The World’s Best Easy Peanut Butter Cookies are soft and chewy, and made with just 3 ingredients: peanut butter, brown sugar and egg. Devilishly moorish, these truly taste of peanut butter and you may never forgive me for introducing this to you!
3 ingredient desserts are handy emergency recipes, like Chocolate Covered Strawberries and Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars. Everybody loves them and they’re so quick to make!
Peanut Butter Cookies
Having dictated this recipe to 3 people at the dog park in the past week, and having had all 3 approach me afterwards with varying forms of love/hate gestures (“THIS is YOUR FAULT!” one lady wailed, showing me her stomach 😉 ), I decided I had better move this up the posting schedule.
3 ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies are not a new thing, certainly not my invention. I’ve no idea how long they’ve been around for, but what I do know is that every recipe I have seen calls for peanut butter, an egg and WHITE sugar.
It is quite amazing, how much difference it makes just switching white for brown sugar. While I’d never turn down a 3 ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies made with white sugar, they are quite crumbly and crisp. The texture is not really to my taste, and I do feel it’s one of those 3 ingredient recipes where you are compromising on quality quite a bit for the sake of convenience.
But use brown sugar instead… and wow! The difference is astonishing. The cookie is soft and chewy and it has more flavour too, that slight caramel-y flavour that brown sugar has.
Here’s my attempt to capture how chewy and soft these cookies are!
How to make Peanut Butter Cookies
Mix 1 cup peanut butter (the commercial spread stuff, not pure peanut butter), 1 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, flatten 1 tbsp balls on tray, bake 10 minutes at 350F / 180C.
Yes, it’s really that easy!
And here’s a peek into the inside. It’s not dense and gluey which one might expect because they are flourless.
Peanut butter lovers, this recipe is dangerous knowledge to have, especially because it’s so ridiculously simple to remember.
1, 1, 1, 10
1 cup peanut butter.
1 cup brown sugar.
1 egg.
Bake 10 minutes.
It’s stuck in your head now, isn’t it? Go, go! Go make these now! – Nagi x
For the Peanut Butter Obsessed
Peanut Butter Caramel Pie – dangerously easy, outrageously decadent
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars – just 3 ingredients!
And for Cookie Monsters 🙋🏻♀️
Byron Bay copycat cookies – Choc Chunk, White Choc Macadamia and Chewy Choc Fudge
Watch how to make it
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World’s Best Easy Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup / 265 g peanut butter , smooth or crunchy – commercial spread, NOT pure peanut butter (I use Bega) (Note 1)
- 200 g/ 1 cup , packed, brown sugar (Note 2)
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Place ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. It will be soft, too soft for scooping. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180C / 350F (standard) or 160C/320F (fan / convection).
- Line 2 trays with parchment paper.
- Place 1 tbsp scoops of the dough onto the trays (I use a cookie scoop) 5cm/2″ apart.
- Dip a large fork in a bowl of hot tap water (stops fork sticking to dough). Press down on the dough, then press 90 degrees the other way (watch video) so the cookie is 1 cm / 2/5″ thick. Re-dip fork in water as required.
- Put both trays in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, swapping the trays halfway through, or until light golden on the surface and golden on the edges. (Or longer if you want crisper cookies)
- Leave to cool on the tray. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 – 5 days.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
He was so focussed on the peanut butter cookie in my hand, he didn’t realise I left the other half on his head when I gave him a pat….. 😂 SO MEAN!!!!
Mavis L says
Made these on a Sunday cos I was really wanting some peanut buttery goodness and this has been on my ‘to-make’ list for a while. And you’re right Nagi, I may never forgive you for introducing these into my life! 😂
Brought some into work the next day as I really don’t need the temptation of having a whole batch at home to myself. People could not believe it when I told them it was just three ingredients!
Mike says
Wow, these are a 120% full-on peanut butter and sugar hit! Made them just for the hell of it because they were so quick and they are really delicious but this is definitely a “one cookie at a time” recipe for me. I added a handful of both dried cranberries and chopped toasted macadamias which are a great addition.
