Not a fan of baking cookies? Too lazy to fuss with creaming the butter and sugar? Here’s the deal- today’s 4 ingredient peanut butter cookies let you skip that complicated step!
Enriched with the natural creaminess of peanut butter, these cookies don’t require additional butter like most other cookie recipes. In fact, I usually make these cookies with just sugar, an egg, and a little splash of vanilla or whatever flavor I am feeling that day.
Since there’s no extra butter, you don’t need to cream anything- just mix, scoop, and pop them in the oven. The result? A batch of perfectly chewy and nutty cookies that are impossible to stop munching on!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy to bake.
- Soft, chewy, and full of nutty deliciousness.
- Customizable with your favorite mix-ins.
- Perfect for late-night cravings and lunchboxes.
- A fun activity for the kids to get involved in!
Delicious Flavor Variations You Should Try
Planning to bake this 4-ingredient peanut butter cookie recipe often? Here are some flavor variations to keep every batch exciting and never boring!
Chocolate Madness
Love chocolate and want a piece of that melty goodness in your cookies? Toss in some chunks of your favorite chocolate or chocolate chips for a rich and delicious chocolate peanut butter flavor combo!
Cinnamon Swirl
For a warm and cozy treat, add ½ tsp of cinnamon to the dough or sprinkle on top before baking. Bonus point? The freshly baked cookies will fill your kitchen with a spicy aroma!
Nutella Surprise
Want a tasty surprise inside the cookie? Scoop a small dollop of chilled Nutella and hide it right in the middle of the dough. When your kids bite, they will find a yummy chocolate-hazelnut surprise that’s too good to resist!
Jam-Packed!
Turn your cookies into a breakfast treat by adding a swirl of strawberry or blueberry jam. Pair it with your morning coffee and get ready to start your day on a sweet note.
Espresso Buzz
Love coffee too much to have just in your cup? I like to sneak in a teaspoon of espresso powder in my cookies for a subtle mocha kick!
Tips For The Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies
Get ready to bake soft, chewy, and golden cookies that disappear right off the pan before they even hit the cookie jar! Here are some tips to nail your flourless peanut butter cookies every time:
- Use creamy peanut butter for a smooth and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Mix the dough until just combined- overmixing can lead to dry cookies instead of soft and chewy ones.
- Add a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness of the cookie batter.
- Not a fan of scrubbing trays? Use parchment paper or a silicone mat to keep the tray mess-free.
- For irresistibly chewy cookies, bake them just until the edges are golden and the center still looks slightly underdone.
Make-Ahead Guide For Peanut Butter Cookies
Need to prep ahead for the busy week ahead? These cookies are perfect for making ahead and stashing away for quick and fresh treats later!
Refrigeration
To prepare the dough ahead of time, mix all the ingredients thoroughly and then cover it tightly with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. You can store the dough in the refrigerator for up to 3 days this way until you are ready to bake.
Freeze
Before you decide to freeze the whole cookie dough together, stop. You can scoop the dough into individual cookie balls and freeze them separately! Place the balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and freeze them for 2 hours.
Once frozen, transfer the balls into a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup / 258 g Peanut Butter
- ½ cup / 100 g Granulated Sugar
- 1 large Egg
- 1 tsp / 5 ml Vanilla Essence
Instructions
Prepare The Dough
- Grab a large mixing bowl and add peanut butter and sugar to it.
- Crack an egg into the bowl and add vanilla essence.
- Use a spatula to mix all the ingredients until they form a thick and sticky dough.
Shape The Cookies and Bake
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Scoop out a portion of the dough using a cookie scoop.
- Roll the dough between your palms to form smooth balls. Place the balls one by one onto the prepared baking tray.
- Take a fork and gently press down on each dough ball to flatten it in a criss-cross pattern.
- Bake the cookies in a preheated oven for 10-12 minutes at 356 degrees Fahrenheit or 180 degrees Celsius.
Cool, Serve and Enjoy!
- Once baked, take the cookies out of the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack or on the baking sheet.
- Snap off a piece of that rich and creamy peanut butter cookie and sip it down with a glass of milk or your favorite hot beverage!
One thing you will always find in my kitchen? A big, fat jar of peanut butter that I usually pick up from the local grocery store! Unlike those sugary jams that sneak in all the sugar and preservative stuff, peanut butter is just a jar of pure, wholesome goodness.
Apart from the classic spread on toast, I love tossing it into my smoothies, swirling it into truffles, and of course, whipping up a delicious batch of peanut butter cookies!
Even with such minimal ingredients, peanut butter cookies taste so yummy cause of their core ingredient- Peanut Butter. All the flavor and creaminess without needing extra butter makes these cookies so much easier that I often go for this instead of the fancier, fussier ones.
Plus, peanut butter is super nutritious, so there’s really no excuse to stop at just one, especially when the taste is this ridiculously good and addictive!
Recipe FAQs
Why Do My Cookies Flatten While Baking?
Your cookies may spread while baking because the dough is too warm or soft. Try chilling the dough in the refrigerator for firm and chewy cookies.
How Do I Store Peanut Butter Cookies?
You can store peanut butter cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Why Do My Cookies Taste So Grainy?
Your cookies may have a grainy texture from the sugar not dissolving properly. Try mixing for a longer time or using finer sugar to solve this issue.
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