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
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.
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
I made these today cookies today and they came out fantastic. Absolutely delicious. My new go to peanut butter cookie recipe! Thanks so much :)
Love this recipe! I was looking for a recipe whereas I could really taste the peanut butter and this did not disappoint. My new go to???
These were awesome and the corn starch is a must. Mine baked for 10 minutes and they were perfect. Thanks for the awesome recipes.
I’ve tried hundreds of cookie recipes and this is, hands down, the best peanut butter cookie I’ve tried. Even people who told me they weren’t fans of peanut butter cookies love them. They have the crispy, chewy outside but the inside is fluffier and softer than other recipes I’ve used. The Peanut Butter isn’t overpowering but just right. Great recipe, thank you for publishing it.
I made them exactly per recipe and they were perfect! Wouldn’t change a thing. Thanks for a great new “go-to” recipe.
Ok, for anyone else that is curious how many cookies a batch will make… about 6 dozen. We left half the batch plain and half the batch we added mini chocolate chips and crushed pretzels (with a little salt sprinkled on top). Both were great but WOW the half we added things to was sooo good. You can’t go wrong leaving them as they are though. Thanks for the great recipe!
I made these without baking soda and corn starch and I also rolled the dough in powdered sugar before baking them- delicious.
I just made these, debating whether to use this recipe or Sally’s Baking Addiction. Ultimately, I landed on Gimme Some Over purely because I didn’t have time to chill the dough as required by Sally’s. However, I am SO GLAD I opted for these!!! They are so so good. Soft and chewy on the middle but the right amount of crunch you want in a cookie on the outside. The flavor is perfect-the peanut butter is definitely there but not too overpowering. They are the right amount of sweet as well. I highly recommend this recipe for peanut butter cookies.
Approximately how many cookies will a batch make? Thank you!
These are literally perfect. Thank you! My husband is on heaven!