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
From trusty pots and pans to handy gadgets, I’ve curated a list of products I use and love.
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.
Hi! May I know what’s the significance of flattening it with a fork to make a criss cross pattern? Also, what brand of peanut butter did you use? Thank you! 🙂
Alexis – It’s just a traditional look you don’t need to do that. 🙂
And I used Skippy peanut butter. Enjoy!!!
It was a good recipe, but I think it could use some more peanut butter taste, for sure. They turned out nice and soft; sweet, but no too sweet.
I’m so glad they came out well for you! Someone else added peanut butter chips to the dough, that may add the extra taste you’re looking for. Enjoy!
LOL My kids are making these right now and as I heard them talking about what to add next , I heard 1 TABLESPOON of vanilla. I quickly swooped in like the Master baker I am (not) and said 1 TABLESPOON??? I HAVE NEVER EVER EVER HEARD OF THAT!!!! They quickly assured me and I had to look at the recipe for myself and read the reviews……and sure enough It was entertaining to say the least! They are in the oven now and I cant wait to join the debate with my opinion!
Sherri – how were they with the 1 tablespoon? 😉 I love vanilla.
These look absolutely perfect! Such a great cookie!
All I need is a stack of these cookies and a big glass of milk! I’d be one happy lady!
Wow! These do look like the best ever! Love that they’re soft – can’t wait to make a batch!
I hope you like them; thank you!
My kids are on break this week, and I can’t wait to make these with them!
I hope you all enjoy them!
This is my FAVORITE PB Cookie recipe!
Thanks; I’m glad you like them!
These are the best looking peanut butter cookies ever!
Thank you!
My at work best friend is leaving and her favorite cookie is peanut butter. I decided to give this recipe a try this afternoon and I can say without a doubt that I will be winning the best co worker ever award after she gets these. I tried one and they taste so good! I love how soft they are and they have a perfect peanut butter flavor. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!!
I’m so glad you like them! Thanks for sharing!
I had high hopes for this cookie but it failed. Super crumbly that i could barely pick up. And Yes my butter was softened. 🙁
Some are saying that this happened because of the peanut butter used, the natural ones aren’t quite creamy enough. Also be sure to not over-bake them, they may look like they aren’t finished but they will set if you let them cool on the sheet. I hope they come out better for you next time!
Just made these and they are yummy. They are very soft, chewy and tasty. I would say that the reason some people ran into problems is that they used a natural peanut butter. USE JIFF. I actually prefer natural everything but I made these for people who don’t care about natural products. Also, don’t touch them when they come out of the oven. They will fall apart. Leave them alone and let them set. Thanks for the tasty recipe!
Thank you! We also use Jif and it always works. I’m glad you enjoyed them!
These Best Ever Soft Peanut Butter Cookies actually look like the best ever peanut butter cookies! I can’t wait to make these.
I hope you like them, enjoy!
These cookies sound and look perfect!
Thank you!
Peanut butter cookies are always a hit in our house! Cant wait to try your recipe!
mmm…these cookies look SO good1! My kids would love them!
I love homemade peanut butter cookies and these sound fantastic!
I would have to triple the batch. These sound simply delish!
Normally I do not post on blogs but after trying these cookies I just had to. THEY ARE DELICIOUS! I wanted a new pb cookie recipe because I have been using a flourless recipe and agree they are not soft enough to my liking, But these are awesome! This is my final pb cookie recipe.. Thank you. And I was unsure about 1 Tbsp of vanilla but its perfect. 5 stars
Everyone complaining about the vanilla amount. I unfortunately was out of vanilla and made them anyways without it. And they still turned out super delicious. Melt in your mouth
This recipe seems to be very finicky, but the cookies came out heavenly! I thought, for sure, that they would be super dry and crumbly, because the dough was. It didn’t roll in my hands, it just fell apart. But I formed balls with my fingers, instead. And the crumbliness of the dough made for some neat and sort of “old school” looking edges!
I think the butter is the only thing you have to be careful with. Mine ended up all but melted, instead of soft, (thanks, Colorado, for the 100 degree days! Lol). I will be trying this again, and I won’t leave my butter sitting in the heat, or chicken out on that whole tablespoon of vanilla! (Never have been a fan of the taste of vanilla extract.) Will recommend to anyone I know that loves peanut butter. They won’t last long in my house!
Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I hope the butter works better for you next time. Thank you!
These are so good! I ran out of butter so I used margarine. And I used JIF peanut butter. (The batter is yummy too lol) I forgot to flatten my first batch so they were cute little balls, but still delicious! They weren’t hard and dry like most peanut butter cookies. Definitely a hit with my family!!
I’m happy to hear that your family liked them! Thank you!
These cookies taste like therevis love in the batter! I’ve been searching for a soft peanut butter cookie like my Mom used to make and these are perfect. Thanks so much for sharing.
I’m so glad you liked them!