Who doesn't love a fresh batch of homemade soft and chewy peanut butter cookies? Well if you're someone who does, we've got the perfect recipe for you!
There’s a foolproof way to bake soft and chewy peanut butter cookies. That’s to under bake them slightly. That’s it. Baking a batch of peanut butter cookies until they “look” done is deceiving and creates a crunchy result.
How to Make Homemade Peanut Butter Cookies
I’ve had this peanut butter cookie recipe in my binder since my kids were little, and my oldest is 25. Whenever my father in law would visit he would ask for these cookies. While we love making these peanut butter chocolate chunk bars, the classic peanut butter cookie is the bomb.
My entire family loves them and anyone else who happens to try them does too. They never make it off the cooling rack and into a container, they are always devoured too fast!
Smooth or Rustic?
You can make your cookies nice and neat or give them a more rustic look, either way, they taste great. For neat as a pin cookies, scoop the dough out with a cookie scoop and roll the dough lightly in the palms of your hands. For rustic, just release from the scooper and leave as is.
Shortening vs Butter
There is shortening in this recipe (I discovered several years ago this recipe originates from the back of the Crisco can). I have used both plain vegetable shortening and butter flavored shortening, however, I have never tried substituting butter. As the saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” ;) If you would like to try with butter, I’d love to hear your results.
Baking Notes
When you bake these, start with a small batch and check them after 7 minutes. Mine are always perfect at 8 minutes. They will look a little underdone and puffy. Once you remove them from the oven and let them cool a bit, they will relax and settle.
Ingredients for Peanut Butter Cookies
from the back of the Crisco container
- 1/2 cup shortening (or butter flavored shortening)
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
Helpful Kitchen Tools
If you’re looking for more peanut butter cookie ideas…
- Try my tweaked Nutella version of these – Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies.
- Maybe you prefer a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie!
- These Peanut Butter Corn Flake Cookies look amazing too.
- If you prefer not to bake, these Peanut Butter and Corn Chip No Bake Cookies are right up your alley!
This post was originally published on this blog on May 25, 2010.
Peanut Butter Cookies
Who doesn't love a fresh batch of homemade soft and chewy peanut butter cookies? Well if you're someone who does, we've got the perfect recipe for you!
Print RatePrep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 9 mins
Total Time: 24 mins
Servings: 36 cookies
Calories: 111kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup shortening or butter flavored shortening
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 1 large egg
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Combine shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add egg. Beat just until blended.
- Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.
- Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls (using a cookie scoop works great) 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Flatten slightly in crisscross pattern with tines of fork.
- Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to racks to cool completely.
Nutrition
Serving: 2cookies | Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 104mg | Potassium: 55mg | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 0.2% | Calcium: 1.2% | Iron: 2.6%
This post was originally published on this blog on May 25, 2010.
Amanda Formaro
President at Amanda's Creative Studio, Inc.
Amanda Formaro is the crafty, entrepreneurial mother of four grown children. She loves to bake, cook, make kid's crafts and create decorative items for her home. She is a crafting expert and guru in the kitchen and has appeared online and in print publications many times over the years. She is also a craft book author five times over and product developer as well as the owner of FunFamilyCrafts.com. You can find her on social media by using the buttons to the left!
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Alex says
April 7, 2019 at 12:58 amAre you sure it’s not 1 TEASPOON of vanilla? A tablespoon seems to be rather a lot….
Amanda Formaro says
April 8, 2019 at 8:47 amI’m sure :)
Rhonda says
March 13, 2019 at 8:54 pmThese cookies are excellent!! Thanks for the recipe…it’s a keeper!
Elena says
September 28, 2018 at 9:36 amCan you make peanut butter cookies without shortening and made 24 cookies?
Amanda Formaro says
October 4, 2018 at 7:49 amI have heard of others using just butter. I have not personally tried it myself, but others have said it works fine.
Sue says
May 30, 2018 at 4:20 pmThis hands down the best peanut butter cookie I have ever made. And at Abe 65 and a lot of cookies baked that’s saying something!
Amanda Formaro says
May 31, 2018 at 11:15 amThis is definitely a foolproof winner, the secret is to not over bake them! :)
Carrie says
April 6, 2018 at 4:15 amI cannot sleep so I was going to bake my husband some cookies.
I was sad to find that I didn’t have any butter.
I came across this and have used this recipe before.
However, I have never tried adding chocolate chips to it.
Can you add chocolate chips to this recipe without any other alterations? Thanks.
Amanda Formaro says
April 10, 2018 at 9:39 pmI have not tried that, but I think it could be done. In fact, now I want to try it!
