Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

If you’ve got a jar of peanut butter in your pantry, you're just moments away from making these irresistible peanut butter cookies. With only a few simple ingredients and half an hour of your time, you can bake a batch perfect for an afternoon snack or a no-fuss dessert. We prefer chunky peanut butter, but creamy works just as well. It's important, though, to use standard peanut butter rather than the natural types, which can result in crumblier cookies. You might be surprised to find no flour in the recipe, but it’s true – the cookies are naturally gluten-free without it.

Why We Press Down Peanut Butter Cookies Before Baking

The iconic criss-cross marks on peanut butter cookies serve a practical purpose. Because these cookies are denser than most, pressing them down before baking helps ensure they cook evenly throughout. Without this step, they would bake in more of a mound and not cook through properly.

Preparing Peanut Butter Cookie Dough in Advance

Unlike certain cookie doughs (like these delectable chocolate chip ones), this peanut butter dough doesn’t require an overnight chill in the fridge. However, you can if you prefer! Simply let the dough sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before rolling it into balls and baking. Alternatively, you can prepare the dough ahead of time and freeze it for future use. Just line a baking sheet with parchment paper, shape the dough into balls, and place them on the sheet (they don’t need to be spaced far apart at this stage). Freeze the cookie dough until solid, then transfer it to a container or a zip-top freezer bag. The dough can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. Bake a whole batch or just a few cookies whenever you’re in the mood for a treat.

Ingredients List

• 2 cups peanut butter (preferably not all-natural)

• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar

• ½ cup packed light brown sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven and prepare the cookie dough.

Set the oven to 350°F. Using an electric mixer, beat the peanut butter and sugars together on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until fluffy. Then, lower the speed and mix in the eggs, baking soda, vanilla, and salt.

Shape the dough into balls.

Take generous tablespoon-sized portions of the dough, roll them into balls, and arrange them on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving 2 inches of space between each. Use a fork to flatten the dough to a ⅜-inch thickness, creating a crisscross pattern on top of each cookie.

Bake the cookies.

Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the edges are firm, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let them cool slightly on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Storing and Freezing Peanut Butter Cookies

To store the cookies, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. For freezing, place the completely cooled cookies in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze until firm. Once frozen, transfer them to storage containers or zip-top freezer bags. (Freezing cookies in a single layer first helps prevent them from sticking together.) These can be frozen for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature or in short 10-second intervals in the microwave.

Nutritional Information (per serving)