Best Ever Soft Peanut Butter Cookies are a classic. Soft & chewy, these peanut butter cookies have quickly become our favorite sweet treat.
My family can’t keep their hands off these easy peanut butter cookies. This peanut butter cookie recipe is not your traditional crunchy peanut butter cookie, but there isn’t a better recipe. Trust me, we’ve tried them all.
Now, I have made this recipe in two different ways: one with baking soda and the other with baking powder. This was all an accident, and while I originally posted the recipe with the baking soda, after making it over a hundred times, we all agreed that the best cookie results from baking powder. But if you make the same “mistake” I did, these cookies will still knock it out of the park.
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What peanut butter cookie recipe is the best?
While I love making homemade peanut butter cookies with just 3 ingredients, they are not as soft and chewy as these. I love three-ingredient peanut butter cookies, but I am just not as satisfied.
These cookies go right in line with my love for creamy peanut butter. Peanut butter is my go-to snack anytime I am hungry.
Whether it’s by the spoonful, with pretzels, on a sandwich or paired with some Nutella, I really could eat peanut butter in any way, shape, or form. Because I have a sweet tooth, cookies are among my favorite foods. This makes soft peanut butter cookies an obvious hit.
Should I use crunchy or creamy peanut butter to make peanut butter cookies?
While I typically love creamy peanut butter for cookies, there are moments—like when I eat my morning breakfast toast with bananas—when I reach for the crunchy peanut butter.
We are a house divided between creamy and crunchy peanut butter. My son, Aiden, and I are more in the middle and could eat either. My husband and daughter, Jersey, love crunchy, and my other three kids, Jojo, Cannon, and Madden, will only eat creamy. If I accidentally pack them crunchy, the sandwich will still be in their lunchbox when they get home, making you wonder what they ate for lunch.
We also have extreme opinions on whether soft or crunchy peanut butter cookies are the best.
I tend to lean towards chewy, soft cookies. The best cookie recipe I’ve ever had is my Best Ever Monster Cookies. But most classic peanut butter cookie recipes I’ve had are too crunchy, leaving a crumbly mess. So, I have been on a mission to find the best peanut butter cookie recipe, and finally… finally… I found it.
Everyone except for Aiden, peanut butter cookies are best when soft and chewy. Aiden loves a good crunchy cookie you can dip in milk. However, he won’t decline these Best Ever Soft Peanut Butter Cookies.
What could you add to peanut butter cookies?
Why do peanut butter cookies have fork marks?
When peanut butter is added to the batter, it densifies it. Putting fork marks in the dough makes it easier for the cookie to bake evenly. This will help keep them soft, so don’t forget this step.
How long do cookies last?
These cookies are kept in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.
If desired, freeze the cookies in an airtight freezer bag. They can last for 1-2 months.
If you love cookies, try these:
I can’t wait for you to get your hands on a dozen or two of these. They are easy and simply the Best Soft Peanut Butter Cookies you’ll try.
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Best Ever Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter use Jif or Skippy type peanut butter
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper, if desired.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the peanut butter, butter, sugar and brown sugar. Beat together until smooth & creamy best if using a stand mixer or hand mixer.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue to mix until well combined.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and mix until well combined.
- Use a cookie dough scoop, or spoon the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in white granulated sugar if you desire and place onto baking sheet.
- Using a fork, press down on each ball of dough to flatten, creating a criss-cross pattern.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes. Do not over bake. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.
- These keep well for a couple of days in an airtight container.
Lousy, like a lot of others, cookies came out crumbly. Either use less flower or ad another egg.
what peanut butter did you use?
Amazing!
I just made these cookies I used a Dollar Store brand peanut butter. The people who are saying their cookies crumbled make sure your flour measurement are good I level off the top with the back of a knife. After I do the all the wet with a mixer I use a spoon to mix the flour baking powder and salt in. Make sure it’s mixed well. When they come out the oven let them sit for 15 mins before you touch them. Mines do not crumble no matter what brand or recipe that use. I been making cookies for 52 yrs I raised cookie monsters they are grown and still get excited over cookies when I make them I hope this helps
I made these cookies and I’m very pleased mine do not crumble at all. they come out delicious and very soft every time.
Mine were crumbly too so used an extra 1/3 cup of butter and were just ok.
YUMMY!!
Double checked everything thinking I had to of messed up somewhere then read other reviews. Comes out crumbly and too dry. Less flour needed here.
What peanut butter did you use?
Super easy to make and turned out amazing!
Definitely the best, SOFTEST cookies ever! So yummy not crunch after cooled. I love !
Thank you, we love them too!
Easy to make and delicious!
So glad you loved them as well.
Soft peanut butter cookies are honestly underrated, and this recipe explains why they work so well. Loved the clarification about baking powder vs baking soda — that’s such a common confusion and you explained it perfectly. Also appreciate the reminder to not overbake; that’s usually where PB cookies go wrong. Definitely trying these as written before adding any mix-ins.
eyeballed the peanut butter (little extra) and added a little extra brown sugar. baked at 360 for 9 minutes (I think my oven is a little older and struggles these days) but resulting cookies were perfect and taste delicious. the big thing is balancing out the feel of the cookie when it’s inside the oven vs when it’s cooled. they will stiffen up some so if they are a little soft coming out of the oven that’s okay!
they are missing something they were dry and I followed instructions maybe to much flour not enough eggs or peanut butter
So many people have made this with no issue, I am starting to think it is a peanut butter brand issue, for those that have dry cookies.
I think it’s perhaps too much time in the oven honestly. They need to come out of the oven without overbaking and sit on the pan to cool and tighten up a little.
Very delicious but also super sweet! I was craving something sweet so it works out!
Mine turned out great! Perfect in fact! Followed the recipe to the T
Glad you enjoyed them!
Imhave tried many peanut butter cookie recipes, but this one byn far is my favorite. The cookie is so soft and so good! I love the so much, I cant stop eating them.
Five Stars!
Baking Benjamin
Thanks Ben!!!!
Just made these and they came out perfectly! We used store brand peanut butter and sprinkled the tops with cinnamon & sugar. I usually manage to ruin everything I try to bake, but not these cookies!! Thank you!!
bad just plain bad
Sorry it didn’t work out for you.
Easy and delicious.
used Peter pan creamy did not like they were far to dry. next time jiff.
Jif is a great one!
I loveeeee this recipe!!! I use Jif PB and omg chefs kiss! Only one problem though… We ran out to quickly and now I gotta bake some more! Tysm for this recipe.
So glad you love it too – and Jif is a GREAT PB to use for this recipe!
We liked them but I think they are better with less vanilla extract…. You could definitely taste that
Loved the taste, easy to make.
Too oily
What peanut butter did you use?
❤️ SUPER COOKIE ❤️