These irresistible Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies are everything you want in a peanut butter cookie: chewy centers, crispy edges and amazing peanut butter flavor! Made with simple pantry ingredients, these peanut butter cookies are perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re baking for a holiday party, prepping for school lunches or just craving the best peanut butter cookies of all time – these are the cookies you want to make!
Do you love peanut butter desserts? You’ll want to try these ones too: Peanut Butter Balls, Peanut Butter Cookie Bars and Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats!
Old Fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
As much as I’ve always loved a good cookie, peanut butter cookies were never high on my list. I’d usually go for a Chocolate Crinkle, Snickerdoodle, or Chocolate Chip Cookie. But recently, I had a chewy peanut butter cookie that completely changed my mind! It was soft, rich, and full of flavor nothing like the dry, crunchy ones I’d tried in the past. That one bite was enough to convince me that peanut butter cookies definitely deserve a second chance.
I got to work testing my own version, and I’m so happy with how these old fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies turned out. Following the recipe as is will produce a cookie that has a slightly crisp edge and a rich, chewy and moist (but not doughy) center. And while I skipped the traditional fork marks to show off the beautiful creases in each cookie, feel free to add them if you’d like!
Whether you’re a longtime peanut butter cookie fan or just now giving them a fair shot, this recipe might just win you over too. Grab a glass of milk and enjoy these sweet, nostalgic treats.
Recipe Notes:
If crispy peanut butter cookies are your thing, feel free to bake these an extra minute or two!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Sometimes nothing beats a classic! These Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies will remind you how good a simple cookie can be!
- Perfectly Chewy Texture: These cookies are soft and chewy in the center with just the right amount of crispiness on the edges—no dry, crumbly peanut butter cookies here!
- Easy, No-Fuss Ingredients: Made with simple pantry staples, you can whip up a batch anytime the craving hits. No fancy ingredients required.
- Nostalgic Flavor: Classic peanut butter cookie flavor, but better. The chewy texture and rich peanut butter taste make these an instant favorite, even if peanut butter cookies weren’t your thing before!
How To Make Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
With just a handful of pantry staples, these chewy peanut butter cookies couldn’t be easier to make! Simply mix the dough, scoop onto a baking sheet, and pop them in the oven. No complicated steps required. As always, you’ll find the full printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
- Beat softened butter, peanut butter and honey together.
- Add sugars and continue to blend. Add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla extract.
- Slowly add the flour mixture.
- If the dough is very soft, chill dough (in the fridge) about 15 minutes.
- Scoop cookie dough and roll into a ball. Roll balls in sugar and place on a lined baking sheet. (I used a silicone baking mat but parchment paper also works.)
- Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes at 350°F
- Cool 1 to 2 minutes on the baking sheet, then carefully move to a cooling rack.
I used natural peanut butter than contains only peanuts and a small amount of salt. If using peanut butter with added sugar you may wish to reduce the amount of added sugar a bit. Or if you use natural peanut butter with no added salt, I recommend increasing the salt added to 1 teaspoon.
Storage Information
- Room Temperature: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They stay soft and fresh for several days perfect for snacking on throughout the week!
- Freezer: For longer storage, you can freeze the cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Just let them thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy, or pop one in the microwave for a few seconds to bring back that just-baked texture. To freeze the cookie dough, scoop the dough into balls and freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, just add an extra minute or two to the baking time.
Variations To Try
- Peanut butter and chocolate are a classic combo. Stir in ½ to 1 cup of semisweet or dark chocolate chips for an extra indulgent twist.
- For a bakery-style upgrade, dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate or drizzle it over the top once they’re cooled.
- Want some crunchy texture? Swap in crunchy peanut butter!
Why are my cookies dry or crumbly?
Most likely, the cookies were over baked or too much flour was added. Be sure to measure flour using the spoon-and-level method and remove the cookies from the oven while they still look slightly soft and not quite set in the center.
Can I freeze the cookie dough?
Yes! Scoop the dough into balls and freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, just add an extra minute or two to the baking time.
How do I know when the cookies are done baking?
The edges should look set and slightly golden, and the centers should still look a bit soft. That’s the key to a chewy cookie, they’ll finish baking on the baking sheet after they come out of the oven.
Trish’s Tips
- Add a sprinkle of sea salt on top of the cookies before baking or after for a little extra flavor. Totally optional, but so good!
- Don’t over bake! The cookies may look slightly under done when you take them out, but will continue to set as they cool, keeping that soft chewy center.
More Cookies To Try
- Cookies and Cream Cookies
- No Bake Cookies
- Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
- Snowball Cookies
- Cowboy Cookies
Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
These irresistible Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies are everything you want in a peanut butter cookie: chewy centers, crispy edges and maximum peanut butter flavor! Made with simple pantry ingredients, these peanut butter cookies are perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re baking for a holiday party, prepping for school lunches or just craving the best peanut butter cookies of all time – these are the cookies you want to make!
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter I used natural
- ¼ cup honey
- ¾ cup light brown sugar or dark brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
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In a medium sized bowl, add flour, baking soda and salt. Whisk together, then set aside.
3 cups all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
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In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, beat softened butter, peanut butter and honey together. Add sugars and continue to blend.
¾ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup creamy peanut butter, ¼ cup honey, ¾ cup light brown sugar, 1 cup granulated sugar
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Add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla extract and beat all ingredients until well incorporated.
2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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While mixing, slowly add the flour mixture. Blend just until all the flour is incorporated.
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If the dough is very soft, chill dough (in the fridge) about 15 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with a silicone liner (this is what I used) or parchment paper.
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Using a 2 tablespoon sized scoop, scoop dough, then roll in your hands slightly to form a ball. Drop balls of dough into a small bowl of sugar, and roll to coat. Place balls of dough on the prepared baking sheet, then flatten to about 1/2″ tall using the bottom of a glass.
½ cup granulated sugar
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Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven as soon as the tops are cracked, but the cookies appear slightly underdone. The cookies will continue to bake on the baking sheet as they cool. Cool 1 to 2 minutes on the baking sheet, then carefully move to a cooling rack.
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Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
Notes
- Room Temperature: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They stay soft and fresh for several days perfect for snacking on throughout the week!
- Freezer: For longer storage, you can freeze the cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Just let them thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy, or pop one in the microwave for a few seconds to bring back that just-baked texture. To freeze the cookie dough, scoop the dough into balls and freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, just add an extra minute or two to the baking time.
I used natural peanut butter than contains only peanuts and a small amount of salt. If using peanut butter with added sugar you may wish to reduce the sugar a bit. If you use natural peanut butter with no added salt, I would suggest you up the salt in the recipe to 1 teaspoon.
Equipment Needed (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowls |Electric Mixer (Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer)| Whisk | Cooling Rack | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat | Parchment Sheets | Cookies Scoops
Please see post above for more information, recipe tips and frequently asked questions.
Nutrition
Calories: 246kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 5gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 175mgPotassium: 104mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 197IUCalcium: 16mgIron: 1mg
Originally published August 25, 2014.
