This Old Fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe is the absolute best peanut butter cookies recipe you’ll ever taste! Lightly crisp around the edges and deliciously soft and chewy in the center, every bite is packed with bold, sweet, peanut butter flavor balanced with a touch of vanilla. Coated in granulated sugar and baked to perfection, these cookies look like they came from a bakery but are super easy to make! 

The BEST Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

Y’all know I love all kinds of cookies and often get creative in the kitchen, whipping up recipes like my frosted sugar cookie bars, sweet potato cookies, and double chocolate chip cookies. However, when I need a classic, crowd-pleasing option, these old fashioned chewy peanut butter cookies always hit the spot. After all, it’s not a classic for nothing! 

With that said, my recipe is better than all the rest. It starts with all the ingredients you expect like sugar and peanut butter. Then, I take a page from my soft and chewy sugar cookies, and roll the dough in sugar before baking. This step adds an extra level of flavor that makes this recipe unbeatable. Try them once, and you’ll be making these classic peanut butter cookies for every occasion! 

Recipe Ingredients

Flour: We are using all-purpose flour for the base of the cookie bar 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.

Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter. It adds a rich taste and contributes to the chewy texture.

Peanut Butter: 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 chewy peanut butter cookies recipe. 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. 

Leaveners: Baking soda and baking powder give the cookies a little lift, creating the soft, chewy consistency we want while keeping the edges crisp. 

Salt: Trust me. This is a key component in every good cookie and helps balance the sweet flavors. I like to add a little flakey sea salt on top after baking for even more of a sweet and savory contrast! 

How to Make This Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe 

Step 1. In a large mixing bowl, add the sugars, peanut butter, and softened butter. Then, beat with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. 

Step 2. Add the vanilla extract and egg, and beat again on medium speed until well combined. 

Step 3. In a second large bowl, sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt). Then, add your “sifted flour mixture” to your bowl of wet ingredients, and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until combined. Be careful not to overmix! 

Step 4. Transfer the cookie dough to the fridge, and let it chill for at least 2 hours. This allows the flour to hydrate and firm up the dough. 

Step 5. Preheat your oven to 350°F, and line a nonstick baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Step 6. Remove your chilled cookie dough from the refrigerator. Then, use a 2 tablespoon-sized cookie scoop to portion the dough into cookie balls. Roll each cookie dough ball into the sugar topping. Once covered, place the cookie dough on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2-3 inches between each piece. Next, use a fork to press down on each ball of dough, creating a traditional criss-cross pattern. 

Step 7. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 8-11 minutes or until the edges are set and the center is slightly puffed. Be sure not to overbake! Once out of the oven, top the chewy peanut butter cookies with flaky sea salt. Then, let the cookies rest for about 15 minutes or until set. 

Step 8. 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!

Tips & Tricks

1. Use room temperature ingredients. Allow your egg and butter to sit out and come to room temperature before you begin. This allows them to blend seamlessly into the dough so you don’t overmix, which can cause dense, tough cookies. 
2. Don’t overmix the cookie dough, or your soft and chewy peanut butter cookies will turn out dense and tough, which we definitely don’t want! 
3. Use processed peanut butter instead of natural peanut butter, as natural peanut butter has more oil, which will change the texture of the dough. I recommend Jif and Skippy for this recipe.
4. Spoon and level your flour dough if you are not using a food scale to measure. Additional tips on measuring your flour can be found in the blog post.
5. Refrigerate the dough for at least 45 minutes to enhance the flavor and texture of the cookies. If you have time, a 2-hour chill (or overnight) is best. 
6. Don’t over bake the cookies. Every oven is different. So, keep a close eye on your cookies, and remove them as soon as the dough is set and the edges are lightly golden. Remember, they’ll continue to bake a bit as they cool on the pan! 
7. Use a large cup with a wide rim or salsa bowl to shape the cookies into perfect circles. Place the cup over each cookie. Then, gently swirl the cup around the edges to reshape and smooth them, being careful not to flatten the cookie.

How to Measure Flour for These Cookies

1. Use the Correct Measuring Cup: Use a dry measuring cup. These cups typically come in sizes like 1 cup, 1/2 cup, etc.
2. Fluff the Flour: Before measuring, fluff up the flour in the bag or container using a spoon. This helps prevent compacting and ensures a more accurate measurement.
3. Spoon into the Cup: Gently spoon the fluffed-up flour into the measuring cup, allowing it to pile up above the rim.
4. Level Off: Use a flat edge, like the back of a knife, to level off the excess flour from the top of the measuring cup. Do this without tapping or shaking the cup to avoid settling.

More Incredible Cookie Recipes

• Brown Sugar Cookies
• Lemon Sugar Cookies
• Classic & Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies
• The Best Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• S’mores Cookies
• Sweet Potato Cookies

How to Store and Freeze

Store leftover peanut butter cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, if you can get them to last that long! 