Natalie says
December 15, 2017 at 9:19 amYUM! These cookies look delicious!
Kelley says
December 3, 2017 at 2:46 pmThese are in the oven right now and I can’t wait until they’re done!!!! Judging by the cookie dough (I can never help myself) this will be my new go-to recipe. I added some semi-sweet chocolate chips to cater to my tastes. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!!!
Kim says
November 30, 2015 at 10:43 amHow many cookies does this recipe make? Need to gauge whether I should double for the size of our crowd.
Amy Alusa says
June 27, 2015 at 7:06 pmI’ve used this recipe from the Crisco can for years….and have never found one that even compares. This recipe is THE VERY BEST!
Sarah Chickee says
November 23, 2014 at 5:37 pmI just tried these. I made the Nutella version, but since I didn’t have Nutella, I used chocolate spread instead.
They. Are. So. Good. OMG, I love them. Thanks so much for posting the recipe, these are going in my recipe book for many future uses.
Amanda Formaro says
December 2, 2014 at 9:25 amSo glad you liked them Sarah, thank you!
Donna Chelette says
May 21, 2014 at 5:07 pmThe peanut butter cookies had a great taste my family love it. But mine were very flat. How can I make it a lil thick
Amanda Formaro says
May 23, 2014 at 6:41 amHi Donna! Without knowing all the steps you took to make yours I can’t really say for sure, but in my experience flat cookies are usually the result of butter being too soft, or worse, melted when it’s added to the dough. Did you use shortening or did you substitute with butter? Also, if you flatten them too hard with your fork before baking that can make them come out too flat as well.
Madonna says
August 4, 2013 at 10:42 amThese on cookies r the best and r easy to make thank u .
Amanda Formaro says
August 5, 2013 at 11:04 amThanks Madonna, so glad you liked them!
April says
March 29, 2013 at 12:40 pmThese pb cookies are simply the best! I’ll never have the need to search for another pb
cookie recipe. I made two batches, one for the kids and my husband and one I secretly hid away for myself…………….afterall, I can’t let em know I’ve cheated on my diet, now can I? ;)
Amanda Formaro says
March 30, 2013 at 1:23 pmha ha, I know how you feel April! So glad you like them, they are a favorite here too :)
Katie says
February 21, 2013 at 9:21 pmAh-may-ZING! This will be the only PB cookie recipe I use. Super moist and chewy. And I used 1/2c butter instead of shortening. They were wonderful. Thank you!!
Amanda Formaro says
March 9, 2013 at 10:07 amSo glad you loved them as much as we do Katie!
Rita says
February 3, 2013 at 12:50 pmOMG! I was looking for a good recipe that I could add peanut butter morsels to and just found it. My son said they are heavenly and I have to agree with him. So soft and moist. Will definitely be making again!
Heather says
June 6, 2012 at 11:27 pmLove Love Love these cookies. Made a batch this morning and looks like Im going to have to make another batch soon. My cookie monsters LOVED them. Thank you sooo much for posting such awesome recipies
jessi says
May 31, 2012 at 2:03 pmTried today. They are simple and delicious!
Jessi says
April 26, 2012 at 10:56 amI got this recipe off a container of Jiff peanut butter a few years ago and have always used butter instead of shortening without any problems. They are my favorite PB cookies and I’m going to try the chocolate variant this afternoon.
Amanda says
April 27, 2012 at 6:11 amOh wow it’s on Jif’s packaging too? I first saw it on Crisco. It’s definitely been around a while!
Merita Arnold says
April 3, 2012 at 7:02 pmI did try the cookies with the butter instead of crisco and they were wonderful. Can’t stop eating them…. I just had to try it just to see how they would turn out and they were GREAT!!!!!
Amanda says
April 4, 2012 at 6:15 amThat’s great! Thanks for letting us know Merita!
Love to Bake says
February 13, 2012 at 7:02 pmI just made these cookies and they are so fabulous I had to comment. Even though I always strive to get chewy cookies vs. crispy ones, I usually end up with crispy. I followed this recipe exactly and baked them for 7 minutes. I made them a little larger than a heaping teaspoon, probably more like a semi heaping tablespoon, and they came out perfect. They look just like the pictures above and are CHEWY!! Thanks for a terrific recipe.
Amanda Formaro says
February 16, 2012 at 6:59 amThat’s marvelous thanks so much! Glad you loved them as much as we do!
