These Fluffernutter Cookies take everything you love about the classic peanut butter and marshmallow sandwich and turn it into the ultimate nostalgic treat. Each cookie has a soft, chewy peanut butter base wrapped around a gooey, melted marshmallow center. Rolled in sugar before baking, they come out of the oven with crisp, golden edges, a gooey middle, and a signature salty-sweet finish from a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. They’re the kind of cookie that disappears the moment they hit the cooling rack!
What is a Fluffernutter?
Fluffernutter sandwiches were not a staple of my childhood — personally, I never cared for them, haha! If you’re unfamiliar, they’re a sandwich made with peanut butter and marshmallow fluff. Simple, sweet, and some would say, “totally irresistible.” One thing that can’t be disputed is these cookies make the classic flavors even better!
Think of them like chewy peanut butter cookies full of gooey marshmallow. Coated in sugar and finished with flaky salt, they’re perfectly balanced with crisp edges and a chewy center that leaves guests coming back for more.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Flour: We are using all-purpose flour for the base of the cookie dough. However, if you need to make this recipe gluten-free, I recommend using a 1 to 1 all-purpose gluten-free flour. KING ARTHUR and CUP 4 CUP are two great options.
Leaveners: We’re using both baking powder and baking soda to create soft, fluffy cookies.
Salt: A key component, this helps balance the sweetness.
Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter. It adds a rich taste and contributes to the tender crumb of these cookies.
Peanut Butter: This creates a classic fluffernutter flavor. Make sure to use a creamy peanut butter for easy mixing. I recommend avoiding natural peanut butter varieties as they tend to separate and can make your cookies greasy.
Light Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar plays an important role in this fluffernutter cookies recipe, lending to the slightly chewy texture. It provides additional moisture, which aids in getting the perfect chewy texture for these cookies and contributes to the rich, sweet flavor, adding molasses-y undertones to the cookies.
Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar helps spread the cookie and promotes a tender, crisp texture. Using brown sugar and granulated sugar together creates the perfect cookies that are chewy in the middle and lightly crisp on the edges.
Egg: We’re using a large egg to provide structure while keeping the cookies moist and chewy.
Vanilla Extract: Use pure vanilla extract to add depth and a delicious vanilla flavor.
Marshmallow: Use large marshmallows for a soft, gooey center.
Can I Use Marshmallow Fluff Instead of Marshmallows?
I don’t recommend it! Marshmallow fluff tends to melt too quickly in the oven, disappearing into the dough instead of creating the gooey center we want. Large marshmallows hold their shape better while baking, giving you a molten marshmallow center when you break the cookies open.
How to Make the BEST Fluffernutter Cookies Recipe
Step 1. Beat the sugars, peanut butter, and softened butter until combined. Then, add the vanilla and egg, and beat until well combined.
Step 2. Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl, and whisk to combine. Then, add the sifted flour mixture to your wet ingredients, and mix until combined.
Step 3. Chill the cookie dough in the fridge for at least 2 hours. This allows the flour to hydrate and firm up the dough. Otherwise, it will be too soft and will spread in the oven.
Step 4. Portion the chilled dough with a 3 tablespoon-sized cookie scoop. Then, place one large marshmallow in the center of each ball of dough, and roll to cover the marshmallow. Next, roll the cookie dough balls in sugar and place them on a prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each cookie.
Step 5. Bake just until the edges of the cookies are set and the centers are slightly puffed. Top with flaky sea salt as soon as you remove the cookies from the oven. While still hot, use a cookie cutter, jar, or glass to shape the cookies by gently swirling it around the edges to create a perfect circle.
Step 6. Let the peanut butter marshmallow cookies rest on the pan until they’re set. It’s nearly impossible, but trust me. It’s worth the wait!
How to Store
Once cool, transfer leftover peanut butter marshmallow cookies to an airtight container, and store them at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week. Just let them come to room temperature before serving so the centers aren’t hard.
You can also freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
- Key Lime Cookies with a Sugar Topping
- Lemon Sugar Cookies with Lemon Sugar Topping
- Soft and Chewy Spice Cookies
- Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
- Sweet Potato Cookies with Marshmallow
I hope you love my Fluffernutter Cookies recipe! The cookies are crisp around the edges, chewy in the center, and infused with peanut butter flavor and a melty marshmallow center. If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @butterloveandsalt on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support Butter, Love & Salt and make it possible for me to continue to create delicious recipes.
Fluffernutter Cookies with a Sugar Topping
Ingredients
Fluffernutter Cookies
- 1 1/4 all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter soften at room temperature
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla
- flaky salt topping
- 11-12 large marshmallows
Sugar Topping
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add sugars, peanut butter, and softened butter, and beat with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes.
- Then, add the vanilla extract and egg. Beat on medium until well combined.
- In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk into combined. Then, add your “sifted flour mixture” into your wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until combined. Be sure not to over mix.
- Transfer the cookie dough to a fridge and let chill for at least 2 hours to allow the flour to hydrate and firm up the dough.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a nonstick baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove your chilled dough from the refrigerator. Use a 3 tablespoon-sized cookie scoop to form the cookie balls. Once you have the dough scooped out, place 1 large marshmallow in the middle of the dough and roll the dough in a ball. The dough should completely cover the cookie. Then, roll the cookie dough balls into the sugar topping and place the cookie dough on a lined baking sheet. The dough should be about 3 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for about 11-14 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set and the center is slightly puffed. Be sure not to overbake. Once out of the oven, top with flaky sea salt. Also, shape the cookie in a perfect circle by using a cookie cutter or glass bowl (it should be a bit larger than the cookie). Once the cutter or bowl is placed around the cookies, swirl it in a circular shape until it forms a perfect circle. Cookies must still be hot. Then, let the cookies rest for about 15 minutes or until set. I’ll be hard, but worth the wait to enjoy the perfect texture.
- Once cooled, enjoy and feel free to add a comment on my blog! Also, be sure to share your photo on instagram and tag @butterloveandsalt! We would love to see how your cookies come out!
Notes
Nutritional Information
Recipe by: Chavez Adams / Butter, Love & Salt | Photography by: Meg McKeehan.
I made these last night and they we a hit. I’m new to baking and the recipe was easy to follow.
So glad these were a hit!