World's Greatest Peanut Butter Cookies - Melt-in-your-mouth, soft and delicious peanut butter cookies. These are a readers' favorite recipe!
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Oh, do I have a treat for you all today! It's officially cookie baking season and we're ready to throw things into high gear around here! The cookies I'm sharing today are MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH delicious.
They're the cookies my husband asks me to make over and over again. No one who has tasted them has stopped at only one. That's why I call them the World's Greatest Peanut Butter Cookies. They're simply the best.
Making the World's Greatest Peanut Butter Cookies
It really doesn't take a ton of ingredients to make these heavenly cookies - only seven, and they're all basic ingredients you'll probably be able to find right in your pantry.
So, back to cookie baking season. . .before I had children I used to get together with my husband's side of the family to bake Christmas cookies each year.
We picked a Saturday, headed out to the farm and created a cookie factory within his Grandmother's kitchen that was similar to what you would see happening up at the North Pole. . .only with cookies instead of toys. . .and crazy women instead of elves.
You get what I'm saying, right? Assembly lines, cookies coming out of everywhere. . .and LOTS of testing.
Well, it's been years since I've gotten together with them to do the annual cookie baking and I have to say, I do miss it.
I think it's been so long since we've gotten together because everyones' lives have just gotten so busy! I guess that's what having kiddos does to you, doesn't it?
And just for the record, I only have two children. My sister-in-law has four. I just shake my head and secretly wonder where she stores her super powers.
Some days I literally RUN through my house trying to get things done. I'm not even kidding. Part of that may be from working a full time job and blogging on the side. The jury is still out.
All I know is that the hours in a day have become so very precious.
When I get myself into these frenzies, I need to remind myself what’s most important. This is the greatest time ever to start up the cookie baking again, right? Right.
Even if life is a bit crazier, I’ve learned quickly that traditions are important.
I think we need to get the family together and get those cookie sheets greased again. . .because these peanut butter cookies are HAPPENING!
I hope they happen at your house, too. You’re going to love them!
Want to see these cookies dressed up to the nines? Then check out my Smookies recipe that sandwiches marshmallow and chocolate between these beautiful cookies!
World's Greatest Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 ⅓ cups packed light-brown sugar
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Lightly coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray.
- Mix flour and baking soda in a small bowl; set aside.
- With a spoon, mix butter, peanut butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl until smooth.
- Add egg and vanilla; beat until smooth.
- Add flour mixture and stir until combined.
- Cover dough and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls and bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes; allow to cool in the refrigerator for another 20-30 minutes.
Notes
- Chilling the Dough: Refrigerating the dough for 20–30 minutes before baking is essential. This step helps solidify the fats in the dough, preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking. It also enhances the flavor and texture of the cookies by allowing the ingredients to meld together.
- Proper Baking Time: Keep a close eye on the cookies while they are baking. Overbaking can result in dry and crumbly cookies, while underbaking may lead to cookies that are too soft and doughy. Aim for golden brown edges and slightly soft centers for the perfect texture.
- Cooling Process: Allowing the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes after removing them from the oven helps them set up and firm up slightly. Then, transferring them to the refrigerator for an additional 20–30 minutes ensures they cool completely and maintain their shape. This step also makes it easier to handle and store the cookies without them becoming too fragile.
Julia
These look so good! Question - can you use natural peanut butter (aka just ground peanuts) or do you have to use the store bought ones with added ingredients?
Sara
I've never tried them with natural peanut butter so I'm not sure. If you try making the cookies, please let me know how they turn out!
Lorraine
Followed your recipe exactly. The only step I did differently was to chill a tad longer. ( approx 40 minutes) before baking. Delicious!
Sara
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Lorraine!
Anonymous
I just made these with dark choc chips and shortened baking time to 7 mins and they r amazing. I used small scoop instead of rolling them in a ball. Yum!
Karen B
I have made peanut butter cookies for 50 years and decided to try your recipe for something new. They were a disaster! They fell apart and to me, it didn't seem like there was enough flour in your recipe. I followed the recipe exactly! I'm glad to read that others had success, but I'm going to stick to my tried and true recipe that has won over my family and friends for years!
Sara
I'm sorry it didn't work for you, Karen. I hope you find another recipe on the site you will enjoy, though!
Kathy
Have you tried rolling into balls and freezing these cookie to pull out and bake when needed?
Sara
I haven't, Kathy, but let me know if you try and what the results are.
Sheila Patzner
Made these twice this week. My husband and I love them. Thanks for the great recipe!!!
Sara
You are so welcome, Sheila! Glad you and your husband enjoyed them!
Javona
How do I get them to be chewy? They weren't hard, they just weren't chewy. Please help.
Sara
Do you think you left them in the oven too long?
Cindi
I didn’t have all my normal baking staples so I had to make a slight adjustment, or two, to your perfect recipe. Didn’t have brown sugar but DID have raw sugar. Didn’t have CREAMY peanut butter but crunchy worked well too! Rolled them in raw sugar before baking and made the criss cross. They were just wonderful. New fave!!
Charlie in Richmond
This is the best peanut butter cookie recipe I've found so far. Most PB cookies end up to dry. I think these have the right ratio of PB, butter, and flour. Thanks for Sharing Sara! (Full disclose - I make all my cookies w/ Bob's Red Mill gluten free 1:1 baking flour.)
Sara
Thanks for your comment, Charlie! I'm so glad you're enjoying the recipe!
Anonymous
I'm sorry. worst peanut butter cookie I have ever had. like chewing on a piece of candy. I'll stick with Betty Crocker's recipe. always turns out the best. I just add a little extra peanut butter to the recipe.
Daniel Hammons
People seem to think only ladies are on here haha. I've been trying different recipes trying to find one that is amazing (though I've never had a peanut butter cookie I didn't love lol)
My dough is in the refrigerator and I'll find out how they are shortly.
I've been making peanut butter cookies every 2 or 3 days for 2 weeks now :p I can't stop eating them lol.
Sara
I'm so glad to have you here, Daniel! How did those cookies turn out for you?!
Dakota
I JUST MADE THESE....SO DELICIOUS!!!
My whole family is loving them Haha they will be gone by noon.
Be sure to follow recipe and refrigerate! Dough will be sticky. But it's normal! So good thanks for sharing!
Sara
I'm so glad you and your family are enjoying the cookies, Dakota! Thanks for reminding everyone to refrigerate the dough - it's definitely an important step!
Lynette Burnett
Making these today. Pulled out the first dozen and wow! Probably the best peanut butter cookie I have ever had! I did add 1/4 cup flour to thicken the dough. Yum!
Sara
Great! I'm glad you enjoyed them, Lynette!
Sharon
After reading the comments, I have to admit that I was nervous about making these cookies! Even if they weren’t the “best” — I was praying they wouldn’t turn into a big flat glob on my cookie sheet! But, I had all the ingredients, so I was going to take my turn! I have to say that they turned out DELICIOUS ? For me, they had the perfect amount of “crunch” on the outside, and moist yumminess on the inside! They were a hit with my family too! I have printed and saved the recipe, because this is one of the best I’ve ever tasted.
Notes: I put my cookie dough in the freezer for 20 minutes before I made my first batch, and then froze between the next two batches. I cooked my cookies on a silicone mat. I did put each batch in the refrigerator to cool while the next batch cooked. This recipe yielded 3 dozen cookies.
Sara
Sharon, thanks so much for your feedback and your tip on freezing them between batches. This will be very helpful to our readers!
Jacqueline Schlesser
Anyone try these with crunchy peanut butter?