Cookies/ Dessert/ Recipes

My Favorite Peanut Butter Cookies

peanut butter cookies-8409

I got to thinking the other day about how I didn’t have a good old fashioned classic peanut butter cookie recipe on this site. The horror! While there’s tons of cookie recipes in my recipe index, most of them are all gussied up with chocolate, nuts or other fancy things. Sometimes you just need a classic cookie and a cup of milk…amen?

These peanut butter cookies are no frills delicious. They are like the kind you get from a bakery — all big and soft and full of peanut butter flavor. I must have made these cookies at least a hundred times in college. They are perfect fuel for late night study sessions, parties, gifts for the boyfriend, girls nights and, let’s be honest, broken hearts. In my experience, a good home baked cookie and a bubble bath often functions as life’s perfect medicine.

So if you like big soft peanut butter cookies, these are for you!

peanut butter cookies-8371

I think they key to great peanut butter cookies is using only brown sugar in the dough. It makes them super chewy and soft. And don’t even get me started on what it’s like to make ice cream sandwiches with these babies warm out of the oven using vanilla bean gelato and a {huge} drizzle of chocolate sauce. Please.

peanut butter cookies-8379

Yum. I just don’t even know what else there is to say….but yum.

Happy {early} weekend!

peanut butter cookies-8407

My Favorite Peanut Butter Cookies

adapted from Gourmet

Print this Recipe!

Yields 2 dozen large cookies

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup peanut butter

1 cup bread flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with either silpats or parchment paper.

Cream together the butter, brown sugar and peanut butter until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until just combined.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. Add to the wet ingredients and blend just until a dough forms.

Using a large spoon or an ice cream scoop, scoop out big balls of dough onto your prepared baking sheet — about 3″ apart. Press down gently with a wet fork on each cookie.

Bake for 15 minutes until edges are golden.

Time:

25 minutes

You Might Also Like

  • Liz S.
    February 20, 2014 at 3:10 am

    Perfection in a cookie.

  • Averie @ Averie Cooks
    February 20, 2014 at 3:21 am

    Thanks for sharing your fave PB cookies! I have a jillion recipes for them and I always like seeing what everyone’s faves are. I totally agree with the brown sugar part too – it just gives the best results!

  • Maryea {happy healthy mama}
    February 20, 2014 at 3:29 am

    I love a simple peanut butter cookie. Is there a reason for using bread flour in this recipe?

  • Cara's Healthy Cravings
    February 20, 2014 at 4:19 am

    Love! Nothing beats a warm, chewy pb cookie!

  • Anne @ CandyCrazedrun.wordpress.com
    February 20, 2014 at 4:23 am

    I am so excited you posted this recipe and just pinned it!

    I hate to sound like I am swooning, but your recipes absolutely positively never let me down, especially the classics! I cannot wait to make these!

  • Jojo @ RunFastEatLots
    February 20, 2014 at 4:38 am

    Wouldn’t think of using bread flour in cookies! I only like soft PB cookies,so these look perfect!

  • Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat
    February 20, 2014 at 4:39 am

    Mmm PB cookies were one of my favourite things to make as a kid (and the dough one of my favourite things to eat!) I know I’ve said it before that I’m not really a huge baking type any more, but you always have a way of making me want to stay home and make all sorts of baked goods!

  • Madison
    February 20, 2014 at 4:50 am

    Some of the best cookies are the simplest one where 1 flavor stands out. πŸ™‚ These look amaaaaazing!

  • Chicago Jogger
    February 20, 2014 at 4:59 am

    Yum – I didn’t know that about brown sugar πŸ™‚ I could use one this morning!

  • Aishah @ Coffee, Love, Health
    February 20, 2014 at 5:46 am

    I love anything Peanut Butter! At one point, I had the SAME peanut butter sandwich with my coffee every. single.morning. I love it! I bet these cookies are just as amazing as you make them sound πŸ™‚

  • Liv
    February 20, 2014 at 7:02 am

    I love that these cookies have so few ingredients–all in my kitchen cabinet. Can’t wait to try them. Thanks for posting!

  • Caroline H
    February 20, 2014 at 7:46 am

    Suddenly my cup of coffee seems lonely…

  • joelle (on a pink typewriter)
    February 20, 2014 at 8:21 am

    PB cookies were one of the first types of cookies I ever made for anyone on my own!

  • Amy
    February 20, 2014 at 9:00 am

    Can I pay you to make them and send them to me? 31 weeks and can’t bake
    my way out of a paper bag!

  • Jen
    February 20, 2014 at 9:25 am

    Hi! Would you use a natural peanut butter in this recipe?

  • Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe
    February 20, 2014 at 9:56 am

    You can’t go wrong with a classic peanut butter cookie – yum!

  • Katrina @ WVS
    February 20, 2014 at 9:57 am

    Peanut butter cookies are so good! And these sound lovely!

