Crispy Peanut Butter Cookies made with creamy peanut butter and simple pantry ingredients are buttery, salty, and sweet with a nice crunch.
Delicious Cookie Recipes, like this one, are perfect for a sweet snack, bake sale, or dessert. This recipe is similar to a Classic Peanut Butter Cookie but less chewy and more crunchy.

These crispy cookies are sure to be a hit with anyone who tries them. The delicious peanut butter flavor and blend of white and brown sugars make them the perfect combination of sweet and salty. Each bite is perfect peanut butter goodness with a bit of a snap to it.

This Peanut Butter Cookie recipe has a more crisp and crunchy texture than traditional chewy peanut butter cookies. While they aren’t too hard, they have a more Shortbread-like texture that’s great for dipping into hot drinks. The way to get a more crisp and less chewy texture is by using a little less peanut butter and a little more flour than you’ll find in typical peanut butter cookies. It’s an easy change with no extra steps required!

Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies are made with simple ingredients and easy-to-follow directions. Once you’ve combined and chilled the dough, it’s a simple matter of popping them in the oven. You’ll have rich, crisp peanut butter treats ready to enjoy in just 10 minutes!
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Tips for Making Crispy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Cookie dough: Take the butter from the fridge an hour or so in advance of making the recipe so that it has time to soften. Then start the recipe by adding the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to your stand mixer. Cream butter mixture at medium speed until well combined with the sugars. Then add the eggs and vanilla. Switch the mixer to its lowest speed, then add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir until the flour mixture is just combined, but be careful not to overmix at this step.
- Electric mixer: If you don’t have a stand mixer, just use a large mixing bowl, and a handheld electric mixer to combine the dough.
- Set: Transfer the dough to a medium bowl and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate it for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
- Baking prep: A few minutes before you start the baking time preheat the oven, and line ungreased baking sheets with parchment paper. Take the dough from the fridge and roll the dough into balls. Use a 2 tablespoon scoop to get the balls of dough about golf ball sized. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart so there’s space for the dough to spread during baking. Then use fork tines to press down gently on each dough ball in a criss-cross pattern.
- Baking time: Put the cookies in the oven for an 8-10 minute bake time. Take them out when they’re just starting to brown. Take a little time to let the cookies cool before serving them.


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Frequently Asked Questions
You can try adding some extra flavor to your Crisp Peanut Cookies with spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, or cloves.
For a more chunky peanut texture, you can add in chopped roasted peanuts or use chunky peanut butter to get chunks of peanuts in the cookies. Or, for extra peanut flavor without the additional crunch, try adding peanut butter chips.
If you want some more nutrients in the recipe, you can use whole wheat flour to replace the all-purpose flour. Or, to make gluten-free cookies, use oat flour, almond flour, arrowroot flour, or coconut flour.
For a beautiful sparkling coating and some extra sweetness roll the dough balls in a bowl of large-grain sugar before baking. Or, for a less sweet option, sprinkle some coarse sea salt over the top of the cookies.
Peanut butter and chocolate are the ultimate dessert flavor duo. To incorporate that into this recipe fold chocolate chips or chocolate chunks into the cookie dough.
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How to Store Crispy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Serve: Crispy Peanut Butter Cookies can stay good at room temperature for up to 1 week. Keep them sealed in a dry, cool place. Lay a paper towel at the bottom of the container to absorb any moisture so they stay fresh.
- Store: You can also lay cool cookies in an airtight container with sheets of parchment paper in between each layer so that they don’t stick together. They’ll stay good in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
- Freeze: To make them ahead, let them cool completely then put them in a freezer bag or another airtight container. They’ll stay good frozen for up to 6 months.



Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar , packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
Instructions
- To your stand mixer add the butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar until well combined.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract until well combined.
- On the lowest speed setting add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
- Put the dough into a medium bowl and wrap with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for 4 hours (minimum) or overnight.
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a 2 tablespoon scoop, add the dough to the baking sheet.
- Press in gently with a fork in a criss-cross pattern.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until cookies are just set and barely browning.
Video
Nutrition

Photos used in a previous version of this post.



Because part of the recipe included a period of time in the refrigerator; I noticed that the dough was similar to an “IceBox” cookie. I made half the cookies as instructed and then formed the remainder of the dough into a log. about a week later I took the log out and sliced it in to a second dozen of cookies. I was even able to mark the top of each cookie with the traditional crossed-fork design.
To the person upset about rolling through all the adds. There would be no recipes if there were no adds. & Click on “Jump to Recipe” will solve all your problems.
Great big thanks for the help with the comments AND for the 5 stars Roderick!
The best PB cookie recipe! I have been told I should sell these! I am too lazy and dont chill the dough first. The dough is soft but rolling them in sugar firms them up Thanks for a great recipe
Exactly what I wanted! Worth the wait refrigerating overnight too.
Thank you for a very nice recipe. I did add some choped peanuts and some semi sweet chips. I cook for my grandchildern and I think this recipe will become a family favorite
They are cookies give us the damn ingredients and just say how long. We don’t need 60,000 ads along with a 20,000 words summary of how to make cookies. Jesus Christ
Hi Jeff. there is a “skip to recipe” button that takes you straight to the recipe.
These are perfect peanut butter cookies. Flavor, texture, everything! Thank you for the recipe!
Love this recipe. Really like a crispy cookie and tastes great. My new favorite recipe. Thank you
That’s why you click the “jump to recipe” tab. New to this?
Superb and easy to make.
Not enough peanut butter flavor.
If I use salted butter, do I just leave out the salt? I never have unsalted butter on hand.
It’s hard to know exactly how much salt is being adding into the “salted butter” to know if it’s an exact substitution that’s why I use unsalted butter. It’s a good place to start though. Good luck!
Love these! My new favorite. Making again today.
I read there was a 1/4 t of salt per 1/4 lb butter so I always adjust my recipes as needed.