The ultimate peanut butter cookie recipe. Old-fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies are soft, chewy, and sugary outside and beyond tender inside. Fill with chocolate ganache for the perfect Christmas or holiday cookie!
Peanut butter is something that many of us (gulp...me!) eat every day. A couple of Christmases ago, I found myself not only starting this blog but craving a classic peanut butter cookie. As I hunted for the best peanut butter cookie, I kind of smooshed the best cookie ingredients together to create this Old-fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookie recipe.
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Why you'll love this recipe
Heavier on brown sugar because that brings a richer, almost molasses taste and a healthy dose of vanilla compliments the peanut butter in the best way. Combine on a Christmas cookie tray with my Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies and watch them all disappear!
The best compliment I recently received about these cookies:
I LOVED these cookies...and I don't like peanut butter!
-Bonny
Other reasons you'll ♥️ them:
- Fast, easy cookie recipe. Using a hand or stand mixer makes quick work of this easy peanut butter cookie recipe. And this no chill cookie dough speeds things up for sure!
- A soft cookie with chewy texture. This isn't a thin, super crispy peanut butter cookie but is on the thicker side, is soft and chewy in the best way.
- Make ahead. Read on for instructions for making the dough ahead of time so you can have peanut butter cookies whenever the mood strikes!
- Turn into the best peanut butter sandwich cookies. A little chocolate ganache spread between two smaller cookies makes for the perfect Christmas cookie and bite!
Ingredients You'll Need
- Butter. I typically use unsalted for my cookie recipes so that I can control the salt added.
- Three kinds of sugar. More brown sugar than white adds a caramel-like flavor to the peanut butter. And the sprinkling of turbinado sugar gives an unforgettable sandy texture and crunch.
- Peanut butter. Skippy or another creamy peanut butter is my go-to. I do not recommend a natural peanut butter for this recipe.
- Traditional dry ingredients. Flour, baking soda and salt.
How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies
- Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.
- Add the eggs (one at a time - not like I have it pictured here), beating until incorporated.
- Next up is the peanut butter and the vanilla. Mix until blended.
- Finally, mix in the dry ingredients quickly until everything comes together.
- Scoop onto a parchment covered baking sheet using a medium cookie scoop.
- Slightly press down and sprinkle a generous topping of turbinado sugar.
- Bake!
TIP
You can also quickly (and carefully!) slightly flatten each cookie about 5 minutes in to the baking time. (Note: not a job recommended for the kiddos!)
-Josie + Nina
Helpful Tips & Variations
For a few
I have halved this recipe quite successfully. But I also recommend making the whole dough recipe and freezing half for up to 3 months. Defrost completely and then bake as directed.
Peanut butter chocolate sandwich cookie variation:
Use a smaller scoop (like a melon baller) to form your cookies. All the other instructions apply. Follow the recipe included below for the ganache recipe and spread about 1 tablespoon of ganache in the center of one cookie and top with another (sugar on the outside of course!).
Holiday gift giving
Package up a few cookies in a cellophane bag and tie with string for neighbors or to send to the college students in your life.
…before you go...
If you make this recipe, be sure to give it a star rating and share your reviews in the comments below! Or pin the recipe by clicking on one of the images above and save it for later.
Recipe
Old-fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookie
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter, I use Skippy
- 2 tsp vanilla, real not imitation
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
For the chocolate ganache (if making sandwich cookie variation)
- 1 ¼ cup bittersweet chocolate chips, I use Ghiradelli
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
For Cookies
- Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350°
- Combine butter and sugars in a mixing bowl. With a stand mixer using a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat until light and creamy about 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and lightly blend using a whisk or fork.
- To wet ingredients, add eggs one at a time, beating lightly to incorporate. Add peanut butter and vanilla and mix until thoroughly incorporated about a minute or so.
- Mix in dry ingredients for about a minute but not too long so as not to overdevelop the gluten. The batter will be just a tad sticky.
- Using a 2” scoop, place 12 balls on to a cookie sheet. Sprinkle lightly with turbinado sugar. * if making sandwich version, use a melon baller size scoop
- Bake for 5 min and then very lightly, press down with a fork to flatten a bit. Return to oven and bake for 4-6 minutes more. You want a slight edge of golden brown but the cookies will appear more on the soft side. Watch closely!*If making smaller sandwich version, total baking time is approximately 7 minutes depending on your oven so adjust time above accordingly.
- Remove immediately and after 3 minutes or so, place on a rack for thorough cooling.
For ganache (if making sandwich version)
- Heat whipping cream in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Once bubbles form on the edge of the pan, remove from heat and add chocolate. Stir until chocolate is incorporated. Pour ganache into a bowl (or can leave in pan) and refrigerate until thickened to the consistency of thick peanut butter. Spread onto cookies. If using for icing a cake or brownies, you can use it sooner.
I came across this recipe today while searching for the perfect peanut butter cookie. I used all ingredients (with the exception of the turbinado sprinkling as I didn't have any) and followed instructions exactly as written. I baked them 5 min, lightly flattened, then 5 min more. The result was exactly as described. The cookies were delicious, but a little too soft for my liking.
So two things...Eveyones oven is a little different and I should have listened to myself when I thought they could have used a little more time. And second, would they have had that perfect crunch if I had used the turbinado sugar? Not sure. For me, the recipe is sweet enough without the extra sprinkling. Today I learned my palette prefers a crispier peanut butter cookie.
But wait...as I was about to store my delicious but kinda soft cookies away, I thought about bread. You know when you plop a loaf of day old in a hot oven for a few minutes to crisp up the top? Well I turned my oven back on to a hot 425F. Placed the cold cookies back on the cookie sheet and baked for 3 min. OMG...Cookie magic. Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. Might become my new technique LOL.
Great recipe, Thanks.
Hi Tracey! I love love your idea to crisp up the cookies. Such a good one! And I completely get the whole texture preference thing as my husband and I differ on cookie preferences too. He'd be on your team!
I cannot wait to try this recipe. Peanut butter cookies are a favorite in our house!
Ours too Amy! Pretty much anything with peanut butter is a hit!😊