These Soft Peanut Butter Cookies are crispy at the edges and chewy inside, delivering a pronounced peanut butter flavor in every bite.
Soft Peanut Butter Cookies take me back to childhood. I’ve loved them for as long as I can remember, and they remain a favorite. While some versions are crunchy, this recipe produces cookies that are tender and chewy in the center with slightly crisped edges. The balance of sweet and savory from the peanut butter blended into a buttery dough is what makes these cookies stand out. They’re especially delicious dunked in cold milk.
Tips on Making Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
1. Choose the peanut butter texture
Peanut butter is the defining ingredient. You can use smooth or chunky peanut butter depending on the texture you want. Chunky peanut butter will add small pieces of peanut throughout the cookie for extra crunch, while smooth peanut butter gives an even, creamy texture and stronger spread of flavor.
2. How to make flatter and crispier cookies
Sugar type affects texture and color. Brown sugar contains molasses and retains more moisture, producing cookies that are denser, moister, and chewier with a deeper color. Replacing brown sugar with white granulated sugar will make cookies flatter, crisper, and lighter in color. The sweetness level stays similar, but texture and appearance will change.
3. Chill the dough
Chilling the dough is essential. If you skip chilling, the cookies will spread too much, become thinner than desired, and may stick together. Cooling the dough solidifies the fat so it melts more slowly in the oven, reducing spread. Chill the dough for at least one hour, or for best results chill overnight. Longer chilling develops flavor and yields chewier cookies.
4. Dip the fork in sugar
Peanut butter cookies are often identified by a crosshatch fork mark on top. Early versions were rolled and cut or dropped and didn’t always have that pattern, but the fork press became standard. The crosshatch helps the cookies bake evenly and creates the signature texture on the surface. It also serves as a visual cue that the cookie contains peanuts for those avoiding them.
When shaping the dough, use an ice cream scoop or roll it into 1-inch balls. To prevent the fork from sticking when you create the crosshatch pattern, dip the fork into granulated sugar between presses. The sugar also adds a pleasant crunch to the top.
5. How to bake Peanut Butter Cookies
For a soft, chewy center with crispy edges, bake the cookies about 13–15 minutes at 375°F (190°C). They may feel very soft when first removed, but they set as they cool on the baking sheet. If you prefer a firmer, crunchier cookie, bake a few minutes longer. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
More Soft Cookie Recipes
If you enjoy soft cookies, try these other favorites for variety and inspiration.
- Super Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Nutella Stuffed Cookies
- Giant Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Almond White Chocolate Matcha Cookies
- Biscoff Stuffed Cookies
Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
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Ingredients
- 1 cup (225 gr) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (250 gr) peanut butter
- 3/4 cup (150 gr) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (150 gr) brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups (300 gr) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
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Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
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In a separate bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated.
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Cover the dough tightly and chill for at least 1 hour.
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Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
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Drop dough using an ice cream scoop or roll into 1-inch balls. Press a fork into the tops to create a crosshatch pattern, dipping the fork in granulated sugar between presses to prevent sticking.
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Bake for 13–15 minutes, or until the tops are set. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.