Best Peanut Butter Cookies

Say hello to the best peanut butter cookies out there. These guys have chewy middles, crumbly edges, and a fantastic nutty flavor. P.S. They're vegan too!

As soon as I tried these peanut butter cookies, I exclaimed, “They taste like Nutter Butters!” I meant it in the best way. They have a delicious crumbly texture with slightly chewy middles, and they’re bursting with sweet, peanut-y flavor. For me, they’re the perfect peanut butter cookies. If you need a second opinion, talk to Jack. I’ve made over six batches of different variations of this peanut butter cookie recipe in the last two weeks, and they’ve all disappeared. Suffice it to say, we’re hooked.

Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe Ingredients

For years, I’ve been making peanut butter cookies without flour, but this fall, I wanted to develop a vegan peanut butter cookie recipe to share with you all. Instead of trying to make flourless cookies without eggs, I made this recipe more traditional, adding flour, baking powder, and baking soda. The crumbly, melt-in-your mouth texture these ingredients added totally delighted me, and I think you’ll love it too. Here’s what else is in them:

• Natural peanut butter, of course! I haven’t tested this recipe with crunchy peanut butter, so be sure to use creamy peanut butter for the best results.
• Ground flaxseed – I used flax as a binder instead of an egg.
• Brown sugar and cane sugar – This combination creates the perfect complex, sweet flavor.
• Coconut oil – Make sure your coconut oil is softened, but not melted. It should still have a white, creamy appearance, but it should mix seamlessly into the wet ingredients. You don’t want any chunks!
• Vanilla extract – Just a splash adds essential depth of flavor.
• And sea salt – Don’t leave it out! A pinch of salt really makes the peanut butter flavor pop.

How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies

Ready to make these easy peanut butter cookies? Here’s what you need to do:

First, make your flax egg. Combine the flax and water and set it aside for 5 minutes to thicken.

Then, whisk together the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients in separate bowls. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until everything is well combined. The dough will be very thick!

Next, it’s time to chill. Pop the cookie dough in the fridge for 30 minutes, and preheat the oven to 350.

When the dough is chilled, you can bake! Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the dough and roll it into balls. Press the dough balls down gently with your hands before using a fork to give them the signature peanut butter cookie criss cross pattern. Bake the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 12 minutes. They will still be fragile at this point, so allow them to rest for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Finally, eat! 🙂

My Best Peanut Butter Cookies Tips

• Use runny peanut butter. Look for natural peanut butter with a smooth consistency to make this recipe, not the dry, stiff stuff that you might find at the bottom of a jar. Even when your nut butter is runny, this recipe makes a stiff cookie dough. If your peanut butter is too dry, the dough may crack, and it will be difficult to form cohesive cookies. Tip: If you store your peanut butter in the fridge, allow it to sit at room temperature for an hour before making this recipe.
• Chill the dough! It may be tempting to skip this step, but as I tested this recipe, I found that chilled dough really made the best peanut butter cookies. Chilling prevents them from spreading as they bake, and they come out with a clearer criss cross pattern.
• Leave them on the baking sheet for a few minutes to cool. Like many vegan cookie recipes, these peanut butter cookies require a few minutes to set up once they’re out of the oven. Before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely (or devouring them right away!), leave them on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to firm up. It’s a win-win: their flavor also improves as they cool!

More Favorite Cookie Recipes

If you love this peanut butter cookie recipe, try any of these favorite cookie recipes next:

• Perfect Oatmeal Cookies
• Sugar Cookies
• No Bake Cookies
• Lemon Cookies
• Vegan Sugar Cookies
• Pumpkin Cookies with Chocolate Chips
• Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
• Lemon Thyme Shortbread Cookies
• Orange Zest Shortbread Cookies

Best Peanut Butter Cookies

rate this recipe:

4.71 from 34 votes

Prep Time: 40 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 50 minutes mins

Serves 20

Pin Recipe Print Recipe

You'll love these easy peanut butter cookies! They have a delicious nutty flavor and crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour,

  spooned and leveled

• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup coconut oil, soft but not melted
• ½ cup cane sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¾ cup creamy natural peanut butter*, see note
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl, combine the flaxseed and water and set aside to thicken for 5 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• In a large bowl, combine the coconut oil, cane sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla. Stir in the flaxseed mixture and mix well.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Chill dough for 30 minutes.
• Scoop dough using a 2-inch cookie scoop and roll into balls with your hands. The dough should be on the dry side. If it’s too dry and crumbly to work with, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it comes together. Flatten slightly and place on the baking sheet. Use a fork to make cross-hatch marks. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Notes

*Look for creamy peanut butter with a smooth consistency to make this recipe, not the dry, stiff stuff that you might find at the bottom of a jar. Even when your nut butter is runny, this recipe makes a stiff cookie dough. If your peanut butter is too dry, the dough may crack, and it will be difficult to form cohesive cookies. This recipe was tested with 365 organic no-stir creamy peanut butter and 365 natural creamy peanut butter.

Tip: If you store your peanut butter in the fridge, allow it to sit at room temperature for an hour before making this recipe.