Homemade peanut butter cookies are crispy on the outside, soft in the middle and bursting with peanut butter flavor. Perfect for dessert or snacking!

So it’s October, right? I ask because it is supposed to be a high of 98 degrees here today. 🔥

Yes, 98! And I live in North Carolina. It’s not like I’m in south Florida or Texas. Sheesh, I’m so ready for sweaters and boots and this weather is frustrating the crap out of me.

It looks like it’s supposed to break this weekend at least. And that’s good news because we’ve got a fun run and pancake breakfast at the kids’ school. And my husband and I are going to the Panthers football game on Sunday and I’m not trying to melt. 😉

Today though, despite the temperature, I’m so thrilled to be sharing a recipe from my friend Mary’s new cookbook, The Weeknight Dessert Cookbook!

It’s a beautiful collection of 80 easy dessert recipes that can be made any ole time. Everything from cookies to bars to cakes to no-bake treats, you are sure to find some new favorite sweet treats!

Plus they are all just 5 to 15 minutes to prep and rely on basic, on-hand pantry ingredients.

You know that’s right up my alley!

(Psst… You should also check out her two previous cookbooks, which are going to be regular go-tos in your kitchen for all of her easy, delicious, family-friendly recipes. Follow along on her blog, Barefeet in the Kitchen, for more.)

1. The Weekday Lunches & Breakfasts Cookbook
2. The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook

These Homemade Peanut Butter Cookies though were the unanimous favorite in my family for which recipe we should make first from her cookbook.

(The triple chocolate pound cake and berries and cream cobbler were close runner-ups and they’ll be happening in my kitchen soon!)

These cookies are a little crispy on the outside edges, soft and tender in the middle and just bursting with peanut butter flavor!

They’re also perfectly sweet and I love how HUGE they are!

We enjoyed them for dessert, as well as for afternoon snacking. They’d make a fun lunchbox treat too!

(Oh, but I have to say, these are peanut butter cookies with flour in the recipe. Not that 3-ingredient version that people sometimes make. But if you need a GF version, check out my friend Erin’s gluten free peanut butter cookies or these peanut butter oatmeal cookies, which are naturally gluten free because they don’t use flour.)

Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up below on how to make giant peanut butter cookies. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Notes on making easy peanut butter cookies:

• I don’t have a cool cookie scoop like Mary recommends, so I used a spoon to scoop up about 3 tablespoons worth of dough. I wet my hands just slightly and rolled them into balls that way.
• Also, if you want them to look beautifully crinkly – and not get overly browned on the bottom – you should cook these one cookie sheet at a time (so just 6 cookies at a time) and use the middle rack in your oven.
• I used white sugar on top and that was yummy, but definitely go for the raw sugar if you have some on hand.
• These will come out of the oven soft, but when you let them cool and set up, they develop a perfect crispiness on the edges of the cookies. Wait for it.

You can certainly make them smaller, using 1 1/2 or 2 tablespoons worth of dough per cookie for a more standard sized cookie.

They just won’t have the same crispy edges as they get with the larger size.

Also, peanut butter is in the title of this recipe, so yes, ahem, it does contain peanuts. 🥜

If you have an allergy or want to send one of these to a peanut-free school, you could certainly try making the cookies with almond butter instead.

Finally, I should mention that I stored the extras in a large plastic bag after they had cooled. They were softened up by the next day.

Still 1000% delicious, but just not crispy anymore. (I don’t know though, I maybe prefer them that way!)

Ready to get your baking game on? Or you cookie eating game on? 😂

Give these cookies a try to cure your next peanut butter craving and be sure to check out Mary’s cookbook! 

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

P.S. You may also want to check out these peanut butter recipes:

• Peanut butter chocolate chip snack bars
• Peanut butter banana baked oatmeal
• Whole wheat peanut butter banana bread
• Whole wheat peanut butter banana muffins
• Creamy peanut butter yogurt dip

Yield: 12-14 cookies

Classic peanut butter cookies

Print

Homemade peanut butter cookies are crispy on the outside, soft in the middle and bursting with peanut butter flavor. Perfect for dessert or snacking!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 14 minutes

Total Time 29 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup raw sugar (or sub white sugar)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar together for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat again until well combined.
3. Add the peanut butter and beat until just combined.
4. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix with a spoon or spatula until just combined.
5. Place the raw sugar in a small, shallow bowl. Use a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough into small ball shapes. Dip the top of each ball into the raw sugar to coat. (If you don’t have a cookie scoop, like I don’t, you can wet your fingers slightly and roll the dough into small balls before dipping into the sugar.)
6. Place the balls on the baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. You’ll put 6 cookies on the baking sheet at t time. Press down lightly on each ball with a spatula - or slightly wet fingers - to flatten into a thick disk.
7. Bake on the middle rack in the oven for 14 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly brown and cracked on top. (They will still be soft but will harden up a bit as they cool.) Let the cookies cool on the pan for 1-2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.

Notes

If you want the cookies to look beautifully crinkly - and not get overly browned on the bottom - you should cook these one cookie sheet at a time (so just 6 cookies at a time) and use the middle rack in your oven.

These will come out of the oven soft, but when you let them cool and set up, they develop a perfect crispiness on the edges of the cookies.

You can certainly make them smaller, using 1 1/2 or 2 tablespoons worth of dough per cookie for a more standard sized cookie. They just won’t have the same crispy edges as they get with the larger size.

Recipe is from The Weeknight Dessert Cookbook.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 281Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 200mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 1gSugar: 20gProtein: 5g