Katie t says
February 4, 2012 at 8:31 pmI love soft pb cookies unfortunately my husband is not much of a fan. However, we found a family pleaser in pbs cookies that use same recipe buy cooked in muffins pan then 2mins before its done peanut butter cups placed in each. The result is soft chewy cookie with creamy peanut butter cup. Just a humble suggestion from a pb cookie lover
Amanda Formaro says
February 7, 2012 at 7:04 pmSounds yummy! :)
Nelle Meers says
January 27, 2012 at 2:11 pmI made these cookies last weekend and they were THE BEST EVER!!!!!!!!!!! this shall always be my go to recipe. I topped mine with some left over xmas chocolate truffles and it made them even more incredible. These cookies have also increased my popularity amongst my friend and family ;-). Thanks for sharing!!!
Amanda Formaro says
January 31, 2012 at 6:33 amLove the truffle idea! So glad you loved them as much as we do!
Hope says
January 14, 2012 at 12:53 amI used this recipe, except I added chocolate chips, for my wrestling team and the boys LOVED them! Thank you!!!
Amanda Formaro says
January 14, 2012 at 10:58 amFabulous! Glad they liked them!
Sarah E. says
December 29, 2011 at 11:08 pmChewy cookies are the best!
Stopping by from the Cookie Party.
Amanda Formaro says
December 31, 2011 at 4:20 pmI agree, love the chewy ones!
Kira @ Pretty in Fiction says
December 12, 2011 at 12:14 pmHa! Hi! So I found this blog looking for a good peanut butter cookie recipe for my mom (because her baking holiday cookies and not baking PB cookies is just wrong. She would always bake those when me and my brothers were growing up, b/c they were her favorites, but she lost her recipe years ago), and I must say I have fallen in love. With your blog. It’s simply gorgeous, and all the recipes I’v flipped through so far look and sound delicious and fun to make. Definitely going to have to try some out, myself.
Now following. Just so you know I’ll be back. :D
Amanda Formaro says
December 16, 2011 at 6:39 amThanks Kira – so glad you found the recipe!
Autumn says
December 11, 2011 at 6:03 pmI’m making these right now! :) So very good. Thumbs up! :)
Amanda Formaro says
December 11, 2011 at 8:29 pmThanks Autumn, glad you like them! :)
Kandy says
September 23, 2011 at 3:25 pmSo, I lost my peanut butter cookie recipe and have been trying all the recipes under the sun to get my perfect cookie back. These peanut butter cookies are beast! They are so good, from texture to taste, it’s amazing. I was skeptical simply because of so many failed recipes claiming their amazing and then turning into flat hard blobs…but these truly are just that, amazing. They are soft, tasty, and just perfect. I rolled my cookies and marked them with a fork and they are unimaginably good. Even the fork markings take perfectly to these cookies…they are simply perfect peanut butter cookies.
Amanda Formaro says
September 24, 2011 at 7:44 amThanks Kandy, what a great comment! So glad you enjoyed them so much :)
Kandy says
September 30, 2011 at 11:05 amWell, thank you for the recipe! I am going to try to make them with chocolate chips. I do not think I will change anything for the recipe just add them in the batter, or maybe on top. Do you think the batter should be adjusted at all?
Julia says
September 15, 2011 at 7:50 pmHow many cookies does this recipe make?
Kathy says
September 13, 2011 at 1:43 pmI used butter, and WOW!!!!! What awesome cookies…and a touch more peanut butter….I’ve made peanut butter cookies for ages, (Not a much as Chocolate Chip cookies my all time favorite!!!!) But this recipe is the best by far, and I am a cookie maker…Sugar, Snickerdoodles (two of my adult sons’favorites) I’ve two son’s in the service and I make cookies and send them to them, and I tell them they have to share, and what stories I hear….there going to love these peanut butter cookies….Thanks……
Amanda Formaro says
September 13, 2011 at 5:21 pmSo glad you enjoyed them as much as we do! While I certainly can’t claim stake on the recipe, I’m glad I was able to share them with everyone :)
Amanda says
July 29, 2011 at 2:00 pmYes you can, I have made that same substitution many times :)
Lois says
July 29, 2011 at 1:56 pmCan I use regular, not butter flavored crisco?
Amanda says
July 20, 2011 at 6:06 amThanks so much, glad you loved them too!
Anonymous says
July 19, 2011 at 5:25 pmI don't care where this recipe came from – it's great. What I really needed from this was the baking time. Mine were perfect at 7 minutes. I really appreciate the tip because I've been looking for a good chewy peanut butter cookie recipe forever. Thanks so much.
Barb, sfo says
April 7, 2011 at 2:41 pmSpectacularly delicious!
