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This is the BEST Peanut Butter Cookies 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! You can make easy cookies like this from scratch in NO TIME at all – just mix and bake. Your family will love them as much as mine does.
I’ve made hundreds of peanut butter cookie recipes over the years and most of them stem from THIS basic recipe.
That’s right: this cookie recipe 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!
Ingredient Notes
- Unsalted Butter – While you can easily substitute shortening for the butter, I prefer the flavor that the butter lends to the cookie. It makes it a bit more light and fluffy too. Be sure your butter is room temperature.
- Peanut Butter – It’s the most important part! 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 chunky peanut butter.
- Milk – my secret peanut butter cookie ingredient!
I also have a recipe for three ingredient peanut butter cookies, if you prefer those!
How to make Peanut Butter Cookies
- Cream the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter together until smooth. There should be minimal lumps.
- 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).
- Once the dough is all mixed together you can use a cookie scoop to make 1-tablespoon or 2-tablespoon size cookies or make a cookie cake or cookie bars!
- 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.
Expert Tips
- You can roll the balls of dough in granulated 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.
FAQ About Peanut Butter Cookies
It’s best to use a no-stir peanut butter for this classic cookies recipe. Natural peanut butter that requires stirring will change the texture and outcome of the cookies.
You can tell these cookies are done because they are no longer glossy. They don’t brown much but become dull instead of shiny.
Milk keeps the cookies nice and soft – it’s my secret ingredient! You can use any kind of milk or nondairy milk in this recipe.
Best Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
Recipe Video
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
- 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.
These peanut butter cookies are absolutely a recipe everyone should try. I have made many, these are by far the best. The flavor is wonderful, not too dry, not too moist. He perfect PB cookie.
What’s the saying? When all else fails bake cookies? Made these delicious peanut butter cookies today (they’re my go-to for peanut butter cookies). Baked a tray & ‘scooped’ the rest for later (just chilling the scooped dough balls in fridge before freezing). Thanks Dorothy!
I have found my favorite peanut butter cookie recipe. These are so delicious and I love the fact you can easily change the size of the cookie batch ingredients to suit the amount of cookies you’d like to bake. I added a small amount of chocolate chips to them. Who doesn’t love chocolate and peanut butter together! I also love the info and great tips you include with the recipe. Thank you from the bottom of my stomach.
Just got these out of the oven and they are fabulous. I added chocolate chips for that combination. I don’t think the whole batch will last long and I’m the only one eating them!!!
Peanut Butter Cookie
This is a really good recipe. The measurements are accurate, and it does make 24 as noted with the 2 tablespoon scoop. The flavor is just right, not too sweet. It’s soft with a nice crust on the edge. Now back to eating it, yum!
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