This classic peanut butter cookie recipe is thick and chewy, dusted with sugar, and downright delicious.
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
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!
How To Make Peanut Butter Cookies:
So, how to make peanut butter cookies? Simply…
- Prep your oven and cookie sheet. 350˚F and parchment paper.
- Combine dry ingredients. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch and salt.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Enjoy! Serve warm, or store in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.
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.
More Favorite Cookie Recipes:
- Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Gingerbread Cookies
- No-Bake Cookies
- Brown Sugar Cookies
- Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
Peanut Butter Cookies
- 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
- 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
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
- 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.
- 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.
- Serve warm, or store in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.
Cut the recipe in half. These were delicious! Followed the instructions exactly but added peanut butter chips. YUM can’t wait for everyone else to try these
We made these last night exactly but I would make smaller balls as they do flatten quite a bit. Most delicious peanut butter cookies. It was better then I remembered them when I was young. Such a treat!!
Exceptional! Easy, wonderful recipe. I’ll be making again!
Way too labor intensive for peanut butter cookies. I was expecting them to be easy as the recipe described, but there were way too many ingredients and steps that I don’t think are necessary for a good peanut butter cookie. Made way too many and half of them were raw, half burnt. Sucked.
Absolutely the best… This is the only PB cookie recipe I ever use!
I forgot to rate this. So this is a do over.
So delicious. I was told chewy, not crunchy, mom. That’s what this recipe is!
So delicious. I was told, chewy not crunchy, mom. That’s what this recipe is!
This recipe gets 5 stars from me the a came AMAZING the best peanut butter cookies I’ve made thus far Love it………. do you have a chocolate chip cookie recipe like this one? Would love to try it…. ?
Easy and yummy, though the judges at home say that they are not “peanut buttery” enough and tend to agree. I had to chill the dough, as it was too sticky to work with right after mixing. I wonder if adding more peanut butter is the answer for us. Nice and chewy!
If you use bread flour would you have to eliminate the cornstarch?
I cut the sugar in half and the cookies were still delicious ?