The World’s Best Easy Peanut Butter Cookies are soft and chewy, and made with just 3 ingredients: peanut butter, brown sugar and egg. Devilishly moorish, these truly taste of peanut butter and you may never forgive me for introducing this to you!
3 ingredient desserts are handy emergency recipes, like Chocolate Covered Strawberries and Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars. Everybody loves them and they’re so quick to make!
Peanut Butter Cookies
Having dictated this recipe to 3 people at the dog park in the past week, and having had all 3 approach me afterwards with varying forms of love/hate gestures (“THIS is YOUR FAULT!” one lady wailed, showing me her stomach 😉 ), I decided I had better move this up the posting schedule.
3 ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies are not a new thing, certainly not my invention. I’ve no idea how long they’ve been around for, but what I do know is that every recipe I have seen calls for peanut butter, an egg and WHITE sugar.
It is quite amazing, how much difference it makes just switching white for brown sugar. While I’d never turn down a 3 ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies made with white sugar, they are quite crumbly and crisp. The texture is not really to my taste, and I do feel it’s one of those 3 ingredient recipes where you are compromising on quality quite a bit for the sake of convenience.
But use brown sugar instead… and wow! The difference is astonishing. The cookie is soft and chewy and it has more flavour too, that slight caramel-y flavour that brown sugar has.
Here’s my attempt to capture how chewy and soft these cookies are!
How to make Peanut Butter Cookies
Mix 1 cup peanut butter (the commercial spread stuff, not pure peanut butter), 1 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, flatten 1 tbsp balls on tray, bake 10 minutes at 350F / 180C.
Yes, it’s really that easy!
And here’s a peek into the inside. It’s not dense and gluey which one might expect because they are flourless.
Peanut butter lovers, this recipe is dangerous knowledge to have, especially because it’s so ridiculously simple to remember.
1, 1, 1, 10
1 cup peanut butter.
1 cup brown sugar.
1 egg.
Bake 10 minutes.
It’s stuck in your head now, isn’t it? Go, go! Go make these now! – Nagi x
For the Peanut Butter Obsessed
Peanut Butter Caramel Pie – dangerously easy, outrageously decadent
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars – just 3 ingredients!
And for Cookie Monsters 🙋🏻♀️
Byron Bay copycat cookies – Choc Chunk, White Choc Macadamia and Chewy Choc Fudge
Watch how to make it
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World’s Best Easy Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup / 265 g peanut butter , smooth or crunchy – commercial spread, NOT pure peanut butter (I use Bega) (Note 1)
- 200 g/ 1 cup , packed, brown sugar (Note 2)
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Place ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. It will be soft, too soft for scooping. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180C / 350F (standard) or 160C/320F (fan / convection).
- Line 2 trays with parchment paper.
- Place 1 tbsp scoops of the dough onto the trays (I use a cookie scoop) 5cm/2″ apart.
- Dip a large fork in a bowl of hot tap water (stops fork sticking to dough). Press down on the dough, then press 90 degrees the other way (watch video) so the cookie is 1 cm / 2/5″ thick. Re-dip fork in water as required.
- Put both trays in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, swapping the trays halfway through, or until light golden on the surface and golden on the edges. (Or longer if you want crisper cookies)
- Leave to cool on the tray. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 – 5 days.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
He was so focussed on the peanut butter cookie in my hand, he didn’t realise I left the other half on his head when I gave him a pat….. 😂 SO MEAN!!!!
Absolutely amazing! And I sympathize with the internet connection problem! We’re in a ‘Holler’ here and it’s outrageous to spend $130 a month for non-Sprint service. GRRRRRREAT cookies 😘
Wow, That’s ridiculous!!
A M A Z I N G…!! Can’t believe I just made cookies out of only 3 ingredients. After stuffing a whole cookie into his gob, my husband turned to me a said can we do this with Nutella too?! Haha! Just like a junkie…
I’m so glad they were a hit Suna ❤️
Hi Nagi and Dozer: Flap again, from California. You are my #1 go-to guru for new and interesting meals. I rarely look anywhere else for ideas. But reading a magazine in a waiting room situation without WIFI I found this exact recipe and was hooked. HOW does this work? I had to try them and can honestly say they are ridiculously easy, even for me, a novice. I checked your site to make sure I had the right measures: Yes, no mistake. So I made a batch and was instantly surprised. I used this original recipe which called for white sugar. When I made them, they were really good, but next time I am going to use packed brown sugar. I found these pretty sweet, so I’m going to try to cut the sugar by at least 1/2. As usual, thank you for a happy culinary effort. I never would have thought of these on my own.
Hi FLAP!! I do hope you try this with brown sugar, it’s amazing what a difference it makes 🙂 Happy weekend FLAP! N x
Absolutely delicious. Never had peanut butter cookies that tasted that good! Light and crumbly. Very addictive!
Made a 1st batch your size, then 2d batch walnut size (so you feel less guilty when eating one as it’s smaller!)
Cooked at 180 fan forced for 12 minutes. Perfect!
I love hearing that! WHOOT! N x PS I do smaller sometimes too…. for the same reason….
Use the dough as a crust for a pie and fill with chocolate pie filling. A huge hit. It’s been a while, but I think I bake the crust for 15-20 minutes, allow it to cool, then fill with the cooked pudding. Of course, top with whip cream when serving!
OMG!!! You’re a GENIUS!!!!
Can these be frozen ? I’m sending them to my son and his army buddies!! Usually takes a week to get there !
I’ve had good luck freezing this recipe made with white sugar; can’t see why this one with brown sugar would be any different. I’ve had them in the freezer for up to a month, no issues.
