Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies in 20 Minutes

I firmly believe that everyone deserves a perfect cookie recipe in their repertoire. And when it comes to classic comfort, nothing beats the nostalgic power of peanut butter cookies. My peanut butter cookies recipe delivers a soft, chewy center, beautifully defined crisscross marks, and that intensely nutty flavor we all crave. This isn’t just a basic cookie; it’s a nostalgic bite of perfection that is naturally gluten-free (if you skip the flour) and incredibly quick to whip up. Whether you are baking for a holiday swap, a weeknight treat, or just a simple craving, this recipe is a guaranteed winner.

Prepping for Speed

Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Soukayna

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

24

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

150

kcal

This easy, one-bowl peanut butter cookies recipe results in thick, soft, and perfectly chewy cookies with that iconic crisscross pattern. They are a timeless family favorite.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

• 1 cup creamy commercial peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy)

• 1 cup brown sugar, packed

• 0.5 cup granulated white sugar

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1.75 cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free oat flour)

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 0.5 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for rolling)

Directions

• Cream the Fats and Sugars Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Add Wet Ingredients Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract.
• Mix the Dry Ingredients In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix the peanut butter cookies dough.
• Roll, Crisscross, and Bake Roll the dough into 1.5-inch balls. Roll each ball in the small bowl of granulated sugar. Place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Use a fork to press a crisscross pattern onto each ball, flattening the cookies to about 0.5 inch thickness.
• Bake and Cool Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. They should look set around the edges but slightly soft in the middle. Let the peanut butter cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

• Peanut Butter Type: Always use commercial, stabilized peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy). Natural, oil-separated peanut butter will make the cookies greasy and flat.
• Dough Chilling: Chilling the dough is optional for this recipe, but if your kitchen is warm, chill the dough for 30 minutes to prevent excess spreading.
• Altitude Adjustment: At high altitudes, consider adding an extra tablespoon of flour to the recipe to help stabilize the cookies during baking.

Nutrition Facts

• Fat: 9g
• Sodium: 100mg
• Carbohydrates: 15g
• Protein: 4g

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Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe Card

The beauty of this peanut butter cookies recipe is that it requires very little chilling, but having a few things prepped ensures a truly fast bake.

• Soften the Butter: Ensure your butter is softened to room temperature. This is the single most important step for proper creaming. If it’s too cold, it won’t incorporate enough air; if it’s melted, the cookies will spread.
• Measure Dry Ingredients: Measure your flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk them together in a small bowl so they are ready to be added in one step.
• Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven 15 minutes before you plan to bake. This ensures the temperature is stable.

Why This Batch is Superior

This specific peanut butter cookies recipe is superior because it balances texture and flavor perfectly. Many peanut butter cookies end up too dry or crumbly. We counter this by using a high ratio of brown sugar to white sugar, which locks in moisture and creates that coveted chewy center.

Crucially, we use commercial-style creamy peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy). While I love natural peanut butter for sandwiches, its high oil content and lack of stabilizers make it unpredictable for baking, often resulting in flat, greasy cookies. This recipe is designed to work with stable peanut butter for consistent results every time.

It is also incredibly versatile for different dietary needs:

• Gluten-Free: This recipe is easily made gluten-free by swapping the small amount of flour for an equal amount of certified gluten-free oat flour.
• Dairy-Free: As long as your butter is swapped for a quality plant-based butter stick, the recipe remains completely dairy-free.

To understand why this works, it helps to know how fats interact with sugar. Learn about the creaming method and fat stability to elevate all your baking.

Chef’s Secrets for Crisscross Perfection

Achieving the perfect, thick peanut butter cookies is simple if you follow these tips.

• The Crisscross Trick: Dip your fork in granulated sugar before making the crisscross pattern. This prevents the dough from sticking to the fork and gives the cookies a beautiful, sparkly finish.
• Don’t Overmix: Once the flour hits the dough, mix only until no streaks remain. Overmixing activates the gluten, resulting in tough, dry cookies.
• Underbake Slightly: Pull the cookies out of the oven when the edges are just set and lightly golden, but the centers still look soft and perhaps even a tiny bit underdone. They will finish cooking on the hot baking sheet.
• Test Your Leavening: Ensure your baking soda is fresh. Old baking soda won’t provide the lift needed, leading to flat cookies. Use the vinegar test to check its potency.

Flavor Boosters

To elevate your peanut butter cookies even further, try adding a half teaspoon of cinnamon to the dry ingredients for warmth, or a generous pinch of flaky sea salt on top of the dough balls right before baking to amplify the peanut flavor.

Flavor Pairings

The Classic Peanut Butter Blossoms:

This is a festive variant that turns the standard cookie into a beloved holiday treat. After rolling and baking the peanut butter cookies for exactly 8 minutes, remove the tray from the oven. Immediately press a small milk chocolate candy (like a Hershey’s Kiss) into the center of each cookie. Return the tray to the oven for 1 minute to allow the chocolate to warm and soften slightly, then cool completely.

Chocolate-Dipped Salted Peanut Butter:

For a professional, decadent finish, dip the cooled cookies in melted dark chocolate. Melt 6 ounces of good quality bittersweet chocolate with a teaspoon of coconut oil (for shine) and dip half of the cooled cookie. Immediately sprinkle the melted chocolate with coarsely chopped peanuts and flaky sea salt. This variant is incredibly popular for gifting.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies:

Turn these cookies into a nostalgic sandwich dessert. Bake smaller, thinner cookies (about 1.25 inches wide). Once completely cooled, whip up a filling of peanut butter, powdered sugar, and milk. Pipe the filling onto the flat side of one cookie and top it with another. The creamy filling makes a great contrast to the chewy shell.

If you love the chocolate and peanut butter pairing, you must try my recipe for No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Balls.

Troubleshooting Your Bake

The Sweetest Ending

This simple peanut butter cookies recipe is proof that the best comfort food is often the easiest to make. The combination of sweet, salty, and nutty flavors is truly irresistible. Once you nail this technique, you will find yourself reaching for this recipe time and time again.