Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
These are the best chewy peanut butter cookies! They’re super easy to make, with extra chewy centers, lots of peanut butter flavor, crispy edges and the perfect “bite”.
These are part of this year’s 12 Days of Christmas Cookies, but they are perfect for anytime of the year!
If you’re looking for other cookie recipes, check out my double chocolate cookies, best chewy chocolate chip cookies, brownie cookies or coffee chocolate chip cookies!
Why You’ll Love These Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
They’re packed full of peanut butter flavor. We’re using creamy peanut butter for the best flavor and chewy texture.
They’re super chewy! Mostly brown sugar is used which keeps these cookies extra chewy.
They’re incredibly easy to make. They require only a few simple ingredients, and you can make them in under 30 minutes!
Ingredients for Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Butter- make sure it’s softened
- Brown Sugar– mostly brown sugar is used to make these cookies extra chewy
- Granulated White Sugar– used along side the brown sugar to sweeten these cookies
- Egg Yolks- make sure they’re room temperature
- Vanilla– I always recommend vanilla bean paste for the best flavor, but extract works just as well
- Peanut Butter– I recommend using creamy Jif or something similar and NOT natural peanut butter. Natural peanut butter has too much oil and can mess up the texture of these cookies.
- Flour– all-purpose flour gives these cookies the best chew
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder– help the cookies to rise slightly
- Salt– helps bring out all the flavors
Step by Step Instructions
Please see recipe below for complete measurements and baking time.
STEP ONE: Start by creaming the butter, brown sugar and white sugar together.
STEP TWO: Then add in egg yolks and vanilla and mix until fluffy.
STEP THREE: Mix in peanut butter until smooth.
STEP FOUR: Add in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until combined.
STEP FIVE: Scoop the dough onto parchment lined baking sheets and bake!
Please see recipe below for complete measurements and baking time.
FAQs
Can the dough be made ahead of time? Sure! You can make the dough and then chill it until you’re ready to bake the cookies. Just make sure to bring it to room temperature before baking. The dough will stay fresh in fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for about two weeks. Make sure to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap for maximum freshness!
Can I add mix-ins to these cookies? I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why not! I would stick with about 1/2-3/4 cup of mix-ins like chocolate chips, peanuts, M&Ms, etc!
Pro Tips
Measure your flour properly. This is always my #1 baking tip. Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour. This will always lead to using too much flour. (Trust me, I’ve learned the hard way that I need to measure properly!) Instead, sprinkle spoonfuls of flour into your measuring cup and swipe excess flour off with the back of a knife. Or better yet, weigh your flour. 1 cup of flour equals 125 grams.
Use creamy Jif peanut butter or something similar. It’s tempting to want to use natural peanut butter, but in this case stick with creamy classic Jif for the best peanut butter cookies.
When the cookies are straight out of the oven, go around them with a large circular cookie cutter. This will help give the cookies a perfect circular shape!
If you make these cookies please leave a review, it’s so helpful for me! Tag me on Instagram @inbloombakery_ so I can see as well! Follow me on Pinterest for other dessert ideas!
Other Desserts to Try
Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup (128 g) creamy peanut butter, Jif or similar, not natural peanut butter
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, see notes
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- To a large bowl add the butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Cream together with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes.1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened, 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed, 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
- Then add in the egg yolks and vanilla. Mix until light in color and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.2 egg yolks, at room temperature, 2 tsp vanilla
- Next add in the peanut butter and mix until smooth.1/2 cup (128 g) creamy peanut butter
- Add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined. The dough will seem very soft at first but will firm up after a minute or so.(You may be tempeted to add more flour in but don't! One properly measured cup is the exact amount these cookies need. See notes on measuring flour properly.)1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt
- Scoop the dough into 16 balls, with a 2 tbsp capacity cookie scoop, and arrange them on the baking sheets about two inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes. (10 for chewier cookies, 11 for crispier.)
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for five minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to completely cool. Then enjoy!
This year I baked for Christmas gifts and this cookie recipe turned out to be fantastic !!!
The cookies were chewy and delicious and I got excellent reviews!! I will be using this recipe again! I highly reccommend!
These cookies are so good they should be illegal!
Liked them. My Husband loved them but with the following critic.. My aren’t they as high and chewy as your cookies usually are?
So I am going to try an adjust the cooking time and the size of the cookies. hopefully this will keep him happy. Thanks for the recipe. I lost all my cookbooks including hand written ones from my grandma who recently passed at 103. So thank you for this recepie
Can you freeze the baked cookies?
The perfect cookie!
Absolute hit. Easy to make, soft, chewy, and takes no time at all. I make these into little balls that I freeze for cookies on demand 🙂
this recipe was easy to make and cut in half and my whole family loved them!!!
Not a good recipe. Maybe if you cool the dough after forming them into balls? Idk, but i followed the recipe exactly and it is such a dud. The cookies are flat and all spread out. I wouldn’t serve these. It would be embarrassing honestly. They do nocturnal out like the pictures.
Mine turned out wonderfully. The recipe isn’t the issue.
These were soft but I wouldn’t say chewy. My family enjoyed them.
I found that these cookies were just too sweet. Needed more flour. I cooked one batch the exact time indicated, another for 13 mins and the last for 15. Each one was too sugary and granulated for me.
Tooooo sweet and granulatey
Big bummer since I was expecting the perfect chewy pb cookie
Perfect sweetness and the exact chew factor I was looking for, thank you!
0/10. i have no idea what the recipe did wrong, but these are the worst cookies i have ever made. the recipe said its the correct amount of flour, but my batter did not thicken. AT ALL!
I can’t tell you just how much we love this recipe!! My husband is in recovery right now from a surgery and I surprised him with these because they’re his FAVORITE! 20 out of 10 for sure! We actually take the sweetness to the next level and add white chocolate chips to make them taste like white chocolate reeses. Soooo yummy! Thank you for sharing this!
The add covered half the recipe
Followed the recipe exactly as it said. Even weighed all my ingredients. Cookies did not turn out as pictured or described. Something is very off. They’re fluffy. Zero crispiness. Wish I could post a picture.
Also wanted to add (after tasting them) that they are VERY sweet and very grainy.
0/10 recommend.
Never knew this, appreciate it for letting me know.
Holy smokes these are so good! I’m so picky, this type of cookie is my favorite, soft center crispy edges… that’s the perfect cookie to me. I’ve been let down by many recipes online… but not this one! It’s perfect. Like heavenly and tastes like it’s from a 5 star bakery, these measurements are spot on.
This is SO sweet! Thanks so much for sharing. Happy it was the perfect cookies for you. 🙂
The dough is wonderful for dipping granny smith apples into while waiting for the cookies to finish baking. First batch just now came out at 10 min. 100% satisfying. It tastes like Nutter Butters! Thank you for not bombarding us with ads; was actually able to get through the recipe without having to constantly clear my screen. THANK YOU!
So happy you enjoyed this recipe!