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These old-fashioned crunchy peanut butter cookies are delicious and crumbly at the edges, made with crunchy peanut butter for extra texture in the middle!
Love peanut butter cookies? Try my easy no bake peanut butter cookies and these soft and chewy chocolate peanut butter cookies, next! You might also like these easy, fudgy peanut butter bars.
These cookies are thinner and crispier than my peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, made with crunchy peanut butter. They’re filled with delicious bites of crushed peanuts and they’re SO easy to make. Of course, if you prefer making peanut butter cookies with smooth peanut butter, that’ll work in this recipe, too. Enjoy these soft, buttery, crunchy peanut butter cookies with a glass of milk ASAP. You won’t be disappointed.
Why I Love These Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies
- No chilling. Just mix, scoop, and bake the cookie dough without chilling it in the fridge beforehand.
- Delicious and buttery texture. These cookies have crispy edges and buttery, crunchy middles bursting with peanut butter flavor. I roll the cookie dough in sugar for a sparkly finish.
- Make-ahead friendly. Even though refrigerating the dough isn’t necessary, you can prepare the cookie dough in advance and keep it in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to bake.
- Adaptable. You can make these peanut butter cookies with crunchy OR creamy peanut butter. The recipe is very flexible. Add chocolate chips for extra indulgent cookies!
What You’ll Need
Here are some quick notes on the ingredients you’ll need to make irresistible peanut butter cookies with crunchy peanut butter. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for a printable list with the full recipe amounts.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted butter, whichever you prefer.
- Sugar – I like to use a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar. Brown sugar adds extra moisture to these peanut butter cookies, the same as it does in chewy chocolate chip cookies.
- Crunchy Peanut Butter – I highly recommend that you stick with shelf-stable crunchy (or creamy) peanut butter, like Jif. Avoid natural peanut butter since the oil tends to separate. Save your homemade peanut butter for smoothies and stir-fries!
- Egg and Vanilla – For the best flavor, use real vanilla extract.
- Flour and Baking Soda – All-purpose flour works perfectly here. Remember to check the best-before date on your baking soda to make sure it’s not expired.
How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies
I love simple, no-chill cookie dough recipes. They can go straight into the oven right after you drop them onto the baking sheet! Here’s how to make these easy peanut butter cookies in just a few minutes. Scroll down to the recipe card for printable instructions.
- Make the cookie dough. Start by creaming together both sugars with peanut butter, egg, and vanilla. Add the flour and baking soda, and mix to form the dough.
- Portion the cookies. Next, use a spoon or cookie scoop to portion out balls of cookie dough. Roll each dough ball in sugar and place them onto a baking sheet. Use your fingers or a fork to press down gently on the cookies.
- Bake! Bake the peanut butter cookies at 350ºF for 10-11 minutes. Afterward, cool the cookies on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack.
Tips and Variations
- Don’t overmix the cookie dough. Overmixing the dough leads to tough, dense cookies that won’t puff up nicely in the oven.
- Try not to overbake. Pull your crunchy peanut butter cookies from the oven when they’re just set and golden at the edges. Overbaking will result in dry, crumbly cookies.
- Make a criss-cross pattern. Use the tines of a fork to give these peanut butter cookies that classic, signature criss-cross on top. Otherwise, you can flatten them gently using your hands.
- Add chocolate. Fold semisweet chocolate chips or peanut butter chips into the cookie dough. You can also drizzle the tops of the baked cookies with melted chocolate.
