Peanut Butter Cookie

Name: Classic American Peanut Butter Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 24 cookies
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 225 g (1 cup) creamy peanut butter; 113 g (½ cup (1 stick)) unsalted butter; 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar; 150 g (¾ cup) packed light brown sugar; 1 large egg; 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract; 6 g (1½ tsp) baking soda; 2 g (½ tsp) fine sea salt; 30 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar

★ 4.0

Last updated Aug 13, 2026 · Reviewed by the WhatWhereVacay editorial team

Peanut Butter Cookie counts among the traditional food of the United States, a cookie locals hold dear.

About Peanut Butter Cookie

Peanut Butter Cookie counts among the traditional food of the United States, a cookie locals hold dear. Traditionally it features butter and peanut.

🏛️ History & Culture

The peanut butter cookie is a distinctly American creation, emerging in the early 20th century as peanut butter became a widely available pantry staple. Its origins are debated, with some crediting early peanut butter advocates like George Washington Carver, who published recipes using the ingredient, while others point to home cooks who adapted traditional sugar cookies. The signature crosshatch pattern, made by pressing a fork into the dough, became a defining feature by the 1930s, though its exact inventor remains unknown.

Regional variations are subtle but real: some recipes replace butter with shortening for a crumblier texture, while others add chocolate chips or a peanut butter frosting for a sweeter finish. Across the United States, the cookie is a nostalgic favorite, often tied to school lunches, holiday baking, and family gatherings. Its cultural significance lies in its simplicity—a humble, peanut-forward treat that celebrates an American pantry icon, though it has not achieved the same international fame as chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin cookies.

🍳 How to make Peanut Butter Cookie

AI-assisted, not kitchen-tested

Classic American Peanut Butter Cookies

A hallmark of American home baking, these peanut butter cookies are soft in the middle with gently crisped edges and the signature crisscross fork marks pressed into the top.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 12 min
Total: 27 min
Serves: 24 cookies
Difficulty: Easy

Recipe ingredients

225 g (1 cup) creamy peanut butter, conventional processed American-style (e.g. Skippy or Jif); natural peanut butter will produce a drier, crumblier cookie
113 g (½ cup (1 stick)) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
150 g (¾ cup) packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
6 g (1½ tsp) baking soda
2 g (½ tsp) fine sea salt
30 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar, for rolling the dough balls; gives the classic crackled, sugary crust

Steps

1 Preheat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2 In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, creamy peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3 Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined, scraping down the bowl once.
4 Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the surface and mix on low just until incorporated.
5 Put the 30 g (¼ cup) rolling sugar into a small shallow bowl.
6 Scoop the dough into roughly 25 g (about 1 heaping tablespoon) balls, roll each one between your palms to smooth, then roll in the sugar to coat.
7 Place the dough balls about 5 cm (2 in) apart on the prepared sheets.
8 Press each ball flat to about 1 cm (⅜ in) thick using the tines of a fork, first one direction, then again perpendicular to make the traditional crisscross pattern.
9 Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are just set and lightly golden but the centers still look slightly underdone. The cookies will continue to set on the hot sheet out of the oven.
10 Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.
11 Doneness cue: edges pale golden and firm to a light touch; centers should be soft and just barely puffed. If the tops look wet or glossy, give them another 1 to 2 minutes.
12 Storage: keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; the cookies soften further as they rest.

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🧺 Key ingredients

butter
peanut

🍴 Where to eat it

In the backyards of summer cookouts across the Midwest, kids grab crisscrossed peanut butter cookies from cooling racks before their mothers can arrange them on picnic tables.

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