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It’s so quick and easy to cook up a batch of delicious homemade peanut butter cookies. Perfect for the holiday season, they take minutes to make and are quick to cook. Perfect for when you get a sweet craving!
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Table of Contents
- Why you will love this Peanut Butter Cookies recipe!
- Ingredients
- How to make peanut butter cookies
- How long do they last?
- Can you freeze them?
- How do you know when the peanut butter cookies are baked?
- Recipe Notes and Tips for the Best Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
- More Sweet Treats
- Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
As we approach the holidays, my mind turns to all things baking, and especially cookies! Whilst these easy peanut butter cookies can obviously be enjoyed all year round, I always have to make a batch for Christmas!
Simple and quick to make, this simple cookie recipe is a real crowd-pleaser. Made from scratch, they are sweet and buttery and I guarantee they’ll disappear quickly!
Be sure to try my Amaretti Cookies and Chocolate Pecan Cookies too!
Why you will love this Peanut Butter Cookies recipe!
- Quick and easy: Even novice bakers will be able to master these cookies. It’s a great recipe that the kids can help you with too!
- Make ahead: These classic cookies have a great shelf life and are freezer friendly, so be sure to make a big batch!
- Great for gifting: Their long shelf life means that these homemade peanut butter cookies are great for cookie exchanges, or gifting to friends and family over the holidays.
Ingredients
- Butter: Use unsalted butter. If using salted, decrease the amount of added salt.
- Sugar: This easy recipe for peanut butter cookies uses granulated sugar. You could swap some for brown sugar for a different flavor and slightly chewy texture.
- Creamy peanut butter: I prefer to make these cookies with smooth peanut butter, but you can use crunchy nut butter if that’s what you have to hand. Skippy or Jif both work well.
- Large egg: To bind the ingredients together.
- Vanilla extract and salt: For added flavor.
- Flour: You can use all-purpose flour or make gluten-free peanut butter cookies if you use 1:1 gluten-free flour.
- Baking soda and powder: So the cookies rise when they bake and are not dense.
How to make peanut butter cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two 18 by 13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together butter, granulated sugar until combined.
- Mix in peanut butter then blend in egg and vanilla to the butter mixture. With the mixer set on low speed slowly fold in flour mixture and mix just until combined.
- Scoop dough out and shape into balls (each nearly 2 Tbsp) then place on baking sheets spacing them 2-inches apart.
- Use a fork to flatten the dough balls slightly then turn the fork going in the opposite direction and flatten just slightly again to create a criss-cross pattern.
- Bake cookies in a preheated oven, one sheet at a time (unless you can fit two sheets at the same time), for about 9 – 10 minutes (cookies will appear pale and slightly under-baked, they’ll continue to cook slightly as they cool).
- Let cool on a baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
How long do they last?
These soft peanut butter cookies have a great shelf life! Once cooled, store them in an air-tight container and keep them at room temperature for up to a week. They will keep slightly longer in the fridge, though I find that they can dry out a little.
Can you freeze them?
Yes! These cookies freeze really well, so it’s easy to get ahead with your holiday baking! Once cooled, place the cookies on a baking sheet and freeze solid. Once hard, transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag and they will keep well for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature to enjoy.
How do you know when the peanut butter cookies are baked?
These cookies only need 10 minutes of baking time. They will appear pale and undercooked when you take them out of the oven, but they will continue to cook and set on the baking sheet. After 5 minutes, cool them on a wire rack so that the air circulates around them to avoid them getting soggy.
TIPS FROM NELI’S KITCHEN
Recipe Notes and Tips for the Best Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
- Use only real butter — no shortening, no margarine, no imitation butters.
- When mixing the cookie dough, take care not to over mix when you add the flour. Over mixing can cause the gluten to develop and result in tough and flat cookies. Stop mixing once the flour is incorporated.
- Leave spaces between each ball of cookie dough on the baking sheets as they will spread in the oven.
- Let cool fully before serving or storing.
- Optionally, you can add mini chocolate chips or peanuts.
More Sweet Treats
If you loved these easy and simple peanut butter cookies, make sure you try some of my other recipes for sweet treats:
Peanut Butter Cookies
Save This Recipe
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Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, 1 stick unsalted, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two 18 by 13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In another mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together butter, granulated sugar until combined.
- Mix in peanut butter then blend in egg and vanilla. With the mixer set on low speed slowly add in flour mixture and mix just until combined.
- Scoop dough out and shape into balls (each nearly 2 Tbsp) then place on baking sheets spacing them 2-inches apart.
- Using a fork flatten cookies slightly then turn the fork going in the opposite direction and flatten just slightly again to create a criss-cross pattern.
- Bake cookies in a preheated oven, one sheet at a time (unless you can fit two sheets at the same time), for about 9 – 10minutes (cookies will appear pale and slightly under-baked, they’ll continue to cook slightly as they cool).
- Let cool on a baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies and an airtight container.
Video
Notes
- When mixing the cookie dough, take care not to over mix when you add the flour. Over mixing can cause the gluten to develop and result in tough and flat cookies. Stop mixing once the flour is incorporated.
- Leave spaces between each ball of cookie dough on the baking sheets as the will spread in the oven.
- Let cool full before serving or storing.
Is this 141 calories for one cookie? There is no serving size indicated.
Yes. The serving size is 1 cookie. This recipe makes about 24 cookies.