These homemade chewy peanut butter cookies are always a welcome treat. Peanut butter lovers will devour these cookies. Melt in your mouth goodness means you can't eat just one!
If you love peanut butter, you will surely love these cookies! We go through a ton of peanut butter at our house. Sometimes, I'll eat just a spoonful of peanut butter when I want a little something to eat.
My husband adds a spoonful of peanut butter to a slice of chocolate cake and to a chocolate pudding cup. Let's not forget about those peanut butter and banana sandwiches!
Switch things up with something fruitier! These Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies are chewy, hearty, and a fun change of pace.
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Why You'll Love Them
These chewy peanut butter cookies are so simple to make. Once the dough has chilled for an hour, you'll divide the dough into equal-sized balls. Makes 18 to 36 mouth-watering cookies, depending on what size cookies you prefer.
Make bite-size or jumbo size cookies. Bake and share with your favorite people at home, work, school, or neighborhood. Yum!
What Goes In Them
You probably have most of these ingredients already on hand. That's what I love about these cookies, they are so easy.
Unsalted butter - make sure the butter is softened by leaving it on your countertop for about an hour (depends on how cool your kitchen is). Cutting into chunks helps speed the process up a bit.
Eggs - the eggs should be room temperature as well.
Creamy Peanut Butter - you could substitute chunky peanut butter but the texture may not be as chewy.
All-purpose flour - if you store your flour in the refrigerator, make sure it's also room temperature.
Light brown sugar - to get the correct amount of brown sugar for the recipe, pack the brown sugar into the measuring cup with the back of a spoon. Then level it off with the back of a butter knife.
Granulated white sugar - no need to pack white sugar but spoon it into the measuring cup until it's slightly overflowing. Then level it off with the back of a butter knife.
Baking soda and baking powder - these help the cookies to rise.
Pure vanilla extract - this adds a warm flavor to these cookies that's irresistible!
How to Make Them
The process of making these chewy peanut butter cookies is quite simple. Please refer to the printable recipe card for details! Here's a break down:
- Mix the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another bowl. Combine the two just until blended.
- Refrigerate the cookie dough for 1 hour. Divide the cookie dough evenly into approximately 2-inch balls. Place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat.
- Press dough down with a fork.
- Bake. Eat. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
I don't recommend natural peanut butter because it has a tendency to make cookies slightly dry.
A baking sheet is a must for every kitchen. Whether you're baking cookies or roasting vegetables, a good sheet pan is necessary. A good sheet pan will not warp, buckle, or rust.
Aluminum is better because it's durable and fairly inexpensive. They are available rimmed or rimless, but if you can only pick one, pick the rimmed! That way, you can use it for other recipes such as baked chicken, to keep juices from spilling over. I like this Nordic Ware 3 Piece Baker's Delight Set. Available now on Amazon.
Yes it does! Chilling the dough for an hour allows the flour to absorb any moisture in the dough, which in turn produces a chewy texture when the cookies bake.
Storage/Shelf Life
- Allow the cookies to completely cool off.
- Place cookies into an airtight container.
- Keep the container at room temperature. Cookies will stay fresh for 3-4 days.
- Freeze for up to 5 months.
More Cookies to Try
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Recipe
Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Equipment
- Large mixing bowls
- measuring cup(s)
- measuring spoons
- Electric mixer
- whisk
- cookie sheets
- wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1-½ cups peanut butter
- 1-½ cups light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2-½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1-½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Place the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy (takes about 5 minutes). Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and blend for 1 minute.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, and baking powder). Then add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture and blend until just combined.
- Place the bowl with the dough in the refrigerator and chill for one hour.
- After the cookie dough is chilled, pre-heat oven to 375°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Form about 1-½ inch to 2-inch balls (or use a cookie scoop) and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each ball. Press the dough down with a fork in a crisscross pattern to flatten.
- Place the baking sheets into the center of the oven (rack in the center position) and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies' edges are slightly browned. The center of the cookie should be slightly firm but not hard.
- Let the cookies cool for 2-3 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. Go ahead and eat a warm cookie if you can't wait to try one!
Notes
- Allow the cookies to completely cool off.
- Place cookies into an airtight container.
- Keep the container at room temperature. Cookies will stay fresh for 3-4 days.
- Allow the cookies to completely cool off.
- Transfer the cookies to an airtight container.
- Freeze for up to 5 months.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in 2020 and was updated in 2025.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy to my readers. I'm not a nutritionist and I don't guarantee the accuracy of this data. The data may differ according to the brands I used versus the brands you use. To calculate the data yourself using your brands, try using an online nutrition calculator or app.
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