Irresistibly Soft Peanut Butter Cookies: The Easiest No-Chill Recipe for Ultimate Flavor
These truly are the best soft peanut butter cookies you will ever try! They’re incredibly easy to whip up, bursting with rich peanut butter flavor, and best of all, they don’t require any frustrating dough chilling. Get ready to bake a batch of homemade perfection that will become your new go-to cookie recipe.
Over the years, my kitchen has been a hub of baking experiments, leading to hundreds of cherished recipes shared on this site. This summer, I’ve embarked on a delightful mission: to revisit some of those beloved classic recipes, giving them a fresh update with even more detailed instructions, helpful tips, and beautiful new photographs. My goal is to ensure that every baking enthusiast, from novice to expert, can recreate these treats with absolute ease and confidence.
Today, I’m thrilled to bring back one of my all-time favorite traditional recipes – these utterly delicious homemade peanut butter cookies! This recipe has been a staple in my repertoire for good reason, and I’m excited to share all the secrets to achieving perfectly soft, chewy, and flavorful peanut butter cookies every single time.
Why You Will Absolutely Love These Homemade Peanut Butter Cookies
There are countless reasons why these soft peanut butter cookies stand out from the rest. They consistently deliver on taste, texture, and convenience, making them a true baking triumph. Here’s a closer look at what makes them so irresistible:
- Incredibly Easy to Make: Forget complicated techniques or a long list of obscure ingredients. This recipe uses simple pantry staples and straightforward steps, making it accessible for even the most beginner baker. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can go from craving to a fresh batch of warm cookies.
- No Dough Chilling Required: This is a game-changer! Many cookie recipes call for chilling the dough for an hour or more, adding significant time to your baking process. With this recipe, you can mix the dough and bake immediately, satisfying those cookie cravings almost instantly. Perfect for impromptu baking sessions!
- Super Soft and Chewy Texture: These aren’t your average dry or crumbly peanut butter cookies. They boast a wonderfully soft, moist, and chewy texture that practically melts in your mouth. The combination of ingredients is carefully balanced to ensure that perfect bite every time.
- Packed with Intense Peanut Butter Flavor: If you’re a true peanut butter lover, these cookies will be your dream come true. They are loaded with rich, authentic peanut butter taste from start to finish. Every bite delivers that comforting, nutty goodness you expect from a classic peanut butter cookie.
- A Versatile Crowd-Pleaser: Whether you’re baking for a family treat, a school event, a party, or just for yourself, these cookies are always a hit. Their universal appeal makes them perfect for any occasion, and they disappear fast!
Beyond these fantastic qualities, I’m also sharing invaluable tips on how to prepare the cookie dough ahead of time, handy freezing instructions for both baked cookies and raw dough, and plenty of other insights to make your baking experience even smoother. If the thought of a soft, chewy, peanut-butter-packed cookie makes your heart sing, then this is undoubtedly the cookie recipe you’ll want to add to your favorites immediately!
Essential Ingredients for the Best Peanut Butter Cookies
Crafting these exceptional peanut butter cookies requires just 9 simple, readily available ingredients. Understanding the role each one plays is key to achieving that perfect soft and chewy texture and irresistible flavor. Let’s delve into what each ingredient contributes to this delightful recipe:
- All-Purpose Flour: This is the structural backbone of our cookies. The flour provides the necessary framework, ensuring that the cookies hold their shape beautifully and don’t crumble when you pick them up. Proper measurement (spooned and leveled) is crucial for the correct consistency.
- Baking Soda & Salt: These two work in harmony. The baking soda acts as a leavening agent, providing a slight lift and contributing to the soft, tender crumb of the cookies. The salt, often underestimated, is vital for enhancing and balancing all the other flavors, particularly bringing out the richness of the peanut butter.
- Unsalted Butter: For consistent baking results, I always recommend using unsalted butter. This gives you complete control over the total salt content in your recipe. Your butter should be at a perfect room temperature – soft enough that you can easily press your finger into it, but not melted or greasy. This ensures it creams properly with the sugars, incorporating air for a lighter texture.
- Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar: The magic of these cookies’ texture comes from the strategic combination of two types of sugar. Brown sugar is hygroscopic, meaning it retains moisture, which is essential for keeping the cookies incredibly soft and chewy. Granulated sugar, on the other hand, contributes to spread and that classic crispy edge, creating a delightful contrast. The mix provides both moisture and structure.
- Peanut Butter: Naturally, this is the star of the show! For the best results and a consistent texture, I prefer using a creamy, no-stir peanut butter brand like Jif or Skippy. These types of peanut butter contain stabilizers that prevent oil separation and result in a more predictable cookie texture. While natural peanut butter can be used, it might alter the cookie’s final texture and spread due to varying oil content.
- Egg & Vanilla Extract: The large egg serves as a crucial binder, holding all the ingredients together and adding richness and moisture to the dough. Using a room temperature egg helps it emulsify more smoothly with the butter and sugar. A generous splash of pure vanilla extract elevates the overall flavor profile, adding warmth and depth that complements the peanut butter beautifully.
