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My Peanut Butter Cookies are thick, soft & chewy, crisp-edged, and are absolutely packed with peanut butter flavor! These no-chill cookies come together in one bowl and can be on your table in under an hour. The dough also freezes beautifully!
Why you’ll love these Peanut Butter Cookies:
- Thick & Chewy – My peanut butter cookies are thick, chewy, and never dry!
- No-Chill – This is a super easy cookie recipe that doesn’t require any chill time! But, the dough does hold up well if you decide to refrigerate or freeze the dough before baking.
- Extra Peanut Butter – I used a higher ratio of peanut butter than what I’ve seen in many other recipes – it truly makes these the best peanut butter cookies!
- Customizable – Mix it up by adding m&ms, chocolate chips, or chopped peanut butter cups to the cookie dough!
Ingredient Overview:
As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).
- Peanut Butter – I used smooth peanut butter for this recipe. I think crunchy could work as well, but I don’t recommend a natural peanut butter as I think it could be drying.
- Butter – I always use salted butter for the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer. Be sure to let it come to room temperature before baking – creaming cold butter is not easy.
- All-purpose flour – Spoon your flour into the measuring cup, then level it with a flat utensil for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly into your flour will lead to too much flour, and a potentially dry bake.
- Eggs – Use large eggs.
- Vanilla extract – Use real vanilla extract for best results.
Recipe Substitutions & Variations:
- Gluten-free – I have not tested a gluten-free version of this recipe, but let me know if you do!
- Dairy-free – I think this recipe would work well with your favorite, trusted, non-dairy butter sticks.
How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies:
Step 1: Begin the Dough. Start by melting the butter in a medium bowl. Whisk in the peanut butter until it’s smooth and combined with the butter.
Step 2: Finish the Dough. Whisk in the sugar and eggs, then stir in the dry ingredients until a dough forms.
Step 3: Scoop Dough. Scoop dough balls that are 60 grams in size. Roll in granulated sugar and place about 5-6 cookies on each baking sheet. No chilling required!
Step 4: Bake. Bake cookies as directed in the recipe card below. Slightly flatten the baked cookies with the back of a measuring cup – see photos below.
Serving + Storing:
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet placed on a cooling rack for 20-30 minutes or so before digging in. (Or dig in while they’re warm – I won’t tell!) Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Can’t get enough peanut butter? Try my Bakery-Style Monster Cookies next, or my Peanut Butter Blossoms!
Expert Baking Tips:
- Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
- Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
- Criss Cross Pattern – I know, you’re probably already mad that I didn’t use the classic criss cross pattern on my cookies. BUT – in my defense, they never looked as nice when I did that. I also found that pressing down on the cookies after baking, instead of before, creates a more chewy, dense texture that’s so delicious!
FAQs:
Yes, you can do either!
Yes! Scoop dough balls and freeze on a lined baking sheet. Once solid, transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for 1-2 months. Bake from frozen, lowering the oven temp by 25 degrees F, and adding 1-2 minutes if needed.
More Peanut Butter Recipes to Love:
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies
- Peanut Butter Blondies
- Peanut Butter Tart
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment & star rating!
Click the little stars in the header of the recipe card below to leave a comment & star rating, letting me know how you liked the recipe. I take all feedback seriously, & leaving a rating helps my small business immensely!
Thick & Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup salted butter, melted, 226 grams
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter, 218 grams
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 163 grams
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar , 156 grams
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out , 390 grams
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
For Rolling Dough:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350℉. Line a few cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Make Cookie Dough: Melt the butter in a large mixing bowl, then whisk in the peanut butter until no lumps remain. Add the sugars, and whisk to combine. Add the eggs and vanilla, and whisk until smooth and combined, about 30-45 seconds. Stir in the dry ingredients last. (You will need to use some elbow grease here for it to come together – I promise it will! – or use your mixer for this last bit.)1 cup salted butter, melted, 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter, 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 3/4 cup granulated sugar , 2 large eggs, at room temperature , 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract , 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out , 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt
- Make Dough Balls: Roll dough into balls that are 60 grams (about 2 generous tablespoons) in size. Roll the balls in granulated sugar.1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Bake: Bake 5-6 cookies per cookie sheet, leaving a little space for them to spread (but they won't spread a lot). Bake for 8 minutes. The edges will appear just set and the center will be a little puffy but they may look like they need another minute – don't do it! Peanut butter cookies can dry out easily, so don't over bake. This is a short bake time, but it yields perfectly soft-baked cookies once they cool! Gently flatten the cookies a bit with the back of a measuring cup – this helps make them extra dense and chewy in the middles.
- Serve & Store: Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days.
- Make-Ahead Tip: Cookie dough balls can be made, rolled in sugar, and frozen on a lined baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for 1-2 months. Bake from frozen, reducing the oven temp by 25 degrees F, and adding 1-2 minutes if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Im curious if you tried making them with bread flour instead of all purpose and what is your take on the idea.
I like to use bread flour for my molasse cookies cause it give them a cheewiness that you dont achieve with all purpose flour.
Interested in your opinion. And i really enjoy your recipe !!
Hi Jonathan! Glad to hear you liked these cookies. I have never used bread flour in cookies. Personally, if I were going to try it, I’d start with half all-purpose flour and half bread flour. I can’t guarantee any results since I haven’t tried it, but let me know if you do!
Cookies were delicious and chewy. They were an absolute hit in my house.
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Samantha!