The Best Peanut Butter Cookies
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Thick and soft with a rich peanut butter flavor and slightly sandy texture, these are the best peanut butter cookies.
In search of the ultimate peanut butter cookies, I gathered the best-looking recipes from the internet and my cookbook collection, and I baked them all. Gwyneth Paltrow’s recipe, published in her cookbook My Father’s Daughter, was the clear winner. The cookies are thick and soft with a rich peanut butter flavor and slightly sandy texture, and they are chockfull of Reese’s peanut butter chips and chopped peanuts. I should note that I’m not usually a big fan of peanut butter chips, but they add a wonderful texture and flavor here.
P.S. If you happen to be on a gluten-free diet (or are baking for someone who is), I’ve also got a fabulous flourless peanut butter cookie recipe that’s just as delicious.
“Wow Wow wow!!! My 7-year-old said it best after trying one: “It’s like I’m having a party in my mouth eating this cookie””
What You’ll Need To Make The Best Peanut Butter Cookies
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the base for the cookies. To ensure you’re using the correct amount of flour, spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Act as leavening agents, helping the cookies rise.
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor to the cookies.
- Creamy Peanut Butter: Not only adds deep peanut butter flavor but also contributes to the moist and chewy texture. For best results, do not use natural peanut butter; it doesn’t contain stabilizers and is prone to separating (I like Skippy No Need To Stir).
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and moisture to the cookies, while also contributing to their chewiness.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor of the cookies with its aromatic richness.
- Large Egg: Provides structure and helps bind the ingredients together.
- Peanut Butter Chips: Intensify the peanut butter flavor and add bursts of sweetness throughout the cookies.
- Salted Peanuts: Provide extra crunch and a hint of saltiness, complementing the sweetness of the cookies. These are optional, but I highly encourage them.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Next, combine the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer (either a hand-held or stand mixer will work).
Beat until smooth and creamy, about a minute.
Add the egg.
Mix to combine, then add the dry ingredients.
Add the peanut butter chips and chopped peanuts (if using).
Mix until just combined.
Chill the dough for 1 hour. (This step is not absolutely necessary, however, the dough is quite sticky and difficult to handle if you don’t have a “cookie scooper.” Chilling the dough makes it much easier to handle.)
Form the cookie dough into 1-1/2-inch balls on parchment-lined baking sheets, and then use a fork to make a criss-cross pattern and push the cookies down.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden.
Let the cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make-Ahead, Freezing & Storage Instructions
The cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Roll the dough into balls, let set on a baking sheet in the freezer, then place in a sealable bag and press out as much air as possible. Bake as needed directly from the freezer. (Allow 1 to 2 minutes longer in the oven.) To freeze after baking: Let the cookies cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the cookies from the container and let them come to room temperature.
Note: This recipe is modestly adapted from Grandad Danner’s Favorite Peanut Butter Cookies in My Father’s Daughter by Gwyneth Paltrow. I replaced the dark brown sugar with light brown sugar, omitted the additional sugar for rolling, and added chopped peanuts for texture and more peanut flavor. I also made a few tweaks to the method. To see the original recipe and read the rave reviews, click here.
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The Best Peanut Butter Cookies
Thick and soft with a rich peanut butter flavor and slightly sandy texture, these are the best peanut butter cookies.
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with knife
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter, at room temperature (I like Skippy No Need To Stir)
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup peanut butter chips
- ½ cup very finely chopped salted peanuts (optional)
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar and vanilla on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the egg and beat until incorporated, about 20 seconds more. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Mix in the peanut butter chips and chopped peanuts (if using).
- Chill the dough for 1 hour (see note below). Set racks in the middle and upper thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Using a 1½-inch scooper with a wire scraper (if you don’t have one, use a spoon and your hands), form the dough into 1½-inch balls on the prepared baking sheets. Using the tines of a fork, mark a crisscross pattern on the cookies, pressing them down slightly. Bake for 11-13 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back midway through, until puffed and golden on the bottom. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a rack to cool completely. (Note: the cookies are very fragile when hot, so take care not to break them. They’ll firm up nicely as they cool.)
