Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe (3 Ingredients!) – Easy & Delicious
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These Classic Peanut Butter Cookies are incredibly easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. They’re perfectly chewy with slightly crispy edges, packed with rich peanut butter flavor, and featuring the iconic crisscross pattern that makes them instantly recognizable. Whether you stick with the simple three-ingredient version or dress them up with chocolate chips, these cookies are guaranteed to become a household favorite.
Total Time:27 minutes
Yield:24 cookies
Ingredients
1 cup (250g) creamy peanut butter (use processed brands, not natural)
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, plus ¼ cup for rolling
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional but recommended)
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Optional: ½ cup chocolate chips, flaky sea salt for topping
Instructions
Preheat & Prepare: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Pour ¼ cup sugar into a small bowl for rolling.
Mix Dough: In a large bowl, beat together peanut butter and 1 cup sugar until well combined and slightly fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, beat until smooth and glossy. Sprinkle baking soda and salt over mixture, stir just until combined.
Shape Cookies: Scoop dough into 1.5-inch balls (about 2 tablespoons each). Roll each ball in the bowl of sugar to coat completely. Place on prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
Create Pattern: Using a fork, press down on each cookie ball to flatten to ½-inch thickness. Rotate fork 90 degrees and press again, creating a crisscross pattern.
Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Cookies should have lightly golden edges while centers still look slightly soft. Don’t overbake!
Cool: Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will firm up as they cool.
Notes
Peanut Butter Type: Processed, commercial peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy) works best. Natural peanut butter can make cookies crumbly.
Don’t Overbake: Cookies should look slightly underdone when you remove them. They continue cooking on the hot pan.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Make Ahead: Dough can be shaped, frozen on a baking sheet, then stored in freezer bags. Bake from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to baking time.
Chocolate Variation: Fold in ½ cup chocolate chips after mixing dough, or press chocolate chips on top before baking.
