Maybe you thought I gave all my cookie magic away in holiday cookie tins tied with glittery bows last month, but NOPE! There is literally ALWAYS cookie dough balls in my freezer so every season is cookie season. These sweet and salty peanut butter cookies are some of the best and easiest. They come together with just four ingredients and happen to be secretly gluten free – making them the best peanut butter cookie recipe I have to offer. These are one of those classics you add to your baking arsenal and never stray from – well as long as you like perfectly crisp cookies.
Four ingredients. No mixer. No flour. No butter. Just peanut butter. I’ve been making these cookies since I spotted them in the Gourmet Cookbook in 2009 (and if you’ve been reading this ol’ blog since then, maybe you’ve been making them that long too).
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy peanut butter cookie recipe:
• peanut butter, obviously. I prefer a creamy peanut butter like smooth Jif of Skippy (something with peanuts and oil in it) though you can absolutely use natural peanut butter if you prefer. A Jif or Skippy peanut butter will keep the cookies moist and crisp while a natural peanut butter make make for a more dry cookie.
• a large egg (here’s why we use large eggs in baking)
• baking soda just a teaspoon will do
• granulated sugar and brown sugar
Optional: a pinch of salt, a splash of vanilla extract, or chocolate candy like chopped peanut butter cups or chocolate chunks.
That’s it! No need for all-purpose flour or unsalted butter. These cookies break the rules.
Grab a bowl and we’ll quickly assemble this cookie dough. No stand mixer required. I use electric hand beaters for extra ease but a bowl and wooden spoon work just as well.
In a large bowl, beat together the peanut butter and two sugars.
Whip in a room temperature egg and baking soda until smooth and well incorporated.
It’s natural for this dough to be a little crumbly, but NOT dry. It should be easy to press and shape the dough into small walnut-sized balls.
Next, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or, in a pinch, lightly grease the pan with butter just to ensure the cookies don’t stick.
For the classic peanut butter cookie look, press on the center of each cookie with the tines of a fork to make a criss-cross pattern.
Can this easy peanut butter cookie recipe be frozen?
Yes absolutely! Shape cookie dough into balls and criss-cross the centers. Freeze the dough balls side-by-side on a baking sheet until frozen through then store in a freezer bag. Bake from a frozen state for 2-3 minutes longer.
This cookie dough can also be refrigerated for up to three days before baking it into delicious and crispy peanut butter cookies.
Can these peanut butter cookies be made without the egg?
Yes! I prefer the binding power of an egg in these cookies, since the cookie dough has so few ingredients, but if eggs aren’t your jam, try a flax egg! Stir together 1 tablespoon of finely grounded golden flax seeds with 3 tablespoons of warm water. Allow to sit for at least 15 minutes before incorporating into the peanut butter cookie dough.
Bake in the upper third of the oven until just golden around the edges and they split into pleasing cracks across the top. The cookies will seem soft coming out of the oven but crisp up as they cool.
Transfer the warm cookies to a wire rack to cool. Though mine never seem to make it that far. I’m always snacking as they cool.
The peanut butter flavor is OUT OF THIS WORLD. I mean… the cookies are essentially just peanut butter and sugar so what could go wrong? These gems are right up there with my Dad’s famous chocolate chip cookies.
Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll be gone before morning which is a high compliment.
If you like this recipe, here’s My Top 10 Peanut Butter Recipes to keep you on the kick.
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Easy 4-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Total Time: 20-22 minutes
- Yield: about 24 cookies 1x
- Category: dessert, cookies
Description
A perfectly sweet, salty, and crisp peanut butter cookie that is secretly gluten-free!
Ingredients
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter (you can use natural though I prefer a Skippy or Jiffy for this recipe)
- 1 cup (200 grams) sugar (1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or very lightly grease a baking sheet with butter and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a medium bowl with electric hand beaters, combine peanut butter and sugars until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add egg and baking soda and mix for another 2 minutes. Roll into small walnut sized balls and create a criss-cross pattern with a fork.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a baking sheet for two minutes, then transfer to a wire rack or directly into your mouth. Cookies will last in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Photos with my dear Jon Melendez.
164 Responses
Delicious! Just different enough from traditional to be interesting and new! I did have some trouble rolling the balls, but wetting my hands fixed that!
LOVE this easy, quick , delicious recipe!
I found they didn’t spread out much in the oven, have a lovely crunch, and just the right amount of tender. Mouthwatering!
My mixture seemed to have split and as I formed the cookies I was squeezing loads of oil out of the dough … is that normal? I didn’t use natural PB
I know I’m not the blogger but as someone who just made the recipe sans natural pb as well, it is definitely not normal. I used Jif as it’s my preferred with pb cookies.
Made these for the first time. Was bored and wanted something simple to make that did not require butter.
These were just fantastic and super easy to make. Absolutely loved them and will be making again. Thanks
This sounds like a recipe that could be used to make peanut butter bars in a sheet pan. Has anyone tried that?
I don’t know what I did wrong but my batch turned out very cumbley. They seem dry too. But my husband liked them anyway.
If it helps, I added 2 eggs to mine. Sometimes a little extra liquid is needed.
OMG…those cookies are really good very simple ! My 16 year old polished down a 6 pack of them soon as I pulled the first batch out of the oven. Yes it’s a great easy peasy recipe ? thank you for sharing it.
The cookie is very sweet but other than that very easy to make.
I saw a similar recipe that called for ¾ cup sugar. I’m definitely reducing the sugar to at least ¾ cup, possibly to ½ cup sugar. Carol
This is a quick easy & amazing cookie. I used chunky peanut butter & it worked fine.
These are so good! I added 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and I think I will reduce the sugar next time to 2/3 cup, but overall a great recipe. My kids loved them!
Wow these were delicious! Thank you!
My husband just found out he has Type 2 diabetes. He loves sweets and I know he’ll cheat! I made these cookies for him but used three fourths Splenda and one fourth brown sugar. He loved them. I will be keeping my eyes open for more cookies I can make for him. They were so easy! Thank you
Tried today for Father’s Day. They spread but that’s way hubby likes them. Will make again. Used crunchy PB
They are really good and I made them just as you described except I used chunky peanut butter because that’s what I had on hand. I’m so glad I found your recipe because I needed to take treats with me and ran out of butter. I’ll be making them again!