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Home » Recipes » Shaped Cookies

Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies

Published: Jan 12, 2023 Last Updated: Jan 12, 2023 by Marye 1850 words. | About 10 minutes to read this article.

If you're looking for the perfect peanut butter cookie you've found it. Chewy, crispy, salty, sweet - these old fashioned cookies come out perfectly every time. Use a shorter baking time for chewier cookies and a longer baking time for crunchier cookies.
Total time 20 minutes
Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
Peanut butter cookies in blue bowl with text overlay for Pinterest.

Next time try these Oh Henry Bars. They're some of my favorite bar cookies!

Peanut butter cookies in a blue bowl with title text.
Jump to:
  • ❤️ Why you'll love it
  • 🧾 Ingredients
  • 🥫 Storage
  • 💭 Tips
  • 👩‍🍳 FAQs
  • 🍴 Why Do Peanut Butter Cookies Have Fork Marks?
  • 📚 Related recipes
  • 🥄 Restless Chipotle recommends
  • 📞 The last word
  • Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies
  • 💬 Comments

❤️ Why you'll love it

  • If you're looking for a classic peanut butter cookie you'll love these.
  • Perfect crispy edges and chewy middles.
  • Easy recipe.

In the cookie wars I really can't give you my favorite but I can tell you that perfect old fashioned peanut butter cookies, crispy around the edges and chewy in the middle, is at the top of my cookie list!

There is something about the sweet, saltiness of thick peanut butter cookies that is addictive.

🧾 Ingredients

This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.

The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

🥫 Storage

Store these cookies in an airtight container or cookie tin. No need to refrigerate - they'll be fine at room temperature for a week or more.

You can also freeze the cookies, baked or unbaked for up to 3 months.

Unbaked: Roll the dough in balls, place on a cookie sheet, and flash freeze. Put the frozen cookie dough balls in a freezer container. When ready to bake just put the cookie dough balls on cookie sheets and allow to thaw - then follow the instructions for shaping and baking.

Baked: Place the cooking in layers in a freezer container with parchment paper between the layers.

💭 Tips

Expert Tip: For the best peanut butter cookies refrigerate the dough for an hour before forming the cookies and baking. I think it gives the dough a chance to develop the full flavor and have a better texture.

This classic recipe has been time tested but I've made a few adjustments. Here are tips for perfect homemade peanut butter cookies.

  • I use a combination of creamy and crunchy peanut butter because I like the texture. If you prefer to use all creamy or all crunchy that's fine.
  • Even an extra minute in the oven will change the chewy texture of these cookies so watch your time carefully.
  • Commercial peanut butter works best. Homemade and natural peanut butter doesn't mix in as well and the texture isn't as chewy.
  • The honey is an important part of these cookies. It gives them flavor and helps the texture. Use a strong honey like buckwheat honey so that it doesn't get lost in the peanut butter flavor.
  • Dip the fork in flour before pressing in the dough or it will stick.
  • Use a shorter baking time for chewy cookies but be sure to let them cool when you take them out of the over or they will fall apart on you.
  • Use a longer baking time for crispy crunchy peanut butter cookies.
  • I like to make these peanut butter cookies a little bigger than normal and make ice cream sandwiches with them in the summer. Softer cookies are better for this than crispy ones.
  • Make them extra special by dipping half the cookie in melted chocolate then sprinkling with chopped peanuts.

👩‍🍳 FAQs

Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.

How do you know when peanut butter cookies are done?

Peanut butter cookies are done when the edges are light brown. If you take them out when the middle is still soft and let them cool you'll have chewy peanut butter cookies and if you take them out when the middle is firm then it will cool to a crunchy cookie.
The trick is to experiment to see the exact moment that a homemade peanut butter cookie is the perfect texture for you!

How long do homemade peanut butter cookies last?

If you store the cookies in a covered container they will last about 2 weeks if the kids don't find them.

Is it better to freeze cookie dough or baked cookies?

This peanut butter cookie dough freezes well baked or unbaked. Personally I prefer to freeze it unbaked. I use parchment paper on a baking sheet, form the cookies as if I was baking, and then put them in the freezer.
When they're frozen I put them into a freezer bag. When it's time to bake just lay them right on the silpat lined cookie sheet and bake. The house smells great, the cookies taste fresh, and there's no mess to clean up.

Should you chill cookie dough before baking?

If you chill the cookies before baking they will spread less. I've never had a problem with this recipe spreading too much but if you do try chilling them for 15 minutes or so before you put them in the oven.

🍴 Why Do Peanut Butter Cookies Have Fork Marks?

I have heard a lot of ideas about why the cookies have that classic crisscross pattern. No one really seems to know for sure.

The reason that makes the most sense as far as I am concerned is that it makes them have a better texture.

I wanted to see if it was true so I baked half of this batch of dough with the traditional criss-cross pattern and the other half just rolled in sugar and placed on the baking sheet.

closeup of peanut butter cookies comparing the one with ridges and the one without.

As you can see, the plain ones came out looking something like a gingersnap.

They were softer and cakier than the  ridged ones. Oddly enough, and it could just be my imagination, I thought they lacked flavor.

The ridged ones were exactly how I like peanut butter cookies — delicately crispy around the edges and chewy in the middle.

I have my answer. For me, it's the ridged old fashioned peanut butter cookies all the way.

closeup of peanut butter cookies in a blue bowl.

📚 Related recipes

I love cookies and bars of all kinds! Here are some of my favorite here on Restless Chipotle.

