These peanut butter cookies are gorgeously moreish with a delicious nutty flavour. They make a brilliant snack for those mid-morning and mid-afternoon biscuit cravings.
If you haven't tried peanut butter cookies, you might just be missing out on the tastiest biscuits in the world. Even if you don't like peanut butter, you might still like these cookies.
Admittedly, until I tried these cookies, I didn't know what I was missing out on either. I'd have said the best biscuits in the world were chocolate chip ones. However, you can't always make chocolate chip cookies, sometimes you have to mix things up a bit and luckily that means I've discovered a new love.
A great cookie recipe to make with kids
I've made these peanut butter cookies a few times and I usually make round cookies which get lovely cracks on the top. However, I don't always get to make them this way. The first time I ever made them, Little Miss Spice helped and we made stars, hearts and Christmas trees, as you can see below!
They do look quite different but they taste just the same! I love to make biscuits with my children as it's such a fun activity to do together. These cookies are not the healthiest recipe but they are quite small and everyone deserves a treat now and again!
What do you need to make peanut butter cookies?
To make these crunchy peanut butter cookies you'll need:
- Butter - Salted or unsalted is fine
- Caster sugar
- Soft dark brown sugar
- An egg - A large one is best
- Self-raising flour
- Peanut butter - I use crunchy as I love the texture but smooth peanut butter will work too.
- Vanilla extract
How do you make peanut butter cookies?
These peanut butter cookies are really simple and quick to make. First melt the butter. I normally do this in the microwave.
Put the butter into a mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar. Then the rest of the ingredients. You'll get a thick sticky dough.
Take spoonfuls of the mixture and roll it into balls between your palms. Put the dough balls on a baking tray lined with baking paper and flatten slightly.
Make sure you leave a gap between each cookie as they will spread in the oven.
How long do these peanut butter cookies last?
If you keep these biscuits in an airtight container and they will last for a couple of weeks. That means they're great for batch cooking and you've got snacks on hand for whenever you need them!
Can you freeze the cookie dough?
If you don't want to bake all the cookies at one or you want to make a double batch then it's a great idea to freeze the cookie dough. That way you can enjoy freshly baked cookies another day too!
How do you freeze the cookie dough?
I usually roll the dough into balls, place them on a baking tray covered with baking paper and put them in the freezer. Once they have frozen I transfer them all to a freezer bag or container. You can keep the peanut butter cookie dough in the freezer for at least three months. You can then bake them from frozen. They may just take a couple of minutes longer to cook. It'll probably be 15 minutes rather than 12!
Can you adapt the recipe?
If you need to use substitutions or just want to change the recipe for these peanut butter cookies a little you can. I used crunchy peanut butter but you could use smooth. Why not add some chopped peanuts for extra texture? Or even a few chocolate chips as well.
If you don't have peanut butter but you do have another nut butter then you can switch them. These cookies are also delicious made with almond butter.
More homemade cookie recipes
These are some of my favourite homemade biscuits. Do let me know if you try any of them!
Recipe
Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 115 g butter melted
- 80 g caster sugar
- 100 g soft dark brown sugar
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 190 g self-raising flour
- 180 g peanut butter I used crunchy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160C
- Stir the sugar into the melted butter. Followed by the egg, the flour, the peanut butter and the vanilla extract. You should get a fairly thick sticky dough.
- Take dessert spoon sized pieces of dough, roll in a ball between your hands and then flatten slightly onto the baking tray. Leave about 5cm gap between each cookie.
- Bake in the pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes.
- Let the cookies sit on the baking trays for a few minutes after taking them out of the oven and then cool on wire racks.
Notes
Nutrition
Pin for later!