By understanding and carefully measuring each of these simple ingredients, you’re well on your way to baking the most delightful and perfectly textured peanut butter cookies imaginable.
Step-by-Step Guide: How To Make Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies
Once you’ve gathered all your simple ingredients, the magic begins! This recipe is straightforward, ensuring a delightful baking experience from start to finish. Follow these detailed steps to create your batch of irresistible soft peanut butter cookies:
- Prepare Your Baking Environment: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (177°C). This ensures the oven is at the correct temperature when your cookies go in, promoting even baking. While the oven preheats, take two large baking sheets and line them with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This step is entirely optional, but it significantly aids in easy cleanup and helps prevent sticking, ensuring your cookies bake more evenly and achieve a better texture.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together your all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until they are thoroughly combined. Whisking ensures that these leavening agents and flavor enhancers are evenly distributed throughout the dry mixture, which is crucial for uniform cookies. Set this bowl aside for a moment.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl with a handheld electric mixer), combine the softened unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat these ingredients together on medium speed for about 1 to 2 minutes. You’re looking for a light, fluffy, and well-combined mixture. This creaming process incorporates air into the butter, contributing to the cookies’ light and tender texture.
- Integrate Wet Ingredients: Next, add the creamy peanut butter, the room temperature egg, and the pure vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Continue to mix on medium speed until all these wet ingredients are fully incorporated. It’s a good practice at this stage to stop the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl. This ensures that no pockets of unmixed ingredients remain, guaranteeing a homogeneous dough. Give it another quick mix after scraping.
- Add Dry to Wet: With the wet ingredients beautifully combined, it’s time to slowly add the dry flour mixture to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix! Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour too much, leading to tough, dense cookies rather than the soft and chewy texture we’re aiming for. Stop mixing as soon as no streaks of dry flour are visible.
- Scoop, Roll, and Pattern: Pour the extra 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar into a small bowl. Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop (or a well-rounded tablespoon), scoop out portions of the cookie dough. Roll each portion gently between your palms to form a smooth ball. Then, roll each dough ball in the granulated sugar, coating it completely. Place the sugared dough balls onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie to allow for spreading. Finally, gently press down on each cookie dough ball with the tines of a fork, creating that classic criss-cross pattern. This helps flatten the cookies slightly, ensuring they spread evenly and bake through, while also providing a charming, traditional look.
- Bake to Perfection: Transfer the baking sheets to your preheated oven. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies are ready when their tops are set, and the edges are lightly golden. They might still look a little soft in the center, but they will continue to set as they cool. Overbaking can lead to dry cookies, so keep a close eye on them.
- Cool and Enjoy: Once baked, remove the baking sheets from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes. This crucial cooling period allows the cookies to firm up and prevents them from breaking when you move them. After this initial cooling, carefully transfer the warm cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Once fully cooled, they’re ready to be devoured!
Following these steps will ensure you bake a batch of homemade peanut butter cookies that are perfectly soft, deliciously chewy, and packed with irresistible peanut butter flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions About Peanut Butter Cookies
Here are some common questions and helpful answers to ensure your peanut butter cookie baking experience is a resounding success:
Can I use crunchy peanut butter in these cookies?
Absolutely! If you enjoy a bit of added texture in your cookies, you can certainly substitute the creamy peanut butter with the same amount of crunchy peanut butter. The overall flavor will remain wonderfully peanut-y, but you’ll get delightful little bursts of peanut crunch throughout each bite. It’s a great way to customize the recipe to your preference!
How do I adjust the recipe if I only have salted butter on hand?
If you only have salted butter available, you can still make these delicious cookies! A general guideline when substituting salted butter for unsalted butter in baking is to reduce the amount of added salt in the recipe. For every stick (1/2 cup or 115 grams) of salted butter used, you should reduce the recipe’s specified salt by about 1/4 teaspoon. Since this particular recipe only calls for 1/4 teaspoon of salt, I recommend reducing it to just a tiny pinch (about 1/8 teaspoon or less) or even omitting it entirely, depending on your preference for saltiness. This ensures your cookies aren’t overly salty.
Can these cookies be frozen?
Yes, these peanut butter cookies are perfect for freezing, both baked and as raw dough! Freezing is a fantastic way to prepare ahead or enjoy fresh-baked goodness anytime.
- To freeze baked cookies: Once the cookies have cooled completely to room temperature, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze for about an hour until solid. Then, transfer them to an airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. They will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply place the frozen cookies on the counter for a few hours to thaw completely to room temperature.
- To freeze cookie dough: This is a wonderful hack for fresh cookies on demand! Scoop the raw cookie dough with your cookie scoop, roll into balls, and press each one down with a fork in the criss-cross pattern, just as you would for baking. Arrange these prepared dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making sure they don’t touch. Freeze for 1 to 2 hours, or until the dough balls are firm. Once frozen, transfer the individual dough balls to an airtight container or freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, simply place the frozen dough balls on a prepared baking sheet and bake from frozen, adding an additional 1 to 3 minutes to the baking time (typically 12-15 minutes total), or until the tops are set and edges are lightly golden. No need to thaw first!