You can easily make these vegan. All you need to do is replace the egg with a flax “egg.” 1 tbsp ground flax plus 3 tbsp water, mix and let sit in fridge for 15 minutes… it’s the equivalent of 1 egg for baking. Not only does it make the recipe cruelty free, but it makes it a lot healthier both by omitting the egg and by providing the amazing proven health benefits of flax.
Kraft isn’t a “normal” peanut butter, it’s unhealthy, highly processed and it likely contains palm oil which is one of the most unsustainable products, very unhealthy and a product of severe cruelty to wildlife and indigenous humans. There is zero need to add oil to peanut butter, it already has its own oils. The ONLY reason they add oils (and often hydrogenated at that) is so that you don’t have to stir it… that’s it. Using REAL peanut butter will not making those come out doughy.
This is a pretty common recipe and I’ve done it numerous times. I use a flax egg, natural and unsalted peanut butter, and I use coconut sugar as it tastes so similar to brown sugar but doesn’t spike blood sugar as much in my experience and from my understanding.
And I have to comment on the dog photo… what a precious little guy!
If we all switch to coconut sugar it will need to be farmed in the same way as palm oil 🤷♀️. Just something to keep in mind.
You can also replace the egg with golden syrup
This is such helpful information ,thank you so much for sharing Tsianina! Wow, that’s amazing that it works using ground flax! N xx
No prob! 🙂 I also add a bit of maple syrup to mine since the coconut sugar isn’t as sweet, and it gives it this amazing chewy consistency and flavor. Thought I’d mention it in case anyone ex wanted to try it. (Has to be naked a bit longer though cause the syrup makes it softer, but it does harden when you bake it longer)
No prob! 🙂 I also add a bit of maple syrup to mine since the coconut sugar isn’t as sweet, and it gives it this amazing chewy consistency and flavor. Thought I’d mention it in case anyone else wanted to try it. (Has to be baked a bit longer though cause the syrup makes it softer, but it does harden when you bake it longer)
I made these yesterday. I scooped them, rolled in sugar and cross hatched with fork . If fork was sticking- I dipped it in sugar first.
The color was beautiful, but too sweet.
I used chunk peanut butter.
I will try your recipe next time! Thanks for making me smile with your fun comments. 🙂
Hope you do try this Tricia! It’s so good! 🙂 N xx
I just made these and they were so simple to make, I won’t be using any recipe other than this for my Peanut Butter Cookies ever again!
That’s so terrific to hear Sam! Thank you for letting me know – N x 💓
Making these awesome looking cookies now ! And thank you for the great recipes
Hope you love them! And to be honest – I WANT ONE!
This is the recipe I use to make peanut butter blossoms. Don’t press the cookie with a fork, roll the dough ball in sugar and bake. Press a hershey kiss in the cookie when done. They remain soft for days. Can also use minature peanut butter cups or rolos.
That’s so great to hear Sara! I’m so pleased you enjoyed this, thanks for taking the time to let me know! N x
I am so happy I found this recipe. I reposted a recipe but couldn’t find it so I am going to use this. Although I am not going to make them for a few more days since we have people coming over for Thanksgiving and I don’t want them to all be gone by then. I will post when I make them because I am going to add hershey kisses in the middle to add something extra for the kiddos. Wish me Luck <3
You don’t need luck! You’re going to nail it!
Hi Nagi,
I made these together with my 9 year old boy and they turned out GREAT.
The only catch is….. we’re all now addicted to them 😂
Thanks for sharing the recipe!!
PS what are your thoughts on adding chocolate chips?
YES to chocolate chips!!!
i do mine with chocolate chips, white choc chips and reeses pieces lol have always used granulated sugar but will be trying the brown in about 11 minutes. I also do not press them down, i just spray two spoons with cooking spray and dip a teaspoon full with one then use the other to slide it onto the pan. They are just sort of like little lumps of dough and they will flatten some as they cook, turn out so much moister than when you flatten. Almost like it completely changes the texture into a softer, chewier cookie than when flattened. Again this is all based on white sugar.
Oi! That’s a terrific tip, I will try it! 🙂 N x
I used Trader Joe’s crunchy peanut butter because that was all I had. I was worried after I read that you should not use peanut butter with no oil (it’s just peanuts and salt). It turned out great!
it’s a little sweet for me though. I wish I could use less sugar.
I’m so pleased to hear that Gail! Thanks for letting me know! N xx ❤️
Can this recipe be used to make cookie bars?
What a great idea!!
Hi again Nagi!
I told you I would come back and give my feedback after I make these cookies!
Well I just posted the pictures on my blog. These are the first peanut butter cookies I ever made in my whole entire life! 😀 And they are great! My family loved them: so easy, tasty and fast!
Thanks Nagi! ❤️
I’m popping over to have a look right now!!
I love the peanut butter cookies. Thank you so much I love your recipes.❤️
That’s terrific to hear Tina! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review – N x
We (my husband & I) love love love all your recipes! Thank you for “feeding” us!
You’re most welcome Linda! I’m so pleased you like my recipes! N xx
I backed 14 cookies this afternoon with Kirkland almond butter. Followed the directions and the dough was so good…..however they did not seem to be ready after 10 minutes. I baked them 3 -4 minutes more and tasted good but still very crumbly! So I ate the broken one. I could not press with a fork even after I put the dough in the refrigerator over night. I did it when I took the cookies out at 10 minutes. Any recommendations for the next time I bake them?
Hi Donna, I’m sorry to say I don’t know if these work with almond butter. Sorry!