Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
Thick, tender and full of roasted peanut flavour, with the classic fork marks.
Before you start
These stay soft in the middle instead of going dry and crumbly, because there's more peanut butter than flour. Use a smooth, well-stirred jar (not the natural, oily kind) so the dough holds together. The fork crosshatch isn't just for looks; it flattens the thick dough so it bakes evenly.
Everything you need
- 1 cup (258 g) smooth peanut butter
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp 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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Beat the peanut butter with both sugars until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
For this step
- 1 cup (258 g) smooth peanut butter
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110 g) light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
-
Add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix just until a soft dough forms. Don't overwork it.
For this step
- 1¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp fine salt
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Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F and line two trays with baking paper.
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Roll the dough into balls, about 1 tablespoon each. Set them on the trays with room to spread, then press each one twice with a fork to make a crosshatch.
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Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set but the centres still look soft. They firm up as they cool.
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Leave on the tray for 5 minutes, then move to a rack.
Baker's tips
- Use regular jarred peanut butter, not natural stir-and-separate kinds. The oil in natural PB makes the cookies greasy and flat.
- For a sweet-salty finish, press a few flakes of sea salt onto each cookie before baking.
Make it your own
- Press a chocolate kiss into the centre the moment they come out of the oven.
- Fold 100 g chocolate chips into the dough.
Storing & freezing
Airtight at room temperature for 5 days. Freeze the dough balls and bake from frozen, adding 2 minutes.
Frequently asked
How many grams is a cup of peanut butter?
About 258 g per US cup. Peanut butter is dense, so weighing is the most reliable way to measure it.
Can I use crunchy peanut butter?
Yes. It adds little bits of peanut through the cookie. Keep everything else the same.
Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
More to bake
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.