Can I prepare the cookie dough ahead of time?
Absolutely! Preparing the cookie dough in advance is a great time-saver. You can make the dough and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you plan to store it for a longer period beyond three days, I highly recommend freezing it as described above for optimal freshness and texture.
Why did my peanut butter cookies spread too much?
Several factors can cause cookies to spread excessively:
- Softened Butter: If your butter was too warm or partially melted, it can lead to flat cookies. Ensure it’s just softened to room temperature.
- Incorrect Flour Measurement: Too little flour can make the dough too wet, causing it to spread. Always spoon and level your flour for accuracy.
- Oven Temperature: An oven that isn’t hot enough can cause cookies to spread before they set. Make sure your oven is properly preheated and consider using an oven thermometer for accuracy.
- Greased Baking Sheets: Parchment paper or silicone mats are best. Greasing a pan can sometimes contribute to spreading.
- Overmixing: Overmixing the dough can develop gluten too much and incorporate too much air, leading to collapse and spread during baking.
How should I store these baked peanut butter cookies?
Once completely cooled, store your baked peanut butter cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh, soft, and delicious for up to one week. For longer storage, refer to the freezing instructions above.
Pro Baking Tips for Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies
Achieving the perfect batch of soft and chewy peanut butter cookies is easy with a few key tips in mind. These insights will help ensure your cookies turn out beautifully every time:
- Room Temperature Egg is Best: For optimal emulsification and a smoother dough, it’s always best to use a room temperature egg. A cold egg can cause the butter to seize up, leading to a lumpy mixture. If you forget to take your egg out in advance, simply place it in a bowl of warm (not hot!) water for 5 to 10 minutes, and it will quickly come to temperature.
- Optional Sugar Coating: While I love the extra sparkle and subtle crunch that rolling the cookie dough in granulated sugar before baking provides, this step is entirely optional. It adds a lovely finish and a touch more sweetness, but feel free to skip it if you prefer a simpler cookie.
- Don’t Overmix the Dough: After adding the dry ingredients to the wet, mix only until just combined. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour too much, resulting in tough, dry cookies instead of the desired soft and tender texture. Stop as soon as the flour streaks disappear.
- Use a Cookie Scoop for Uniformity: For consistently sized and evenly baked cookies, a cookie scoop is your best friend. It ensures each cookie is the same size, meaning they’ll all bake at the same rate and have the same appealing appearance.
- Achieving the Classic Criss-Cross Pattern: The fork marks on peanut butter cookies aren’t just for aesthetics; they help flatten the dough slightly, ensuring even baking and preventing them from becoming too dome-shaped. Dip your fork in a little granulated sugar between presses to prevent sticking.
- Do Not Overbake: Peanut butter cookies are notorious for seeming underbaked when they are actually perfectly done. They should look set on top and slightly golden at the edges, but may still appear soft in the center. They will continue to firm up as they cool. Overbaking is the quickest way to end up with dry, crumbly cookies.
- Want to Add Chocolate? Peanut butter and chocolate are a match made in heaven! If you’re craving this classic combination, simply add 1 cup (about 190 grams) of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the cookie dough along with the dry ingredients. Alternatively, you can try my dedicated peanut butter chocolate chip cookies recipe for a slightly different take!
- Proper Cooling is Key: Allow your cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This initial cooling period allows them to set and firm up, making them less prone to breaking when moved.
More Easy Peanut Butter Recipes To Try!
If you’re a devoted fan of peanut butter, you’ll love exploring these other fantastic recipes from my kitchen. Each one celebrates the rich, nutty flavor of peanut butter in a unique and delicious way:
- Classic Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Peanut Butter Fudge
- Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
- Peanut Butter Balls
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Recipe Video
Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
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Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups (190 grams) all purpose flour, spooned & leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (190 grams) creamy peanut butter
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons (40 grams) granulated sugar optional
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for 1 to 2 minutes or until well combined.
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Mix in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla extract until fully combined, making sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
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Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
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Place the 3 tablespoons (40 grams) of granulated sugar in a small bowl. Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough, roll into a ball, and coat in the granulated sugar. Place each ball of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, making sure to leave a little room between each one. Gently press each one down with a fork to make a small criss-cross pattern.
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Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Freezing Instructions: Cookie dough will freeze well for up to 3 months, bake from frozen for an additional 1-2 minutes. Baked cookies will also freeze well for up to 3 months, thaw to room temperature before serving.
Butter: If using salted butter, reduce the salt in this recipe to a tiny pinch.
Peanut Butter: I recommend using a no-stir creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. You may also use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy peanut butter in this recipe.
Egg: A room temperature egg is best for this recipe so it mixes more evenly into the dough. To bring your egg to room temperature quickly, place it in a bowl of warm water for 5 to 10 minutes.
To make chocolate chip peanut butter cookies: Add 1 cup (190 grams) of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the cookie dough.
These soft peanut butter cookies are more than just a dessert; they are a comforting classic that brings joy with every bite. Easy to make, packed with flavor, and requiring no chilling, they are truly a baker’s delight. Enjoy making and sharing this timeless treat!