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.
My Favorite Kitchen Tools To Make This Recipe
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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.
Fantastic recipe!!! Did not change anything in recipe. Tastes wonderful!! This is my new go-to chicken recipe! Thanks!!!
this cake looks delicious, but I haven’t tried it yet, wish I could try it in my country, and make it myself with your recipe. Thanks
These sound delicious! I can’t wait to try them.
Hello,
I’m Jackson, I’m a chef who loves food, I’m always interested in new foods. Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe is great! I just finished them tonight, taste is great and i had a great dinner with my little family. Thanks for your sharing.
Sincerely grateful!
I triple the vanilla in all my cookie recipes♀️
I bake all the time cakes cooked cream puffs etc … these cookies not only ate the best peanut butter cookies I ever made they are super soft perfect texture ty for the recipe they are worth making !!!
This recipe is delicious and easy to make. Just mix in a bowl and put together on a cookie sheet for about 20 minutes. Yum!
Can make 24 cookie and no fork mark?
Hi Elena, this recipe makes 30 cookies so you can make 24 and freeze or save the rest of the dough if you’d like! The fork marks are important to help the cookies bake evenly and stay soft, so I wouldn’t recommend skipping that step.
How long cookies stay fresh?
These will be most fresh within a couple of days of baking when kept in an airtight container. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months to keep them fresh.
Peanut butter cookies are my favorite food especially when eaten with milk.
Peanut butter cookies are my favorite food especially when eaten with milk.
I always love peanut butter cookies, It is my favourite snacks.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. They ARE the best peanut butter cookies. I’m a baker and always looking for great receipes. This is definitely a keeper.
It’s really delicious.
This is hands down the best peanut butter cookie recipe I have ever tried!
Absolutely yummy! I wanna make a basket of this!
These peanut butter cookies look irresistible! I know tha my whole family will go crazy over them!
They are too soft as they fall apart easily. I added time to the recipe too. Twelve minutes. These won’t be coffee dip peanut butter cookies!
No they are soft for sure, but shouldn’t fall apart too easily –
One of my favorite! I’m definitely making this!
Wow, these cookies are incredible! I can’t wait to make them again and again.
These peanut butter cookies are amazing!! Everyone loved them!
I love a good peanut butter cookie, I can’t wait to try your recipe!
I love a good peanut butter cookie, I can’t wait to try your recipe!
I love a soft and chewy PB cookie – these did not disappoint.
These were so yummy! Thanks!