Easy Thick Peanut Butter Cookies

When I bake my Thick Peanut Butter Cookies, the heavenly scent takes me straight back to my grandmother’s kitchen.

I love how these Thick Peanut Butter Cookies have those perfect soft centers with just-crisp-enough edges – my ultimate texture combination.

I’ve never found a candle that captures the genuine warmth of fresh-baked peanut butter cookies. After years of tweaking, this recipe has become my signature – requested at every family gathering and midnight snack raid.

The classic fork marks aren’t just for show; I’ve found they create that perfect texture contrast that makes these cookies truly special.

What Makes These Peanut Butter Cookies Special

These cookies achieve that rare balance between effortless preparation and remarkable taste. Using everyday pantry ingredients, you’ll create something that tastes professionally crafted.

The versatility shines through in countless variations—add chocolate chips, press in candies, or create jam-filled sandwich cookies.

The true magic? This recipe welcomes bakers of all experience levels. My 12-year-old daughter made her first solo batch with stunning results—the ultimate testimony to a truly reliable family recipe!

If you’re enjoying this Thick Peanut Butter Cookie recipe, I think you’ll also love my Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe and Chocolate Chip Cookie Bark — they’re both cozy kitchen favorites in my home!

Ingredients You Need for Thick Peanut Butter Cookies

• 3/4 cup (185g) creamy peanut butter (either traditional or natural varieties work)
• 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar (plus extra for rolling)
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups (170g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

The peanut butter is truly the star here! While I find traditional brands create a more cohesive cookie, I’ve had great success with natural peanut butter too—I just expect a slightly more rustic, crumbly texture.

For an interesting twist, I sometimes substitute 1/4 cup of the creamy peanut butter with crunchy for added dimension.

How to Make Thick Peanut Butter Cookies

1. Prepare your workspace: Before I begin, I bring my butter and egg to room temperature. This ensures proper incorporation and the best cookie texture.
2. Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, I whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. I set this aside.
3. Cream the fats and sugars: In a large bowl, I beat butter for about 1 minute until creamy. I add brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar, then beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
4. Add wet ingredients: I beat in the egg until fully incorporated. Then I add peanut butter and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth and creamy.
5. Combine wet and dry: I gradually add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture, beating on low speed until just combined. The dough will be very soft and somewhat sticky.
6. Chill the dough: This step is absolutely crucial! I cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours (or overnight for convenience). The dough is too soft to work with otherwise.
7. Prepare for baking: When I’m ready to bake, I preheat my oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
8. Shape the cookies: I pour remaining granulated sugar in a small bowl. Then I scoop chilled dough (about 1 tablespoon per cookie) and roll into balls. I roll each ball in sugar for a sparkly finish.
9. Create the classic pattern: I place dough balls on baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Using a fork, I create the traditional crosshatch pattern, gently pressing down. After flattening, I reshape the edges slightly with my fingers to maintain thickness.

Bake to perfection: I bake for 11-12 minutes until edges are set and just barely turning golden. The centers will still look very soft – that’s exactly what I want!

Cool properly: I allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips for the Best Thick Peanut Butter Cookies

Chilling the dough isn’t optional! This cookie dough is uniquely soft thanks to the high peanut butter ratio. The cold dough ensures my cookies maintain their shape and thickness during baking instead of spreading too thin.

I always use room temperature ingredients for a better-textured cookie. For extra soft peanut butter cookies, I’m careful not to overbake—I remove them from the oven when they still look slightly underdone in the centers.

I use a cookie scoop for uniform sizing. When making the crosshatch pattern, I dip my fork in sugar between presses to prevent sticking.

If my first batch spreads too much, I return the remaining dough to the refrigerator—it likely warmed up too much while waiting.

My cookies stay fresh for up to a week in an airtight container, but they rarely last that long in our home! For fun variations, I sometimes press chocolate candies into the centers right after baking.

Can I use natural peanut butter for these cookies?

Absolutely! While commercial brands like Jif or Skippy create a more cohesive cookie, natural peanut butter works beautifully too.

If using natural peanut butter, I make sure it’s well-stirred and at room temperature. In my experience, you’ll get a slightly more rustic, crumbly texture that’s equally delicious.

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Why do I need to chill the dough?

The high peanut butter content creates an exceptionally soft dough that’s difficult to handle and would spread too much if baked immediately.

I’ve learned that chilling firms up the fats and allows the flour to hydrate, resulting in thicker, more flavorful cookies with better texture.

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Can I add mix-ins to this cookie dough?

Definitely! I find this versatile dough welcomes about 1 cup of additions. I’ve tried chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, chopped peanuts, and even small candy pieces.

When I add mix-ins, I usually skip the fork crosshatch pattern and simply flatten the dough balls slightly with my palm.

I always like having a printed copy on hand—maybe you do too?

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How can I tell when these cookies are properly baked?

My key to perfect texture is slightly underbaking. I look for set edges with just a hint of golden color, while the centers still appear soft and slightly puffy.

I’ve found they’ll continue cooking from residual heat on the baking sheet, so I resist the urge to bake until they look completely done.

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Can I freeze this cookie dough?

This dough freezes beautifully! I roll it into balls, freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months.

When I’m ready to bake, I thaw the dough balls for 30 minutes, roll in sugar, create the crosshatch pattern, and bake as directed, adding an extra minute to the bake time.

Serving Suggestions

These Thick Peanut Butter Cookies are my go-to for an after-school snack, and I always serve them with tall glasses of cold milk—the classic pairing that never disappoints.

For an extraordinary treat, I sandwich vanilla or chocolate ice cream between two cookies and freeze for homemade ice cream sandwiches that impress everyone.

During holiday gatherings, I arrange these on cookie platters alongside chocolate options for beautiful color contrast.

For casual family movie nights, we sometimes crumble them over bowls of vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of chocolate sauce.

And yes, I’ve been known to serve these with coffee for breakfast on special occasions—sometimes life calls for a little cookie joy first thing in the morning!