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.
I have a lot of favorite cookies, like Snickerdoodles and Chocolate Chip, but these peanut butter cookies are right at the top!
Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
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
- I always use shortening, in fact butter-flavored shortening is my preference. I know some people have an aversion to shortening, so you can certainly substitute butter. Just please know the texture may be slightly different.
- I am partial to Skippy or Jif creamy peanut butter. I have not tried these with any of the natural peanut butters or other nut butters yet.
- Firmly packed light brown sugar helps develop the wonderful chewy texture in these cookies.
- I’ve only used cow’s milk in this recipe, but it’s a small amount. If you decide to experiment with other milks I would love to hear about it!
- You will also need pure vanilla extract and one egg. Stick with large eggs in baking, that’s the standard.
- I make these cookies with regular all-purpose flour and have not tried any alternatives.
- You will also need regular table salt and baking soda for this recipe.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.
- 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 tablespoonfuls (using a cookie scoop works great) 2 inches apart onto 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 OVER BAKE. These cookies will look slightly underdone, but that’s what makes them soft and chewy!
- Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to racks to cool completely.
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 – super popular!
- 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!
Peanut Butter Cookies
IMPORTANT - There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- ½ cup shortening or butter flavored shortening
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 ¼ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp baking soda
Before You Begin
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 tablespoonfuls (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
This post was originally published on this blog on May 25, 2010.
Amanda Davis
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Rhonda says
These cookies are excellent!! Thanks for the recipe…it’s a keeper!
Elena says
Can you make peanut butter cookies without shortening and made 24 cookies?
Amanda Formaro says
I have heard of others using just butter. I have not personally tried it myself, but others have said it works fine.
Sue says
This 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
This is definitely a foolproof winner, the secret is to not over bake them! :)
Carrie says
I 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
I have not tried that, but I think it could be done. In fact, now I want to try it!
Natalie says
YUM! These cookies look delicious!
Kelley says
These 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
How many cookies does this recipe make? Need to gauge whether I should double for the size of our crowd.
Amy Alusa says
I’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
I 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
So glad you liked them Sarah, thank you!
Donna Chelette says
The 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
Hi 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
These on cookies r the best and r easy to make thank u .
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks Madonna, so glad you liked them!
April says
These 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
ha ha, I know how you feel April! So glad you like them, they are a favorite here too :)
Katie says
Ah-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
So glad you loved them as much as we do Katie!
Rita says
OMG! 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
Love 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
Tried today. They are simple and delicious!
Jessi says
I 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
Oh wow it’s on Jif’s packaging too? I first saw it on Crisco. It’s definitely been around a while!
Merita Arnold says
I 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
That’s great! Thanks for letting us know Merita!
Love to Bake says
I 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
That’s marvelous thanks so much! Glad you loved them as much as we do!
Katie t says
I 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
Sounds yummy! :)