Name: Peanut Butter Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 24
Ingredients: 1 cup butter (1 stick), soft; 0.5 cup granulated sugar; 0.5 cup brown sugar; 1 egg; 0.5 cup creamy peanut butter; 1.5 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 0.5 teaspoon salt; baking spray, optional ~ for greasing the baking sheet.

This peanut butter cookie recipe is the perfect small-batch treat! These are soft, buttery, and perfect with a mug of hot cocoa or cold milk.

Several stacks of light brown peanut butter cookies on a wood cutting board.

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Peanut butter cookies are such a lovely, not-too-sweet treat. They are quick to make and easy to dress up if you want to. Use a cookie stamp to flatten them, partially dip the cooled cookies in candy melts, or drizzle them with melted chocolate.

My mom always made these around the holidays when I was a kid, so I associate peanut butter cookies with Christmas. This is a small batch and makes about 2 dozen, depending on the size of your cookie scoop. You can easily double the batch, though!

They make a great addition to gift baskets, especially if you’re baking for someone who doesn’t like chocolate and super-sweet desserts. Although I haven’t tried it, I believe you can swap the peanut butter for a different nut butter. If you make them with an alternative, let me know how they turn out!

How to make peanut butter cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter (1 stick), soft
0.5 cup granulated sugar
0.5 cup brown sugar
1 egg
0.5 cup creamy peanut butter
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
0.5 teaspoon salt
baking spray, optional ~ for greasing the baking sheet.

Instructions

1. Cream the butter and sugars.

In the bowl of a mixer, combine the butter and both sugars. Blend with the paddle attachment until smooth.

Butter and sugar creamed together in a mixing bowl.

2. Add the wet ingredients.

Add the egg and peanut butter to the bowl. Mix again until combined.

Egg and peanut butter mixed into cookie dough.

3. Add the dry ingredients.

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix slowly at first to avoid flying flour, then increase speed to blend until uniform. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

Pop the cookie dough into the refrigerator to chill while you prepare to bake.

4. Scoop and flatten.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.

Scoop cookie dough into balls and place about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Use the bottom of a glass to press the cookies to between a quarter and half-inch thick. (Precision isn’t critical here.) Alternatively, you can press them with the tines of a fork for a classic cross-hatch pattern!

Rounded balls of peanut butter cookie dough on a metal baking sheet.

Using a drinking glass to flatten cookie dough balls.

5. Bake and cool.

Bake each batch of cookies at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes. Cookies should be set, but still soft and a little puffy. They will deflate just a tiny bit as they cool.

Smooth, light brown peanut butter cookies on a metal baking sheet.

Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then remove them to a cooling rack. (I let mine stay on the baking sheet while I prep the next batch on a second baking sheet.)

A baking sheet of cookies beside a cooling rack holding more.

Stacks of peanut butter cookies on a cooling rack.

Printable recipe card

Yield: About 24 cookies