These easy 8-ingredient classic peanut butter cookies are soft and buttery, with a sweet nutty flavor and soft melt-in-your-mouth texture.

A bowl of peanut butter cookies with one on the counter

This is your quintessential classic peanut butter cookie recipe, the kind your grandma might have had in her cookie jar. No fancy substitutions or ingredient upgrades here! Everything down to the crisscross pattern is deliciously nostalgic and completely irresistible.

This recipe has lived on my website since 2010 and it’s still the one I use to this day. These cookies have great peanut butter flavor and such a fabulous soft buttery texture. Plus, they’re so simple to make that you can pull the first batch out of the oven in less than 30 minutes. These really are the best peanut butter cookies!

Peanut butter cookies scattered on a white surface with one broken in half, showing a soft chewy center

Table of Contents

Ingredients you’ll need

Ingredients for peanut butter cookies including brown sugar, peanut butter, baking powder, salt, butter, eggs, vanilla, and all-purpose flour

The best peanut butter to use

Crunchy or creamy? The decision is ultimately up to you, though creamy peanut butter is slightly more preferred for a lighter, softer cookie. Chunky peanut butter can possibly create drier, more crumbly cookies.

Traditional or natural-style? I also prefer to make these cookies with traditional-processed peanut butter (think Jif, Skippy, etc.) instead of natural peanut butter for the best soft texture. However, it is possible to use natural-style peanut butter, just know your cookies may spread more and have a slightly grittier texture depending on the brand you use.

How to make classic peanut butter cookies

  1. Prepare cookie dough. This recipe uses the classic “drop cookie” method which means you beat the butter, peanut butter and sugar together until light and creamy, then mix in the egg and vanilla, and finally the dry ingredients.Mixing peanut butter cookie dough
  2. Portion and score cookie dough balls. Use a cookie scoop to evenly portion cookie dough, then roll into balls and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet pan. Use a fork to press a crisscross pattern into each dough ball. Scooping and pressing fork imprints on the peanut butter cookie dough
  3. Bake. Bake in preheated oven at 350°F until puffed and bottoms are just turning brown, about 11-13 minutes. If you want a crispier cookie, bake a minute or two longer.Peanut butter cookie dough ready for the oven
  4. Enjoy! Let cookies cool at least a few minutes on the pan to finish setting up before transferring them to a wire rack.
Peanut butter cookies scattered on a white surface with one broken in half, showing a soft chewy center

baking tip:Make sure butter is at the right temperature

Butter temperature matters for baking! And it’s likely that “room temperature” butter is cooler than you think, at about 65°F. It will feel cool to the touch and soft enough that a pressed finger will leave an indent, but it should not be soft enough that your finger can press all the way through. If it’s shiny or melty at all, the butter is too warm.

For best results, let your butter sit on the counter for 30-60 minutes (depending on the temperature of your kitchen). Cutting the butter into cubes increases surface area, speeds up the process, and ensures it softens evenly. I never recommend microwaving your butter, but as an absolute last-resort you can microwave in 5-second bursts, rotating it after each burst.

More Baking Tips »
  • Be sure to measure flour correctly! All of my recipes are tested using the spoon and level method (more info through that link).
  • Parchment paper is your baking bff. These pre-cut parchment sheets are perfect for cookie baking.
  • Use a cookie scoop! I like to use a spring-loaded cookie scoop for portion out dough so that all cookies will be the same size. Scoop #40 (1.5 Tbsp) is the perfect size for these peanut butter cookies.
  • Cookie dough freezes really well. I like to keep a stash in the freezer for fresh-baked cookies on demand.
  • How to store peanut butter cookies. These cookies will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for about a week, but are best within a few days of baking.
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Get the recipe

A bowl of peanut butter cookies with one on the counter

Peanut Butter Cookies

Servings: 36 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
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Ingredients
 

  • ½ cup unsalted butter , at room temperature
  • 1 ½ cup chunky peanut butter
  • 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, peanut butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Add flour, baking powder, and salt and beat at low speed until just combined.
  • Drop by the tablespoon onto the baking sheet, then flatten with a fork, making a crosshatch pattern. Bake in batches until slightly puffed, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool cookies on a wire rack.
Calories: 133kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 11mg, Sodium: 86mg, Potassium: 97mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 85IU, Calcium: 17mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Annalise Sandberg
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Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.

This recipe was originally published March 2010.