This Easy Recipe Makes The Best Soft & Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies (2024)

If you’re looking for the best chewy peanut butter cookies, with super soft, chewy centers and crisp edges, this easy recipe is for you! Packed with tons of peanut butter flavor and ready in just 30 minutes, get ready to meet your new favorite cookie.

Table of Contents

• Why You Will Love This Chewy Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
• Ingredients Needed for Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
• How To Make Peanut Butter Cookies
• Baker’s Notes
• How To Store Old Fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
• More Must Make Peanut Butter Desserts
• Get the Recipe

Why You Will Love This Chewy Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

Everyone loves a classic, and this recipe for old-fashioned chewy peanut butter cookies truly fits the bill. Here’s why you will make these cookies over and over again:

• Easy: Made with simple baking ingredients you probably already have on hand, these chewy peanut butter cookies will be out of the oven in less than half an hour!
• Crisp and Chewy: Crunchy edges, chewy centers, and sweet peanut butter flavor with just a hint of salt make these cookies simply the best.
• Nostalgia: These classic flavors scream childhood favorite and the simplicity of this recipe insures it’s the only old fashioned peanut butter cookie recipe you’ll need.
• Versatile: This simple, wholesome recipe can be used as the base of many peanut butter cookie dough recipes.

For my fellow peanut butter lovers, try these giant peanut butter cup cookies with a full size Reese’s peanut butter cup in the center! These soft Reese’s Pieces peanut butter cookies and peanut butter oatmeal cookies are other reader favorites.

Ingredients Needed for Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

You don’t need any special ingredients and this easy peanut butter cookie recipe takesless than 30 minutesfrom start to finish. Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.

• Flour: Easy, inexpensive, all-purpose flour is all you need.
• Leavening Agent: Baking soda creates the perfect crispy edges.
• Salt
• Peanut Butter: Regular, classic, creamy peanut butter or crunchy peanut butter creates the perfect soft texture.
• Butter: Use unsalted butter that is softened to room temperature.
• Sugars: A combination of granulated white sugar and light or dark brown sugar.
• Egg
• Vanilla

How To Make Peanut Butter Cookies

These old fashioned chewy peanut butter cookies are easy and quick to prepare with no fancy preparation needed! For full detailed directions see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• Wet Ingredients: Beat the peanut butter, butter and both sugars, until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
• Combine: Add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
• Scoop & Bake: Scoop about a tablespoon of dough and place onto baking sheets with parchment paper about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes.
• Finish Cooling: Cool on the pan for around 5 minutes. Slide parchment onto a wire baking rack to cool completely.

Baker’s Notes

• Peanut Butter: Regular, inexpensive, creamy or chunky peanut butter will provide the best texture. Natural peanut butter is usually a looser texture with more oil and it will cause the cookies to spread too much.
• Time: Do not overbake this classic peanut butter cookie recipe! When the edges turn slightly brown, remove from the oven. They will firm up on the baking sheet as the cool.
• Feeling Fancy? Press a chocolate kiss in the middle of the dough ball for the perfect peanut butter blossom cookie.
• PB & J Cookies: Use your thumb and press a hollow in the center of the dough. Fill with your favorite flavor of jam. This is a beautiful addition to any cookie platter!
• Cookie Sandwiches: Place a scoop of your favorite ice cream between two cookies. Roll the outside in sprinkles, chopped peanuts, or mini chocolate chips. Then wrap and freeze until ready to serve. Or sandwich the cookies together with peanut butter frosting in the center like in my peanut butter sandwich cookies.
• Fresh Cookies Daily: Scooped dough freezes beautifully. Thaw and bake fresh cookies whenever the mood strikes you.

How To Store Old Fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

These cookies stay soft and chewy for days! Here’s all the options for storing them:

• Store: Once the cookies are fully cooled, you can store them in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week. To keep cookies extra soft, place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies. Replace the bread every few days as it becomes stale.
• Freeze Cookies: Freeze baked cookies in an airtight freezer safe container or zip top freezer bag for up to 3 months.
• Freeze Dough: Freeze unbaked dough balls on a sheet pan until solid to the touch. Transfer dough to an airtight, freezer safe container and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw frozen dough in refrigerator overnight and bake as directed. Or bake from frozen, just add an extra 2 to 3 minutes to the bake time.

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