens
January 13, 2023 at 10:35 pm
I must have made mine too small becase this recipe had 30+ cookies. I only cooked 30 I could have made 40 probably
Reply
Regina
December 09, 2022 at 12:10 am
These are by far one of the best, if not the best, peanut butter cookies! I make these at least twice a week and have now been making them and giving them out as an "I've been thinking about you" kind of gift when I visit friends and have coffee. Now I get requests to make and bring them for get togethers. Absolutely delicious!
Reply
- Jennie
  January 25, 2023 at 3:40 pm
  Thank Regina! Sorry for the late reply I somehow missed this, but your comment made my day =)
  Reply
debbie e burton
December 04, 2021 at 11:33 am
See Also
Creme Brûlée Cookies
Tried these cookies for the first time this morning They are the best peanut butter cookies i have ever made!!! Lots of flavor and easy to make I did add peanutbutter chips and chocolate chips. but otherwise kept to the recipe
Reply
- Rhonda
  March 21, 2023 at 3:44 pm
  I followed the directions to the letter and my cookies came out dry and crumbly. What did I do wrong?
  Reply
Lydia
September 20, 2020 at 3:09 pm
Turned out great! I used salted butter so I omitted the 1/4 tsp salt. I’m not sure how big the cookies are supposed to be, but after rolling them into 1 1/4” balls, I still was able to make 2 dozen cookies. After baking them for 11 minutes they still seem not done enough.
Reply
Ruby
April 23, 2020 at 3:39 pm
What happens if I use foil will it still work
Reply
- Jennie
  June 05, 2020 at 2:42 pm
  Yea, it should still work fine.
  Reply
Amy
December 23, 2019 at 8:38 am
Great recipe! I added an extra 1/4 cup of peanut butter and they were perfect. Thanks for sharing!
Reply
- Jennie
  December 24, 2019 at 11:20 am
  Thanks Amy!
  Reply
Denise Harju
December 15, 2019 at 2:57 pm
Easy to make and o so delish ! So glad I tried this recipe! Defiantly a keeper!
Reply
- Jennie
  December 16, 2019 at 2:41 pm
  So glad you liked it!
  Reply
Debbie
November 01, 2019 at 12:53 pm
Also I cut up reeses and put in batter. So good!
Debbie
Reply
Debbie
November 01, 2019 at 12:47 pm
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted. I only have salted Land of Lakes
Debbie
Reply
- Jennie
  November 04, 2019 at 1:50 pm
  Yes! It will bake the same but taste salter. I hope that helps!
  Reply
Hideya
June 14, 2019 at 8:30 am
What can i use instead of brown sugar ?
Reply
- Jennie
  June 14, 2019 at 2:30 pm
  I personally have not tried it but you should be able to use the same amount of regular granulated sugar in place of brown sugar. Hope you enjoy them!
  Reply
Ava
May 29, 2019 at 5:59 pm
SO YUMMY! I can't stop making these!
Reply
- Jennie
  May 29, 2019 at 7:27 pm
  Thanks!! Glad you enjoy them
  Reply
Melane Richardson
April 06, 2019 at 8:07 pm
I just made them for my husband. They are fresh out of the oven and delicious!
Reply
- Jennie
  April 06, 2019 at 10:50 pm
  So happy to hear that!! =)
  Reply
Stephany
February 27, 2019 at 6:30 pm
Made a double batch of them, brought them to the food pantry I volunteer at, everybody loved them! Very easy to make.
Reply
- Jennie
  February 27, 2019 at 7:17 pm
  So happy to hear that!!
  Reply
Andrea @ The Pineapple Cake
February 13, 2015 at 1:07 am
I've never made peanut butter cookies that weren't out of a package.. I'll have to try these.
Reply
Meg Taylor
February 12, 2015 at 4:26 pm
Yum, I love the perfect peanut butter cookie! I always dip them in chocolate or add chocolate chips 🙂
Reply