How to Make Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: August 10, 2021

Peanut butter cookies can be made quickly from scratch. They only require a few basic ingredients, minimal preparation time, and bake in about 10 minutes. You can make peanut butter cookies with only three ingredients. If you want slightly more flavorful cookies, you can add things like vanilla.

Ingredients

Three Ingredient Cookies

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg

Simple Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup of smooth peanut butter
1 egg
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of self-rising (self-raising) flour
1 stick (125g) of butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 and 1/2 cups flour

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Making Three Ingredient Cookies

1
Preheat your oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Prior to baking, preheat the oven. This way, when you're ready to toss your cookies in the oven, it will already be heated.^{[1]
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- Make sure you know how to recognize when your oven is done heating. Some ovens will make a noise.
- If your oven does not indicate when it's done preheating, use an oven thermometer to check.
2
Mix your ingredients using an electric mixer. Add the peanut butter, sugar, and egg to a large mixing bowl. Using an electronic mixer, beat the ingredients until your dough has a smooth, creamy texture.^{[2]
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- If you don't have an electric mixer, you can use a wooden spoon to stir the ingredients until smooth and creamy. Keep in mind, however, this may take slightly longer.
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3
Roll the dough into small balls and place them on a cookie sheet. Place the balls about an inch apart so the cookies do not run into each other. If desired, press the back of a fork into the dough, making the traditional criss-cross peanut butter cookie design.^{[3]
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- Make sure to grease the cookie sheet prior to baking.
- Wash your hands before and after handling cookie dough.
4
Bake for 10 minutes. The cookies should take about 10 minutes bake in the preheated oven. However, check them on occasion just in case, especially if you don't have an oven thermometer. If your oven's heat is off slightly, the cookies may take slightly longer to bake.^{[4]
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5
Cool your cookies and enjoy. Use a spatula to remove the cookies from the cookie sheet. Set them on a wire cooling rack. Allow the cookies to cool for about two minutes before eating them.^{[5]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Making Simple Peanut Butter Cookies

1
Preheat the oven to 375 °F (191 °C). Make sure you know when your oven is done preheating. Some ovens make a noise, while others do not indicate when they're ready for use. In this case, use an oven thermometer.^{[6]
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2
Spray non-stick cooking spray on a baking sheet. This will prevent the cookies from sticking to the cookie sheet. Alternatively, you can also line the cookie tray with parchment paper.
3
Cream the sugar and butter. Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, mash the butter and sugar together. Keep working the butter and sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy.^{[7]
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4
Add the egg, peanut butter, and vanilla. You can use an electronic mixer or a wooden spoon. Beat the egg until the mixture is once again smooth and creamy. This will take longer if you're not using a mixer.^{[8]
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5
Stir in the dry ingredients. The dry ingredients include the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add them in gradually, stirring as you go. Stir until the mixture is even throughout and has a smooth texture. Be patient. Dry ingredients can take a longer time to mix into a recipe.
6
Place the cookies on your baking sheet. Roll the dough into small balls and then place the balls on the cookie sheet. The distance is important as the cookies will spread during cooking. Keep them half an inch apart.^{[9]
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- If you want, you can use a fork to flatten the cookies. Traditionally, peanut butter cookies are flattened with a fork.
7
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. To begin, bake the cookies for about 12 minutes. Check them regularly, especially if you don't have an oven thermometer. If the cookies are not done after 12 minutes, bake them for another minute at a time until they're cooked.^{[10]
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8
Cool and enjoy. Remove the cookies from the cookie sheet and set them on a wire cooling rack. Allow them to cool for a few minutes before eating them.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Assuring a Quality Cookie

1
Use room temperature ingredients. For the best results, all ingredients should be at room temperature. This includes things like butter and eggs. Set your ingredients out an hour before baking. Room temperature ingredients are much easier to mix.^{[11]
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2
Take your time with each step. Do not rush through steps when baking. You want to make sure you spend enough time on each step to thoroughly blend the ingredients. Rushing through a step will result in an uneven dough, which can give your cookies an odd taste and texture.^{[12]
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3
Use an oven thermometer. The settings on an oven can only give a rough estimate of its heat. You should use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is set to the right temperature. This way, you will avoid burning or undercooking your cookies.^{[13]
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Community Q&A

Question

How many cookies does it make?

Community Answer

Each recipe makes about 2 dozen, or 24, cookies.
Question

Can I use a cookie cutter to make shaped peanut butter cookies?

Community Answer

The cookies will spread and lose their shapes when you put them in the oven, but you can give it a try.
Question

White kind of sugar is used in this?

Community Answer

It didn't say anything specific, so just use regular, granulated sugar.

Warnings

Always ensure your safety when taking items out of the oven. Make sure that your arm isn't too close to the inside sides of the oven. Wearing oven mitts are probably a good idea.

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