Perfectly Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

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Perfectly Soft Peanut Butter Cookies are such a classic recipe! This recipe makes the most perfect and soft peanut butter cookies. This will be the only recipe you ever need!

Peanut butter is an obsession at my house. You should also try these No Bake Buckeye Balls, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars, or Homemade Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups!

Stacks of soft peanut butter cookies on a cooling cookie rack.

Peanut Butter Cookies

My grandma would have a jar of homemade peanut butter cookies for us every time we would visit her house. She would also have homemade bread when we would visit. She was quite the baker and cook and that is probably where my obsession for peanut butter and carbs started. I like my peanut butter cookies to have a slightly crisp outside and a soft inside. This recipe is absolutely perfect. You can not pass up on a classic peanut butter cookie and they are always a favorite!

What are the ingredients for peanut butter cookies?

  • creamy peanut butter
  • sugar
  • brown sugar
  • butter
  • eggs
  • baking soda
  • baking powder
  • vanilla
  • flour

How do I make Peanut Butter Cookies?

  • Start by Preheating the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixer, (Hand or Standing) Cream together the Peanut Butter, Sugar, Brown Sugar, and Butter. Then, add in the eggs and beat until combined.
  • Next, Add Baking Soda, Baking Powder, and Vanilla Extract. Mix again, then add the Flour and mix until will incorporated. Roll the cookies into 2 inch balls and roll in Sugar. Flatten the centers with a Fork, making a Criss-Cross Pattern.
  • Last! Bake on an Grease Free cookie sheet for 6-7 minutes or until slightly brown on the edges.

Peanut butter in a one cup measuring cup.

How do I keep my Cookies Soft?

This Recipe is so simple you probably already have the ingredients in your kitchen. But what makes these Peanut Butter Cookies different from most others? Well, Spoiler Alert! The Secret is rolling the dough in the sugar. It leaves them almost Caramelized on the outside, while keeping the middles so soft and moist, that you wont want to go back.

Why are my Cookies Dry and Crumbly?

Dry flour or too much flour, can be the cause of a dry cookie. Well, what causes dry flour? Using Butter substitutes such as Margarine, that contain water can cause more crumble. This is because they do not have enough fat to coat the flour. This and over baking of course can be the cause of a dryer, more crumbly cookie.

Several peanut butter cookies spread out on a white granite countertop.

What makes cookies soft and chewy?

High moisture content does. Recipe, baking time, and temperature should be adjusted to retain moisture. Binding the water in butter, eggs, and brown sugar (it contains molasses, which is 10 percent water) with flour slows its evaporation.

Tips for making your cookies chewy again

  1. Slice an apple and place a few slices into the airtight container with your hard cookies.
  2. Store your hardened cookies in a zip lock bag with a slice of bread.
  3. Place them in the microwave to help soften them.
  4. Wrap stale cookies in a damp paper towel and microwave them for 10 seconds.

Several peanut butter cookies stacked on top of each other on a cooling rack.

Looking for more delicious cookie recipes? Look no further!

Peanut butter cookies stacked on top of each other on a cooling rack.

 

 

 

 

Perfectly Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

4.20 from 5 votes
Perfectly Soft Peanut Butter Cookies are such a classic recipe!  This recipe makes the most perfect and soft peanut butter cookies.  This will be the only recipe you ever need! 
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings: 36

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1 ⁄2 cups flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar for rolling if desired

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, cream together the peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, and butter. Add in the eggs and beat until combined.
  • Add baking soda baking powder, and vanilla. Add the flour and mix until incorporated. Roll the cookies into 2 inch balls and roll in sugar. Flatten the center with a fork making a criss cross pattern.
  • Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 6-7 minutes or until slightly brown on the edges.


Nutrition

Serves: 36

Calories118kcal (6%)Carbohydrates8g (3%)Protein2g (4%)Fat9g (14%)Saturated Fat4g (20%)Cholesterol23mg (8%)Sodium112mg (5%)Potassium63mg (2%)Fiber1g (4%)Sugar8g (9%)Vitamin A170IU (3%)Calcium11mg (1%)Iron0.2mg (1%)

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.

Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic

Alyssa Rivers

I am Alyssa and the blogger behind The Recipe Critic. I started my blog in June of 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family.

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  1. 5 stars
    These were a big hit! Love them! Traditionally peanut butter cookies tends to harden & dry out after a couples days. These do not! The only thing I did different is combine the flour, baking powder, & baking soda in a separate bowl–only because I’ve always done this with every other recipe when baking.

  2. These cookies are soooo soft and delicious! They re like eating a warm and sweet peanut butter sandwich. Great cookies! I should let them cool a bit before devouring! Thanks for sharing!

  3. These look yummy. Do you use salted butter? I noticed there wasn’t any salt in the recipe and the type of butter wasn’t specified.

      1. 2 stars
        Thanks for the recipe but…
        I made the cookies 100% following instructions just added some some on the top before baking. As a result cookies appeared too sweet (too much sugar even some salt on the top could balance the taste) and too soft (cooking time 12 min in my case). Its one of the worst cookies recipe i followed so far.

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