Peanut butter oatmeal cookies are soft, chewy and full of peanut butter flavor. They take just 20 minutes to make using on-hand ingredients and are naturally gluten-free. They make a great lunchbox treat or midday snack!

I have some peanut butter fanatics in my house. Both my kids love the stuff.

But in true kid form, they have preferences on their brand of peanut butter. No, I’m not kidding. My daughter likes one kind, my son likes a different one. Of course. 🙄

So in addition to always having plenty of peanut butter on hand, I always have plenty of TWO kinds of peanut butter on hand.

(Thankfully, they don’t care what I bake with and can’t taste it after. It only matters when it’s served straight up, like for peanut butter toast or peanut butter sandwiches.)

Here are a few of our favorite peanut butter recipes:

• Peanut butter banana baked oatmeal
• Whole wheat peanut butter banana bread
• Whole wheat peanut butter banana muffins
• Creamy peanut butter yogurt dip

And today, I’m so excited to share these peanut butter oatmeal cookies.

They are so soft and chewy and just filled with peanut butter flavor.

They remind me so much of the lunch line cookies we used to have at school. It’s like an old fashioned peanut butter cookie that will just give you all the cozy vibes.

(And have you coming back for seconds and thirds!)

And they are super easy to make! About 10 minutes to mix up the batter and another 10 minutes to bake them off.

Also, we’re using just very basic ingredients here, so you’ll be able to whip these up anytime you like. (I know I do!)

(Oh, and if you’re looking for a PB cookie recipe using flour, not oats, check out these classic peanut butter cookies. They are from my friend Mary’s cookbook and are so good!)

OK, let’s get to baking.

Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up on how to make peanut butter oatmeal 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 peanut butter oatmeal cookies:

• We’re making cookies on the big side. You’ll do about 1 ½ tablespoons for each cookie and they spread out quite a bit while they bake.
• The recipe calls for quick oats and they make the best texture for these cookies. Only have old fashioned rolled oats? No worries, you can pulse those a few times in the food processor to break them down a bit and then they’ll work perfectly.
• You’ll need 2 baking sheets, each with 10 cookies, to make all of these at once. (Or double the recipe and do it in two batches in the oven!)

Quick warning: This is a wet, sticky dough. It’s supposed to be, so don’t worry. The cookies will bake up just fine. (The oats absorb a lot of that extra as they bake.)

You can wet your fingers with a bit of water to work with the dough if needed.

Also to note: As is, these cookies are completely gluten-free. Just make sure your oats are certified gluten-free.

And I must point out that 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 or another alternative nut butter instead.

As for storing, the extras will keep, stored in a plastic container or plastic bag, at room temperature for up to a week. I seriously doubt they’ll last that long though. 😉

Whether for a lunchbox treat, an afternoon snack or an evening dessert, I hope you give these peanut butter oatmeal cookies a try.

I think they'll be a fast favorite in your house.

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

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Yield: 20 cookies

Peanut butter oatmeal cookies

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Peanut butter oatmeal cookies are soft, chewy and full of peanut butter flavor. They take just 20 minutes to make using on-hand ingredients and are naturally gluten-free. 

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 ½ cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together using a hand mixer or stand mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add the peanut butter and beat again until well combined.
3. In a separate small bowl, combine the quick oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir well to combine.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix together by hand until well combined. The mixture will be wet and sticky.
5. Scoop the batter onto an ungreased baking sheet, using about 1 ½ tablespoons per cookie. (You’ll need two baking sheets, each with 10 cookies, to make the entire batch.) Wet your fingers if needed to help transfer the batter without it sticking to you.
6. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, until the cookies are brown around the edges and set in the middle.
7. Let sit on the baking sheets for a few minutes to cool slightly before moving. (They’ll be soft and crumbly right out of the oven but they set up as they cool, so don’t move them too quickly.)
8. Store, covered, at room temperature for up to a week.

Notes

The recipe calls for quick oats and they make the best texture for these cookies. Only have old fashioned rolled oats? No worries, you can pulse those a few times in the food processor to break them down a bit and then they’ll work perfectly. You'll need a little more than 1 ½ cups to make 1 ½ cups of measured quick oats. (Also, be sure not to pulse the oats into oat flour. Just want it broken up a bit.)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

20

Serving Size:

1 cookie
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 154Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 138mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 1gSugar: 10gProtein: 3g