Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies are thick, soft, and packed with rich peanut butter flavor. For extra flair, dip half in melted chocolate (optional).
author’s note
These Peanut Butter Cookies Got Me Through Freshman Year!
When my older brother was 3, he had a severe peanut allergy, so peanuts and peanut butter were banned from our home. When I moved into a peanut allergy free college dorm, I stocked my pantry with peanut butter and baked cookies non stop. Late night study sessions were fueled by trail mix and spoonfuls of peanut butter cookie dough.
While I might not remember much from my freshman year, I do remember trying every peanut butter cookie recipe online. These cookies are my own creation, a mash up of my favorites. Just in time for the holidays, these easy Peanut Butter Cookies are sure to please, and I cannot wait for you to try them!
What To Expect From This Recipe
These cookies are big, each one uses 3 tablespoons of dough. They are thick with soft, chewy centers, like a sugar cookie with peanut butter flavor.
The gooey texture comes from the ingredient ratios and method. Melted butter keeps them chewy and makes prep easy with no mixer. Grab a bowl and whisk and you are set for Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies heaven.
Featured Comment
“These cookies are amazing! I tried 5 other peanut butter recipes before finding this one and they are hands down the best. I baked two batches. Perfect for giving away as gifts during Christmas, which I did so I didn’t eat all of them myself. Thank you so much for sharing.”
– Cathy
Why Do Peanut Butter Cookies Have Criss Cross Marks?
Peanut butter dough is dense, so fork marks help flatten it and bake it evenly.
But those classic three ingredient cookies with criss cross tops usually turn out dry and bland for me. No fork marks needed here, just soft, chewy, flavor packed Peanut Butter Cookies.
How To Make Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Melt butter: mix with both sugars until smooth, then stir in peanut butter and extracts.
- Add eggs: mix in one at a time until just combined.
- Add dry ingredients: sprinkle in baking soda, salt, and flour; mix until just combined.
- Chill dough: refrigerate 30 minutes, then roll into 3 tablespoon dough balls.
- Bake: slightly underbake for chewy centers, and cool fully (dip in chocolate if wanted).
Tips For Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Use room temp eggs so they mix in easier and keep the cookies lighter. Warm cold eggs in warm water for 10 minutes or leave out for 30 minutes.
- Bake on a silicone baking mat for even baking and softer bottoms. Parchment works but isn’t quite as good.
- Use a food scale for accurate flour and evenly sized dough balls.
- Roll big dough balls (3 tablespoons or 60 grams). Smaller balls won’t give the same chewy feel.
Storage
- Store chewy peanut butter cookies in an airtight container at room temp for 3 to 4 days. Baked cookies freeze fine, but freezing the dough works even better.
- Freeze cookie dough balls on a sheet until firm, then move to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake straight from the freezer, adding a few extra mins.
Use Leftover Peanut Butter In:
Desserts
Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
Desserts
Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
Desserts
Peanut Butter Banana Bars
Peanut Butter Cookies
Video
Equipment
- Large sheet pan (15" x 21")
- Silicone baking mat or parchment paper
Ingredients
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter melted; 1 cup
- 1 cup brown sugar light or dark, lightly packed
- 1 cup granulated sugar plus extra for rolling (optional)
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter see note 1
- 1/8 teaspoon almond extract optional!
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour see note 2
- 4 ounces semi-sweet baking bar or milk or dark chocolate
Instructions
- Line a large sheet pan with a silicone baking mat (or parchment paper) and set aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the butter until it’s melted. Set aside to cool back to room temperature (hot butter will melt sugars and cause greasy cookies). Once at room temperature, use a spatula to scrape every bit of butter into a large bowl and add brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix with a large whisk until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add peanut butter, almond extract (if using), and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Add 1 egg. Mix just until ingredients are incorporated, then add the second egg. Again, mix until ingredients are just incorporated. Add baking soda and salt and mix until just incorporated. Add flour and mix again until just incorporated. Don’t overmix.
- Cover the dough and chill for 30 minutes, up to 1 hour—see note 3. Preheat oven to 325°F. Scoop the cookie dough and roll into large balls that are each 2 packed tablespoons (40 grams) in size (see note 4) and if desired, roll dough balls in some extra granulated sugar. Place dough balls on a lined sheet pan—6 cookies at a time—leaving ample room (2-inches) between cookies.
- Bake for 8–14 minutes. Ever so slightly under-baking the cookies will keep them soft and chewy. (They also bake a bit more on the sheet pan when removed from the oven.) Be careful to not overbake!
- Remove the cookies (if any edges are going wayward, working quickly, press the edges inwards with a metal spatula) and allow them to cool on the sheet pan 5 minutes before removing them to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely. Cool completely before dipping in chocolate (optional step).
