Some cookies need a chill, a special ingredient or a whole afternoon. These don’t. Our Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies come together in one bowl with pantry staples, need no chilling, and go from mixer to cooling rack in about 25 minutes. That makes them our go-to for the neighbor cookie plate, a get-together with friends or the “can you bring something?” text.
The secret is two egg yolks instead of whole eggs. That gives you thick, extra-chewy centers with crisp golden edges. Pull them at 10 minutes for soft and chewy, or leave them in one more minute for a little crunch.
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Need a few more quick treats? Our Best Damn Chocolate Chip Cookies, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies and Better Than Box Mix Brownies are just as easy. And if you love peanut butter as much as we do, don’t miss our No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Blossom Cookies.
Giving these away? Our printable Baked with Love Gift Tags & Labels include bag toppers and What’s Inside cards, so everyone knows these have peanut butter.
🥜 Crumbs of Knowledge
- Measure the flour carefully. Weighing out 125 g works best. If you’re using a measuring cup, spoon the flour in and sweep off the excess. Dipping the cup straight into the bag packs in too much and makes the cookies dry.
- Use a no-stir creamy peanut butter. Jif or a similar brand works best. Natural peanut butter separates and makes the dough greasy.
- Two yolks, no whites. The extra yolks are what give these their thick, extra-chewy centers.
- Don’t rush the creaming. Beat the yolks and vanilla in for a full 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture looks lighter and fluffy.
- Give the dough a minute. It feels very soft right after mixing and firms up after about a minute. Don’t add extra flour.
- Pull them at 10 minutes. The centers will look a little underdone, but they finish setting as the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Want crisper edges? Give them 11.
What You Need
- Unsalted butter, softened: soft enough to press a dent into, not melted. Forgot to take it out? Try our 3 Best Hacks to Soften Butter Without Melting It.
- Light brown sugar + granulated sugar: brown sugar keeps the centers chewy, and a little white sugar crisps the edges.
- 2 egg yolks: no whites, for a richer, chewier cookie.
- Vanilla extract
- Creamy peanut butter: a no-stir brand like Jif. Natural peanut butter separates and makes the dough greasy.
- All-purpose flour: 125 g. Weigh it if you can.
- Baking soda, baking powder and salt
Step by Step
- Cream the butter and sugars for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Beat in the yolks and vanilla for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the mix looks lighter and fluffy. Don’t skip this. It’s what gives the cookies their lift.
- Mix in the peanut butter until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. The dough starts out very soft and firms up after about a minute of resting. Don’t add more flour.
- Scoop 16 balls with a 2-tablespoon scoop, 2 inches apart.
- Bake 10 minutes for chewy, 11 for crispier edges. The centers will look underdone. That’s right, because they set as they cool.
- Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a rack.
Make Them Your Own
- Blossom style: press a chocolate chunk or a kiss into each cookie right out of the oven. For the full version, see our Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Blossom Cookies.
- Sugar-rolled: roll the dough balls in granulated sugar before baking for a sparkly, crackly top.
- Add-ins: fold in ½ cup of chocolate chips or chopped peanut butter cups.
- Leftover egg whites: they keep in the fridge for a few days, or freeze them for meringues.
Storage
- Room temperature: in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze baked cookies: up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter.
- Freeze the dough: freeze scooped balls on a sheet, then bag them. Bake from frozen and add 1 to 2 minutes.
FAQ
Why did my cookies spread flat?
Usually too little flour or butter that was too warm. Weigh the flour, and use butter that’s softened, not melted.
Can I use natural or crunchy peanut butter?
Natural peanut butter separates and makes the cookies greasy and crumbly, so stick with a no-stir brand. Crunchy no-stir peanut butter works if you want a little texture.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes. Bake one sheet at a time for the most even results.
Can I send these to a class party?
Check with the teacher first, because many classrooms are nut-free. For a nut-free option, try our Best Damn Chocolate Chip Cookies or Better Than Box Mix Brownies.
Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Electric mixer
- 2 Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- 1 cookie scoop 2 tablespoon
- 1 Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (128 g) creamy peanut butter such as Jif
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 1–2 minutes.
- Add the egg yolks and vanilla. Beat for another 1–2 minutes, until the mixture is lighter in color and fluffy.
- Add the peanut butter and mix until smooth.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until combined. The dough will feel very soft at first and will firm up after about a minute.
- Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough into 16 balls. Place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 10 minutes for chewier cookies or 11 minutes for crisper edges.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
