Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 09/29/20
Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies, glass of milk

The Spruce / Emily Baker
Prep: 12 mins
Cook: 7 mins
Total: 19 mins
Servings: 36 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
87 Calories
5g Fat
10g Carbs
2g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 36
Amount per serving
Calories 87
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 25mg 8%
Sodium 137mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Protein 2g
Calcium 18mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

These peanut butter cookies are made with chunky peanut butter. The cookies are soft and chewy peanut butter cookies with the signature ridges made with the tines of a fork.

The cookies in the photo were made with this recipe, but I used creamy peanut butter.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more for dusting
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine
  • 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups (6 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to  400 F (200 C/Gas 6). 

    Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies ingredients, peanut butter, sugar, flour, butter, egg, vanilla, baking soda, salt

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  2. In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, or in a stand mixer, cream the white and brown sugars with the butter and crunchy peanut butter until light and fluffy.

    sugar, butter and peanut butter creamed together in a large glass bowl

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  3. Beat the egg and vanilla into peanut butter mixture until smooth and well blended.

    eggs in the creamed peanut butter and butter mixture

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda.

    flour, salt and baking soda in a large glass bowl

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  5. Blend flour mixture into creamed ingredients gradually.

    flour mixture and creamed peanut butter mixture combined together in a large glass bowl

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  6. Using lightly floured hands, shape the peanut butter cookie dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on Parchment paper-lined (or ungreased) cookie sheets. 

    cookie dough balls on a metal cooking sheet

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  7. Dip a fork in flour and press it into the balls of dough, making a criss-cross design and flattening the cookies slightly. Dip the fork in the flour after each press. Dust each cookie with additional granulated sugar, if desired.

    cookie dough balls pressed with fork

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  8. Bake in the preheated oven for about 7 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned around edges.

    baked Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies on a sheet pan

    The Spruce / Emily Baker