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3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies are so easy to make and are super peanut buttery – they are the best cookies you’ll ever make. You are going to LOVE these cookies!
As you know, peanut butter cookies are one of our favorite cookies around here: my husband is addicted to peanut butter. He only eats desserts if they are carrot cake or peanut butter, so he loves these cookies.
Why you’ll LOVE this recipe
Because they only have 3 ingredients, the peanut butter flavor is intense, more so than a regular cookie. If you’re craving peanut butter cookies then THIS is the recipe you want to try.
3 Ingredient Cookies
- Peanut Butter: Only use no-stir, shelf stable peanut butter, like Skippy or Jif (not natural peanut butter). You can use crunchy peanut butter if you prefer.
- Egg: One large egg
- Sugar: You can use granulated sugar or packed brown sugar or even the sweetener of choice to make these sugar-free.
- These cookies are accidentally gluten-free and dairy-free as written. I have not tested this with other types of nut butter or seed butters.
How to make 3-ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- These really are the easiest cookies to make – ever. One bowl, just a spoon – even the kids can make these without help.
- Simply add your peanut butter, egg, and sugar to a bowl. Stir, then it’s time to scoop out the cookies onto your cookie sheet.
- These will not spread much since there is no butter or leavening so you need to press the peanut butter cookie dough flat with the criss-cross pattern.
Scooping Tips
The dough is a bit wetter than normal cookie dough and will stick to your fork, so you have two options for the criss cross marks:
- Dip your fork in granulated sugar in between marks, which will help the fork not stick as well as add a bit of crunch and texture to the outside of the cookie.
- Dip your fork in water so it doesn’t stick, instead of using sugar.
If you are using a sugar replacement to make sugar-free cookies, I recommend using water instead of dipping your fork in more sweetener, otherwise that not-natural taste of sugar-free substitutes will overpower the cookie.
Don’t crowd your cookies on the baking sheet, but they won’t spread a ton, so you can fit about 12 per sheet.
- If you’re using brown sugar they will spread a bit more than granulated.
- If you’re using sweetener, they will barely spread at all (if they even do).
Tip From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- They will be a little bit crumblier than a normal cookie, because they don’t have any flour for binding, but they will hold together. To minimize crumbling, let cool completely on the cookie sheet after you remove them from the oven.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
- You can freeze them too! Be sure to seal in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag.
3 ingredient Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
- 1 cup sugar (see note)
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Stir together all three ingredients in a large bowl with a wooden spoon or spatula until smooth.
- Scoop desired size dough balls onto cookie sheet. Press flat with the back of a fork. The dough is sticky, so either dip your fork in sugar or lightly wet it so the dough doesn't stick.
- Bake 2 tablespoon size cookies for about 10-14 minutes (1 tablespoon size cookies 8-10 minutes), or until golden brown on the edges and no longer glossy in the center. Let them cool completely on the cookie sheet before removing.
- Makes 12 (2-Tbsp) cookies or 24 (1-Tbsp) cookies. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to one month.
Recipe Notes
Peanut Butter Notes:
- Use a regular no-stir peanut butter (i.e. Skippy; Skippy Naturals is fine)
- Creamy or Crunchy can be used
Sugar Notes:
- Use 1 cup granulated sugar or 1 cup packed brown sugar OR
- Use 1/2 cup sweetener of your choice.
Just made these. I put bitter sweet chips in them. Omg! Delicious.
Very delicious and I love
the chewyness of the cookie!!I like to make the cookies big ,about 3or more tablespoon size.
I doubled the recipe so I could make a whole batch of cookies .
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These 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies are the bomb!!!! I made a batch of sugar free with brown sugar and a regular batch with regular brown sugar. They came out so good!!. Very simple to make and well worth making them. Thank you so very much!!
These were super easy to make. I also hand-placed some semisweet chocolate chips on top before baking. They tasted great but were a bit crumbly until FULLY cooled. Will make again.
Jake and I are going to make these right now!
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