- Note: It's not absolutely necessary to chill the dough, however, it is quite sticky and difficult to handle if you don't have a "cookie scooper." Chilling the dough makes it much easier to handle, but feel free to skip this step if you like.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions:The cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Roll the dough into balls, let set on a baking sheet in the freezer, then place in a sealable bag and press out as much air as possible. Bake as needed directly from the freezer. (Allow 1 to 2 minutes longer in the oven.) To freeze after baking: Let the cookies cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the cookies from the container and let them come to room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 173
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Sugar: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Sodium: 13mg
- Cholesterol: 78mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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These cookies are so delicious! Great flavour and texture! Another wonderful recipe. Thanks again Jenn!
Hi Jenn,
I love your recipes !!!
question on peanut butter cookies:
I have all ingredients except peanut butter chips. can I substitute dark chocolate chips instead or more peanut butter ?
I’d go with the dark chocolate chips – hope you enjoy!
I love these cookies — very peanutty! I made exactly as directed and no issues with batter. Thanks for another great recipe Jenn!
I followed exactly what the recipe said. But when I went to scoop the dough out the chips and peanuts kept falling out and the dough had a hard time keeping its shape unlike your photo. I’m disappointed because I followed all the steps.
On your photo the chips aren’t sticking out of the scoop, why is that? I’m very confused as your dough on the sheet looks completely different.
I even refrigerated the dough! Help!
Hi Stephanie, Hard to say why you had that issue, but it sounds like the dough was a bit too dry. Did you use natural peanut butter? (That tends to be drier.)
Hi Jenn:
I just tried this recipe with Adam’s creamy peanut butter- all natural. Dough is really crumbly. I goofed and added dry to mix before egg.
Could I add an another egg to my remaining half of dough ? or what would you recommend to remedy? (Besides eating it raw yummy lol) Thank you!! Tanja
Bummer — Not sure you can salvage the remaining dough at this point. 🙁
And if you make them again, I would avoid natural peanut butter as it tends to be drier.
I made these cookies tonight. The dough was perfect! I used an organic chunky peanut butter with only one ingredient – peanuts. I chopped up a 72% cocoa Belgian chocolate bar and added those as “chips”. I did not refrigerate the dough first. The cookies are pure bliss! I have used a tried and true peanut butter cookie recipe for about 40 years …. and this one is even better. So much for the old recipe!
For me, a Jenn Segal recipe renders all other recipes useless. For example, this peanut butter cookie recipe: I tried it after trying countless disappointing recipes, loved it, and simply stopped looking. It’s kinda like finally finding the right person and getting married, haha.
I don’t know what makes this recipe so perfect for me: I’m guessing it’s because the peanut butter to flour ratio is higher than most recipes, it makes the cookies intensely peanutty, as well as softer. Oh, and the chopped peanuts are a fantastic flavour + texture enhancer. I used Skor bits instead of peanut butter chips – OMFG.
Are we allowed to say cookiegasm on a recipe site? I just did!
Excellent! First recipe I have tried in 35 years for a different peanut butter cookie. Hopefully I will still be making this recipe in another 35 years. I followed the recipe to a tee and I had no issues with crumbling. They are simply scrumptious.
Hi Jenn
Love your recipes. Every one is a success!
Could I make the dough and leave it in the fridge overnight and bake it the following day?
Thanks
I had to set the oven to 375 degrees when baking these cookies. When baked at 325 degrees, they did not get golden brown and were too soft. The cookies turned out great at the higher temperature. They are also good using chunky peanut butter as well.
Made these last night and they are delicious! Not as sweet as other peanut butter cookies I’ve tried, despite the fact that I used mini reese’s pieces instead of peanut butter chips. I had to bake them for 20 minutes instead of 12, though, and I had to up the heat to 340F. The only thing I will change next time is to chop the peanuts a little less, so that they are nice and chunky when baked.
Can I use chocolate chips instead of the peanut butter chips to turn these into peanut butter chocolate chip cookies?
Sure, Kathy – that’ll work. 🙂