This is the cookie recipe people share because it sounds too simple to work: peanut butter, sugar, egg and a little baking soda, stirred with a fork and baked. No flour to measure, no butter to cream, no chill time. They come out with crisp edges and a soft, fudgy middle, and the whole batch is mixed and in the oven in under ten minutes.
Everything you need
- 1 cup (258 g) smooth peanut butter
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- a pinch fine salt
Weigh, don't scoop. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
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Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F and line a tray with baking paper.
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Stir the peanut butter, sugar, egg, baking soda, vanilla and salt together in a bowl with a fork until smooth and fully combined.
For this step
- 1 cup (258 g) smooth peanut butter
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- a pinch fine salt
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Roll into 14 balls, about a tablespoon each, and space well apart on the tray. Press each one gently with a fork in a crosshatch, the classic mark.
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Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, until the edges look set but the centres still look slightly underdone. They firm up as they cool.
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Leave on the tray for 5 minutes before moving to a rack, they're very soft straight from the oven.
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Worth knowing
- Natural, oily peanut butters can make the dough greasy. A shelf-stable, no-stir peanut butter gives the most reliable result.
- Underbake slightly rather than over. These cookies go from soft to dry fast if left in even 2 minutes too long.
Make it your own
- Press a chocolate chip or two into the centre of each cookie before baking.
- Swap in almond butter for a slightly different flavour, keeping everything else the same.
Storing & freezing
Airtight at room temperature for 5 days. Freeze the raw balls and bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
Frequently asked
Can I use crunchy peanut butter?
Yes, it works the same way and adds texture. Just note natural crunchy varieties can be oilier, which softens the dough slightly.
Why are my flourless peanut butter cookies crumbly?
Usually a very natural, oily peanut butter that separates, or slight overbaking. A standard no-stir peanut butter and pulling them while still soft in the centre both help.
Cooking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
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A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.