  • Butterscotch Buckaroons are chewy and soft with crisp edges that crumble a little with each nibble. Each bite is a new flavor combination of buttery pecans, sweet toffee, and rich butterscotch chips. They are a lunchbox favorite… if they last long enough to make it to school.
  • Fluffer Nutter Whoopie Pies are giant cookies that are not only the size of a kiddo’s face but they are a delicious combination of peanut butter and marshmallow.
  • Classic Oatmeal Cookies are the Quaker back of the box classic everyone remembers from when they were kids. It's an old recipe but oh-so-good!
  • Chocolate Chip Cookies are chewy on the inside with crisp golden brown edges. Pecans add crunch and flavor to these old-fashioned favorites.
  • Brownies are the best in the world if you love dark chocolate, fudgy and chewy brownies that have that addictive, crackly top. I’ve added plenty of toasted pecans and bittersweet chocolate chips to give these old fashioned bar cookies a little extra pizzazz. They’re so quick and easy that you’ll never use a mix again.
  • Old Fashioned Snickerdoodle Cookies
  • Lemon Snaps: Crispy Lemon Cookies
  • Peanut Butter Molasses Crinkle Cookies
  • Peanut Butter Rolo Cookies

What’s new? Check out my Restless Chipotle & Co. Store on Amazon where you'll find all kinds of nostalgic goodness!  Thanks so much for being a part of Restless Chipotle!

🥄 Restless Chipotle recommends

The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

You'll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.

I don't know about you but I love my silicone baking mats. No need to grease pans and my cookies sheets last longer -- plus no more burnt bottoms or stuck on cookies!

Another tool that comes in handy when you're making cookies is a cookie scoop. It allows you to create uniform sized cookies so that they are all done at the same time.

Goodbye over baked little cookies next to half raw big cookies! Makes it super easy for the kids to help, too.

  • butter
  • creamy peanut butter
  • crunchy peanut butter
  • sugar
  • dark brown sugar
  • egg
  • honey
  • vanilla
  • all-purpose flour
  • baking soda
  • baking powder
  •  salt

📞 The last word

There's absolutely nothing like a perfectly baked peanut butter cookie (or two) and a glass of ice cold milk.

This old-fashioned peanut butter cookie recipe is about to be your favorite! Click over to these peanut butter molasses cookies for another yummy version.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Peanut butter cookies in a bowl showing texture of the cookies.
4.67 from 39 votes

Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies

Print Pin Recipe Save Go to Collections
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If you're looking for the perfect peanut butter cookie you've found it. Chewy, crispy, salty, sweet - these old fashioned cookies come out perfectly every time. Use a shorter baking time for chewier cookies and a longer baking time for crunchier cookies.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Amercian Heritage
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Cooling Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings:48
Calories:84
Author:Marye Audet-White
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment Needed

  • Stand mixer
  • Baking Sheet

Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • ½ cup crunchy peanut butter
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ½ cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon honey, a strongly flavored honey like buckwheat is best
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

I earn a commission from Instacart from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F.
  • Blend flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside
  • Beat together room temperature butter and peanut butters until well combined.
  • Add sugars and beat until fluffy.
  • Add egg, honey, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
  • Add flour mixture and mix just until blended.
  • Roll balls of dough in white sugar before placing on an ungreased baking sheet.
  • Make the criss-cross pattern with tines of fork.
  • Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Bake longer for crunchier cookies, shorter time for chewier.
  • Do not over bake.
  • Cool on a wire rack. Cookies should be a little soft in the center and will firm up as they cool so they have that chewy texture with crispy edges.

Notes

This classic recipe has been time tested but I've made a few adjustments. Here are tips for perfect homemade peanut butter cookies.
  • I use a combination of creamy and crunchy peanut butter because I like the texture. If you prefer to use all creamy or all crunchy that's fine.
  • The honey is an important part of these cookies. It gives them flavor and helps the texture. Use a strong honey like buckwheat honey so that it doesn't get lost in the peanut butter flavor.
  • Dip the fork in flour before pressing in the dough or it will stick.
  • Use a shorter baking time for chewy cookies but be sure to let them cool when you take them out of the over or they will fall apart on you.
  • Use a longer baking time for crispy cookies.
  • I like to make these peanut butter cookies a little bigger than normal and make ice cream sandwiches with them in the summer.
  • Make them extra special by dipping half the cookie in melted chocolate then sprinkling with chopped peanuts.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 73mg | Potassium: 47mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 64IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

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    First published September 17, 2014. Last updated February 22, 2022 for editorial changes and structure.

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    About Marye

    With a 40 year focus on the importance of family and a passion for southern comfort food, Marye Audet-White is an expert in melding the two together effortlessly. Marye's a NY Times Bestselling author with 10 cookbooks under her belt and her recipes have been featured in Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Today, House Beautiful, Texas Living, Food & Wine, and many more.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. anne

      March 09, 2021 at 2:24 pm

      5 stars
      I made this exactly as printed. Only change was I didn't roll them in sugar. Turned out great. Love the honey addition. Thanks, Marye.

      Reply
    2. Kimberly

      June 06, 2019 at 2:58 pm

      5 stars
      I made these replacing 1/2 the butter with shortening. This is the perfect cookie for a good chewy texture and crispy edges. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Marye

        June 07, 2019 at 6:28 pm

        So glad you liked them!

    3. Hilary

      December 23, 2018 at 6:26 pm

      5 stars
      These are perfect!! I made them with 100% whole grain einkorn flour from a company called Grain. Otherwise followed the recipe exactly. I rolled and forked the raw cookies then put them in the freezer, as we are just two people. Each time we baked up a couple it was absolute perfection!!

      Reply
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