Freeze baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Or, freeze unbaked cookie dough for up to 3 months. Here’s how:  

1. Shape the Dough: Combine the ingredients, and portion the dough into balls. 
2. Freeze: Arrange the cookies on a baking sheet, and freeze (without the extra sugar) for 1-2 hours or until the balls are solid. 
3. Store: Transfer the cookies to a sealable bag or airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. 
4. Bake: When you’re ready to bake, thaw the cookies at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then, roll them in the sugar topping, and bake as normal. You may need to add a few minutes to the baking time. So, keep a close eye on the cookies, and adjust as needed! 

FAQs

What is the secret to chewy peanut butter cookies? 

The key to creating delicious chewy cookies is using a fairly high fat ratio, avoiding overmixing, chilling the dough, and just slightly underbaking. 

Why do you put fork marks in peanut butter cookies? 

Peanut butter cookies don’t spread as they bake like other cookie recipes. So, pressing them down with a fork helps flatten them to allow for an even bake. If you don’t do so, the cookies will stay ball-shaped and are likely to be undercooked in the center. 

Can I add mix-in to these old fashioned chewy peanut butter cookies? 

Yes, feel free to include chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or whatever you like best. 

Why are my peanut butter cookies dry and crumbly? 

The most common reasons are overmixing and overbaking. Mix just until smooth, and keep a close eye on your oven! 

Can I use creamy or chunky peanut butter for these peanut butter cookies?

Yes, you can use either! Creamy peanut butter will give you a smoother texture, while chunky peanut butter will add little bits of texture and crunch. Both types will work, but creamy peanut butter is often preferred for a more uniform, chewy cookie.

Can I use natural peanut butter for these chewy peanut butter cookies? 

Yes, but the texture of the cookies will be a little different as natural peanut butter has more oil than processed peanut butter. For this recipe, I recommend using Jif or Skippy.

I hope you love this Old Fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe! The cookies are lightly crisp, perfectly chewy, and infused with sweet peanut butter flavor. 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. 

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Old Fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time :15 minutes mins

Cook Time :8 minutes mins

Chill Cookie Dough :2 hours hrs

Total Time :2 hours hrs 23 minutes mins

Serves: 22 cookies

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Ingredients

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Peanut Butter Cookies

• ▢ 1 1/4 all purpose flour
• ▢ 1/2 cup butter soften
• ▢ 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• ▢ 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• ▢ 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 egg room temperature
• ▢ 2 tsp vanilla
• ▢ 1/2 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ flaky salt topping

Sugar Topping

• ▢ 1/4 cup granulated sugar

US Customary – Metric

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 extracts and egg. Beat on medium until well combined.
• In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 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 2 tablespoon-sized cookie scoop to form the cookie balls. Roll the cookie dough balls into the sugar topping. Once covered in the sugar topping, place the cookie dough on a lined baking sheet. The dough should be about 2 -3 inches apart. Then, use a fork to press down on each ball of dough to create the traditional criss-cross pattern.
• Next, bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 8-11 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. Then, let the cookies rest for about 15 minutes or until set. It’ll be hard, but worth the wait.
• 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

1. 1. Use room temperature ingredients. Allow your egg and butter to sit out and come to room temperature before you begin. This allows them to blend seamlessly into the dough so you don’t overmix, which can cause dense, tough cookies. 
   2. Don’t overmix the cookie dough, or your soft and chewy peanut butter cookies will turn out dense and tough, which we definitely don’t want! 
   3. Use processed peanut butter instead of natural peanut butter, as natural peanut butter has more oil, which will change the texture of the dough. I recommend Jif and Skippy for this recipe.
   4. Spoon and level your flour dough if you are not using a food scale to measure. Additional tips on measuring your flour can be found in the blog post.
   5. Refrigerate the dough for at least 45 minutes to enhance the flavor and texture of the cookies. If you have time, a 2-hour chill (or overnight) is best. 
   6. Don’t over bake the cookies. Every oven is different. So, keep a close eye on your cookies, and remove them as soon as the dough is set and the edges are lightly golden. Remember, they’ll continue to bake a bit as they cool on the pan! 
   7. Once the cookies are out of the oven, use a large cup with a wide rim or salsa bowl to shape the cookies into perfect circles. Place the cup over each cookie. Then, gently swirl the cup around the edges to reshape and smooth them, being careful not to flatten the cookie.

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Nutritional Information

Serving: 1 cookieCalories: 121kcal (6%)Carbohydrates: 13g (4%)Protein: 2g (4%)Fat: 7g (11%)Saturated Fat: 3g (19%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 19mg (6%)Sodium: 150mg (7%)Potassium: 44mg (1%)Fiber: 0.3g (1%)Sugar: 12g (13%)Vitamin A: 140IU (3%)Calcium: 15mg (2%)Iron: 0.2mg (1%)

Recipe by: Chavez Adams / Butter, Love & Salt | Photography by: Meg McKeehan