Amanda says
October 8, 2010 at 2:28 pmOMG! Right you are! I have a can of butter flavored Crisco here and I'll be danged if it isn't on the back of the container. I have had this recipe written in my binder for so many years I forgot where I got it :0) Thanks Anon, I will credit it right now :)
Anonymous says
October 8, 2010 at 2:09 pmthis is the same recipe as the ones on the crisco shortening bars.
Amanda says
June 13, 2010 at 7:35 pmCory – wish I worked with you LOL!
Anonymous – Yes, a tablespoon probably sounds like a lot, hadn't though to make a note about that. Good point! Glad you loved them, I know we do here! :)
Anonymous says
June 13, 2010 at 8:29 amI made these cookies yesterday, and they were just how I wanted them to be – soft and delicious. BUT I didn't believe you when you said a tablespoon of vanilla, so I halved that. But, yeah – they could have used a tablespoon. Still yummy with half, though.
Culinary Cory says
June 12, 2010 at 9:26 amCookies have become a great way of getting things done at my work. If I'm about to ask for someone to do a huge project, it immediately follows with a "I'll bake you cookies." It works every time. I'm going to have to bookmark these.
[email protected] says
June 1, 2010 at 6:07 pmSo that's the secret. I will definitely be trying this recipe and setting the timer for 8 minutes.
Chow and Chatter says
May 27, 2010 at 9:52 amthese look great thanks for the comment on Turkey lol Rebecca
The Cooking Photographer says
May 26, 2010 at 11:39 pmJust bake them less? That makes sense to me! I'm going to try this thank-you!!
Laura
Sook says
May 26, 2010 at 6:05 pmI haven't had peanut butter cookies in so long! Yours look so good. yum!
Melissa says
May 26, 2010 at 4:30 pmThese sound so good. I think I will go make them… thanks!
Valen says
May 26, 2010 at 12:40 pmOh yum! I love pb cookies, these look so good!
Bridgett says
May 26, 2010 at 11:02 amI always seem to over bake peanut butter cookies so I am going to take your advice. These look so tasty!
Megan says
May 26, 2010 at 10:05 amWrap me up a dozen please! I got milk.
LDH says
May 26, 2010 at 9:44 amI love peanut butter every way and my oldest grandson loves peanut butter cookies. We will have to try your recipe. An 18 year old recipe has to be a really good one :)
Barbara Bakes says
May 26, 2010 at 8:21 amI haven't made PB cookies for so long. Yours look perfect. I'm off to checkout the Nutella ones. I'm in love with it.
Barbara @ moderncomfortfood says
May 26, 2010 at 5:49 amA classic peanut butter cookie such as yours served with a glass of milk in the afternoon just seem to make all right in the world. The crossed fork marks on the top, a must, always make me feel happy, no matter what kind of day I've had. Thanks for sharing, and I love the Nutella idea too!
Memória says
May 26, 2010 at 12:53 amI've been craving peanut butter cookies and then you made this!! ARGH! hahaha They look incredible.
Katrina says
May 25, 2010 at 11:30 pmIs this the same recipe you use for those soft pb/Nutella cookies? I've made those with all butter. GREAT cookies.
Ingrid says
May 25, 2010 at 7:50 pmI like 'em rustic and right off the cooling rack! :) The only thing better would be sandwiching some vanilla ice cream between two cookies.
~ingrid
Grumpy and HoneyB says
May 25, 2010 at 7:12 pmMy all time favorite recipe for Peanut Butter Cookies calls for shortening too. They are delicious!
Whitney says
May 25, 2010 at 6:04 pmThey look amazing! I bake peanut butter cookies at my restaurant, and we use butter, not shortening. The result will be much flatter and wider as opposed to fluffy! (think the kind you'd find at a coffee shop, etc.)
If you want to try it, you can always do 1/2 butter, 1/2 shortening. You might like the result!
http://www.zenandgoodfood.blogspot.com
Mags says
May 25, 2010 at 6:02 pmSoft and chewy, just how I like them. I think you are right….they are perfect!
Sue Sparks says
May 25, 2010 at 4:00 pmThese are a classic, and a favorite! They look so good! I just made some PB sandwich cookies:)
jose manuel says
May 25, 2010 at 1:28 pmTe han quedado estupendas. Un saludo
5 Star Foodie says
May 25, 2010 at 12:12 pmThese look super yummy!
Jenn @ BentoForKidlet says
May 25, 2010 at 10:22 amYes! I love soft peanut butter cookies and now I know the secret! woo!
Maria says
May 25, 2010 at 8:59 amI love a soft, chewy PB cookie. These look perfect! Thanks!