Places I'm sharing these Peanut Butter Cookies
Cook Once Eat Twice hosted by me, Corina, here at Searching for Spice
Bake of the Week hosted by Casa Costello
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain
Ooh my goodness Corina - not only do they look gorgeous (I love cookies that look crinkley), but for you to describe them as the best cookies in the world! Defiitely going to have to give them a whirl. Do you think they'll be as good with smooth PB? Thankyou for linking up with #BakingCrumbs 🙂
Angela x
Corina Blum
I'm sure they'd be great with smooth peanut butter too. I just happen to prefer the crunchy one so it's the one we have at home. It probably adds a bit of texture but I'm sure the taste would be just as good with smooth! x
Kate - gluten free alchemist
I haven't made peanut butter cookies for ages..... Yum!!!! x
Corina Blum
Peanut butter is so good in cookies isn't it? For years I had heard of peanut butter cookies but didn't expect them to be so good until I tried them! x
Jacqui Bellefontaine
The texture of these biscuits look so good I want to try them (and i don't even like peanut butter much). You can tell they have just the snap a biscuit should
Corina Blum
Thanks Jacqui! I think if you like nuts you might like them even if you don't like peanut butter. My daughter is not a big fan of peanut butter but she does like these. On the other hand my husband hates peanut butter and is not so keen on these - he just wishes the only biscuits I'd make would be American style chocolate chips ones!
Rebecca - Glutarama
Was having a clear out of my kitchen cupboards the other day...you know, when you reach to the back and find something from 2015! Well I had a huge pot of peanut butter that's remarkably still in date and thought what shall I do with this then...tah-dah, I'll make your biscuits. Perfect timing !
Corina Blum
Peanut butter never lasts that long around here! I love the stuff on toast when I'm not making it into biscuits. I hope you like these ones.
Monika Dabrowski
These sound fab, both you and Little Miss Spice did a great job with these! Pinned and yummed:)
Corina Blum
Thanks so much Monika! I updated the rest of the pictures but left the ones of Little Miss Spice's biscuits.
Anca
I love peanut butter cookies and these look fab. I might make a batch for Easter.
Corina Blum
Oh do let me know if you try them! Homemade cookies are always popular here.
jenny paulin
your cookies look so amazing Corina - all those crackle marks. They just look so professional and delicious! thank you for linking to #Bakeoftheweek x
Corina Blum
Thanks Jenny! They are good cookies x
Severien
I must try these, I have a big pot of peanut butter nobody likes on their sandwiches, this may just the thing for that unloved pot!
Corina Blum
It might be! I hope they like it better in a cookie
Cat | Curly's Cooking
These look so yummy! I love peanut butter so will have to give these a go.
Corina Blum
They'd be right up your street if you love peanut butter! I eat loads of peanut butter and I love these!
Traditionally Modern Food
I love peanut butter.. Cookies are delicious
healingtomato
Love this recipe! I don't normally like peanuts, but, I would love to try this one.
Corina
I hope you like them. They are definitely worth making.
Helen at Casa Costello
Yum! Love peanut butter but don't use it often enough in baking. These look like my kids would devour them instantly! Feel free to enter into Bake of the Week x
Corina
My daughter soon devoured these! They really don't last long with kids around.
Merlinda Little (@pixiedusk)
Always my fave! Boomarked this cuz son & I will make this soon! Plus we have new cookie cutters too!
Corina
I hope you and your son have as much fun making them as we did!
Culinary Flavors
I haven't made them in ages! They look delicious Corina!
Corina
Thank you.
Kate
These look fab Corina! Looks like you and Little Miss Spice had lots of fun making them and I am sure they taste as good as they look! The world of peanut butter cookie variations now awaits!!!
Corina
There will probably be some chocolate chips or something like that thrown in next time! Can't wait to start being a bit more experimental.
Alison
I haven't made these for years and now I am wondering why not. Yours look lovely
Corina
Thank you. I often have things on my to make list for years before I actually make them!
Lea Ann (Cooking On The Ranch)
Peanut Butter cookies are my favorite ... oh why have I never made them?
Corina
yes, why not? Hope I've inspired you - these are really easy.
Laura
Welcome to the world of peanut butter cookies! Ad well done for demonstrating that such a yummy biscuit can be made using cookie cutters - so many peanut butter biscuit recipes only ever show ones made from balls of dough but I think these look perfect as cut out cookies =)
Corina
I was worried they would spread out and lose their shape but they actually kept it quite well. They look like completely different biscuits even though they are the same.
Joanne
Anything peanut butter is my favorite! These look so good!
Corina
Thank you
Sudha
Peanut butter is awesome on pretty much anything, but I agree they make the best cookies.
Corina
Definitely - I just wish I'd realised that earlier. I've been missing out until now!