This classic peanut butter cookie recipe is thick and chewy, dusted with sugar, and downright delicious.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Our week of holiday cookie recipes on the blog this week continues today with another throwback classic…

…soft, chewy, buttery, always-a-hit peanut butter cookies.

Over the years, I’ve made a variety of healthier peanut butter cookies, which I also really love and make most often nowadays. But whenever I happen to spy one of the fork-crossed, sugar-dusted originals at a holiday party, I’m instantly reminded just how irresistible this classic peanut butter cookie recipe still is. And when we baked up a batch during my little holiday bake-a-thon this week, our friends here were quick to agree that nothing beats this classic recipe.

Gotta love a good peanut butter cookie. 

So if you feel like baking up a batch this season, here’s the recipe I’ve used for years!

Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe | 1-Minute Video

How To Make Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookie Ingredients:

To make this peanut butter cookie recipe, you will need:

  • All-purpose flour: Or you are welcome to substitute white whole wheat flour.
  • Baking powder and baking soda: This recipe calls for both.
  • Cornstarch: To help make them extra-chewy.
  • Salt: To bring out the flavor.
  • Butter: Two sticks, completely softened.
  • Sugars: Both granulated (white) and brown sugar, plus extra for rolling the dough balls if you’d like.
  • Peanut butter: Either smooth or crunchy.
  • Vanilla extract: Either store-bought or homemade.
  • Eggs: Two, please!

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough

How To Make Peanut Butter Cookies:

So, how to make peanut butter cookies? Simply…

  1. Prep your oven and cookie sheet. 350˚F and parchment paper.
  2. Combine dry ingredients. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch and salt.
  3. Mix the wet ingredients. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Mix in peanut butter until it is incorporated and smooth. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl down after each addition.
  4. Add in the dry ingredients. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add dry ingredients until they are just incorporated and the batter is smooth, being careful not to over-mix.
  5. Form your dough balls. Form the dough into 1.5-tablespoon round balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. (If you’d like, you can roll each of these balls in a bowl of granulated sugar before adding them to the baking sheet.)  Press a criss-cross pattern into each dough ball with a fork to flatten slightly, being sure that each dough ball is at least 2 inches apart.
  6. Bake. For about 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the centers are slightly puffy. Remove from the oven, and then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool.
  7. Enjoy! Serve warm, or store in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.

How To Make Peanut Butter Cookies

Possible Variations:

Feel free to add in some:

  • Chocolate chips: Semisweet, dark, white, normal-sized, mini-sized…any kind. :)
  • Cinnamon chips: I’m a big fan of mixing cinnamon and peanut butter in this recipe.
  • Nuts: Chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds, or even extra chopped peanuts would be delicious in these cookies.

Peanut Butter Cookies with Milk

More Favorite Cookie Recipes:

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Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 131 reviews
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 0 About 4 dozen cookies 1x

Description

These peanut butter cookies are soft, chewy, and absolutely delicious!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • (optional: 1/2 cup granulated sugar for rolling the dough balls)


Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
  2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
  3. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Mix in peanut butter until it is incorporated and smooth. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl down after each addition. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add dry ingredients until they are just incorporated and the batter is smooth, being careful not to over-mix.
  4. Form the dough into 1.5-tablespoon round balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.  (If you’d like, you can roll each of these balls in a bowl of granulated sugar before adding them to the baking sheet.)  Press a criss-cross pattern into each dough ball with a fork to flatten, being sure that each dough ball is at least 2 inches apart.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the centers are slightly puffy.  Remove from the oven, and then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool.
  5. Serve warm, or store in a sealed container for up to 4 days.  Or freeze for up to 3 months.

Soft Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

About Ali

Hi, I'm Ali Martin! I created this site in 2009 to celebrate good food and gathering around the table. I live in Kansas City with my husband and two young boys and love creating simple, reliable, delicious recipes that anyone can make!

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223 Comments

  1. Kim Walker says:

    Had to bake for 16 min and the went completely flat in the oven ?

  2. Tee says:

    So good! Stick to the baking temp. and time for nice soft on the inside and crispy around the edges! A big family hit! So good! Did I say that already? haha!

  3. Jeannie Salter says:

    Made these cookies for my hubby. I used whole wheat white flour & topped some w sugar & some without. Hubby loved these cookies, the extra sugar on top/or rolled in wasn’t needed. They were great & will make again.

  4. Jen says:

    The best peanut butter cookie recipe I’ve ever had. Easy to follow recipe, I made it exactly as stated, I would not change anything. Cookies looked amazing and tasted wonderful! Not too sweet with the perfect balance of peanut butter. Everyone that tired them, loved them.

  5. Dana says:

    Absolutely delish! I used the store brand of peanut butter and they were amazing! I dipped my fork in a small dab of flour before criss-crossing to keep the fork from sticking to the cookie. They were a huge hit!

    1. Jodie Knight says:

      Perfect cookies! My kids are thrilled.

  6. Dewayne McLeod says:

    Dewayne
    So delicious. Added cinnamon. Then sprinkled with icing sugar after baking.
    It’s a keeper.

  7. Tren Bananish says:

    Hi the cookies are so good. But I was wondering if you could freeze or store the dough?

    1. Shirley Estes says:

      I made some with Hershey kisses, some with chocolate chips and some peanut butter cookies they was yummy my family loved them will make again

  8. Ana says:

    So good.

  9. Trudy says:

    Oo my these are delicious!! I added peanut butter chips to mine..hubby loves them!!

    1. T321CUTEY says:

      I added peanut butter chips too

  10. Paula says:

    I bake a lot of cookies but didn’t have a go-to peanut butter cookie recipe. Made these today for a birthday at work and they were such a hit! This is definitely my go-to recipe now!!

    1. Dana says:

      Unbelievably Good! They are dangerous to be around! I added French Vanilla creamer instead of reg vanilla… Love it! Great recipe will be using it all thru Christmas…
      Thank you