- Optionally dip in chocolate: Coarsely chop the chocolate bar into evenly sized pieces and place in a microwave-safe bowl (see note 5). Microwave in bursts of 20 seconds, stirring between each burst for 15 seconds, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Dip half of each cookie into the melted chocolate, scrape the bottom of the cookie on the bowl, then transfer the cookie to a sheet of parchment paper. Allow chocolate to set at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Variations
- To make peanut butter no-bake cookies, try these avalanche cookies or these healthy no-bake cookies.
- Make peanut butter chocolate chip cookies with this recipe.
- Make chewy peanut butter cookies healthier by using honey and oats and reducing the sugar (which is what I do in these healthy breakfast cookies!)
- Try this recipe for peanut butter cookies vegan-style!
- To make them without brown sugar, replace the brown sugar with white sugar. (The cookies will be crunchier and less chewy this way.)
The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of vanilla. is this correct? or 1 teaspoon. Ive checked many many other recipes and the most has been 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
Kensington, that is a great question and I hesitate to try the recipie untill it is answered. I agree that one TABLESPOON of vanilla extract sounds like a LOT, but funny no one else has mentioned it.
No typo; that’s how we like these best 🙂 Feel free to reduce for personal preference
I tried these cookies yesterday and they were wonderful! Since I use peanut butter made with 100% peanuts (which is not nearly as thick as the others), I increased the flour by 1/3 cup. Also, after tasting the batter, I added another 1/3 cup peanut butter to increase the peanut butter taste. My son said, “Save that recipe, mom. These are the best you’ve ever made!”
Ahh thank you so much! And good call on the peanut butter! I’m so glad you guys loved them! 🙂
Could you use coconut sugar for the white or brown sugar?
Could you use crunchy peanut butter?
Recipe sounds delicious
THANKS! Jill
I’m sorry Jill, I haven’t tried either of those substitutions in these cookies so I really couldn’t say for sure without testing myself how they’ll turn out. Let me know if you give either substitution a try 🙂
Any tips for getting the cookies to fluff like those pictured? I was sure not to overdid and followed all egg tips!
Did you chill the dough? That will help! Also roll balls that are taller rather than wider 🙂 Enjoy!
These are my new favorite peanut butter cookies. I don’t know if it was cooking them with convection heat or adding in the 1/4 tsp of almond extract, but these are the best peanut butter cookies I have ever made. Also, I really appreciate your explanations.
So happy to hear that; thank you Erin! 🙂 And glad to hear the explanations aren’t too boring haha 🙂
These are definitely 5 star cookies! Soft, chewy and full of flavor. Even my picky hubby liked them. I, too, love your explanations for each step. Totally makes sense and I can tell it makes a difference in how the cookie turns out. Thank you for finally giving me a peanut butter cookie recipe worth saving! (Side note: the almond extract comes through a teensy bit strong, so next time I will maybe do an 1/8 tsp, but that’s just personal preference.) ☺️?
Thank you so much for your comment Amanda! 🙂 SO thrilled these were a hit 🙂
Delicious and amazing texture! I like a little bit more of a peanut butter taste, but dipping the cookie made it almost perfection. I always make the recipe the first time as is, but next time I will see if a little more peanut butter works. Otherwise, these were perfect.
Thanks so much for your comment and feedback Sandi! 🙂
Love almost all your recipes!
How about a cookbook? I’ll bet it would be a great seller.
Thanks so much Robin! I appreciate that 🙂 I don’t have a cookbook, but hopefully some day!
These look really yummy! I can’t wait to try them.
Your directions say to preheat to CONVECTION BAKE. Does this mean it must be a convection oven? I hope I don’t sound too silly asking this.
Not silly at all! They will still work in a regular oven; I’d cook them at 325 degrees F. They will likely take a couple minutes extra so watch them carefully. Enjoy! 🙂
I LOVE the explanations you give for the “chemistry” of why things are melted vs cold, chilled, how to mix, etc. It’s so simple to skip steps like that ( because does it REALLY matter if it’s cold??) because they might add time or steps, but it’s great to learn that it actually does make a difference! Can’t wait to try these cookies!
Thank you Alexandria! I appreciate your kind comment and I hope you LOVE these cookies 🙂
trying your cookie recipe right now ill let you know later on how they turn out..
Hope you love them!
This will be my 3rd time making your cookies. They’re my best friends fav version of PB cookies and she just hinted she wants big chewy PB cookies. I also love them!
Yay! I’m so happy these have been such a hit! You sound like a great friend! Thanks for your comment! 🙂
Did you mean 325 and not 375? Seems like they aren’t down in the middle .