  • Megan @ The Skinny-Life
    February 20, 2014 at 10:25 am

    I love peanut butter, but somehow I am terrible at making PB cookies. You make it look too easy!

  • Keri
    February 20, 2014 at 10:31 am

    These look delightful! Do you think the recipe would work with an all-natural peanut butter?

    • jenna
      February 20, 2014 at 5:32 pm

      I don’t see why not!

  • Kelsey
    February 20, 2014 at 11:48 am

    Would these work with regular flour instead of bread flour??!!

    • Ella
      February 20, 2014 at 2:34 pm

      yes I was wondering this too?

  • polly
    February 20, 2014 at 11:52 am

    hi lovie!!! I just made these. For those who used regular flour… sure! I did and it works perf.

    hugs and keep that baby warm and cozy and well fed. love you, little sis.
    XOXO
    Pol

  • Michelle @ A Healthy Mrs
    February 20, 2014 at 1:46 pm

    I love a good pb cookie! I’ll have to remember this recipe for the next time I get a craving πŸ™‚

  • Coty and Mariah@quirksandtwists
    February 20, 2014 at 3:39 pm

    Happiness in a cookie!

  • Alanna
    February 20, 2014 at 6:35 pm

    These peanut butter cookies scream class. Looks so comforting right now!

  • Alexandra Aimee
    February 20, 2014 at 7:48 pm

    Peanut butter cookies are my weakness! These look amazing. Perfectly browned and crisp on the edges.

    — Alex at Cashmere Kangaroo

  • Pam
    February 20, 2014 at 9:28 pm

    Yummy in my tummy. ????

  • Pam
    February 20, 2014 at 9:29 pm

    Those question marks were a smiley face before I clicked submit. πŸ™‚

  • Mak
    February 21, 2014 at 8:34 am

    I don’t even know what to say bout these either…so simple…so good….so totally hopefully making these soon.

  • Things I’m Loving Friday! |
    February 21, 2014 at 9:11 am

    […] they are a disk of baked butter, brown sugar and peanut butter…sounds legit to me.Β  Click here to see her recipe!Β  She didn’t dip hers in dark chocolate but I think it is an okay idea […]

  • Catalina @ Baby on Board
    February 21, 2014 at 11:45 am

    These do look good, and sound comforting, too bad that I have a cold, otherwise i would’ve combined them with some vanilla ice cream!

  • Danae @ reciperunner
    February 21, 2014 at 11:45 am

    I love soft and chewy peanut butter cookies! These look heavenly!

  • Luv What You Do
    February 21, 2014 at 6:53 pm

    I love a good PB cookie! I will definitely save these for the next snowy day baking (which you know is coming soon )

  • Danielle
    February 21, 2014 at 9:01 pm

    Those look so good!

    My mom would make PB cookies like this and push a Hershey kiss on top of each while they’re still warm. And then I would reach up and grab them off of the counter while still warm.

  • Emily @ Life on Food
    February 22, 2014 at 3:40 am

    Sometimes you just need a good classic cookie. This is a winner recipe.

  • Janeanna
    February 22, 2014 at 11:48 am

    This looks so good! Do you have to use bread flour or can you substitute it for regular?

    • jenna
      February 25, 2014 at 5:05 pm

      Sure!

  • Carla
    February 22, 2014 at 3:08 pm

    Oh, gosh! Now I have the desire for a peanut butter cookie. Yum!

  • Weight loss tea
    February 23, 2014 at 6:57 pm

    They indeed mouth watering! I hope they can be a healthy snack so that I can eat them all day. πŸ™‚

  • Susan H
    February 24, 2014 at 9:42 am

    Made these yesterday with my oldest daughter. It was family dessert after Sunday dinner…a big hit! And yes, all-purpose flour works fine. Thanks for the recipe!

  • mugofcomfort
    February 25, 2014 at 6:14 am

    Best peanut butter cookie recipe ever! My husband loves peanut butter and these are now his favorite cookies! Thanks!

  • Amanda
    February 27, 2014 at 6:37 am

    My guy absolutely loves anything peanut butter. I’ll have to make him cookies soon!

  • Laura
    March 2, 2014 at 3:33 pm

    Thanks for the recipe, Jenna! I just made these, and the cookies are so fluffy and wonderful. What a great, simple recipe! I can see why they’re your favorites!

  • Kirsten @ Fit + Fab
    March 5, 2014 at 2:58 pm

    Oh how I want these now!! Yum!

  • Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies | Belle Boulevard
    March 7, 2014 at 10:02 am

    […] and these were MVP’s in my repertoire, but it had been forever when I saw this recipe on Eat Live Run. I had to have […]

  • 9.5 Months. | just becca sue...
    March 26, 2014 at 9:31 pm

    […] I’m making these because they are Nate’s favorite. Bonus: add chocolate chips. And then this for dinner. True […]