Nagi says
Sounds delicious Mike, I’ll have to try it!!
Lorraine Maloney says
Peanut butter cookies look good
Nagi says
Thanks so much Lorraine!
Caren Zell says
They are great love them
Nagi says
Awesome Caren 🙌
Jude says
Peanut butter cookies yum yum r
Easy
R
Nagi says
I’m so glad you loved them Jude!
mary mccrank says
can i use skippy peanut butter?
kathy gainey says
This is a quick summer time hit at my house! Always have eggs ,sugar and peanut butter!! And they are so eazy to make. It’s a great 1st recipe for a little girl to remember also.
Nagi says
I’m so glad you love them Kathy!
Maria says
Hi Nagi! Should I use dark or light brown sugar for this recipe?
Nagi says
Hi Maria, just light brown will be fine – N x
Monique says
I wasn’t sure how these would turn out – but WOW! They are SO easy and SO yummy. I love how they’re crispy on the outside but soft on the inside, divine. I used half regular peanut butter and half natural and they turned out perfect.
Nagi says
That’s great to hear Monique!!
Margo says
I am loving your site!!!
Nagi says
Thanks so much Margo!
JT says
Cookies are delicious! Your humor so refreshing! Great combo! Thank you Nagi 🙂
Nagi says
Thanks so much JT!
Kathleen O'Rorke says
I signed up previously to your website … but I haven’t received your free ecookbooks. I would like very much to have them. Could you help me out please?
Nagi says
Hi Kathleen, not a problem at all, let me know your email address and I’ll send them through, alternatively the links are in every new email I send out ☺️
Khairany says
May i know this peanut butter how many days can keep in container? Tq
Belinda says
Ok. I was sceptical of this one.
I thought maybe you had posted this after a couple of glasses wine but I went ahead anyway. Who knew? Well obviously you did but Wow! Delicious,beautiful biscuits. Three cheers for Nagi!
Nagi says
Woo!!
Nagi says
Hi Khairany, the peanut butter or the cookies?
Gynene Lane says
My cookies didn’t look like this!! They flattened out, and you couldn’t see the fork marks…not sure what I could have possibly done wrong…
Nagi says
Hi Gynene, that doesn’t sound right at all! Can I ask what brand of peanut butter you used?
Jane O'Brien says
Absolutely amazing! And I sympathize with the internet connection problem! We’re in a ‘Holler’ here and it’s outrageous to spend $130 a month for non-Sprint service. GRRRRRREAT cookies 😘
Nagi says
Wow, That’s ridiculous!!
Suna says
A M A Z I N G…!! Can’t believe I just made cookies out of only 3 ingredients. After stuffing a whole cookie into his gob, my husband turned to me a said can we do this with Nutella too?! Haha! Just like a junkie…
Nagi says
I’m so glad they were a hit Suna ❤️
FLAP says
Hi Nagi and Dozer: Flap again, from California. You are my #1 go-to guru for new and interesting meals. I rarely look anywhere else for ideas. But reading a magazine in a waiting room situation without WIFI I found this exact recipe and was hooked. HOW does this work? I had to try them and can honestly say they are ridiculously easy, even for me, a novice. I checked your site to make sure I had the right measures: Yes, no mistake. So I made a batch and was instantly surprised. I used this original recipe which called for white sugar. When I made them, they were really good, but next time I am going to use packed brown sugar. I found these pretty sweet, so I’m going to try to cut the sugar by at least 1/2. As usual, thank you for a happy culinary effort. I never would have thought of these on my own.
Nagi says
Hi FLAP!! I do hope you try this with brown sugar, it’s amazing what a difference it makes 🙂 Happy weekend FLAP! N x
Berny says
Absolutely delicious. Never had peanut butter cookies that tasted that good! Light and crumbly. Very addictive!
Made a 1st batch your size, then 2d batch walnut size (so you feel less guilty when eating one as it’s smaller!)
Cooked at 180 fan forced for 12 minutes. Perfect!
Nagi says
I love hearing that! WHOOT! N x PS I do smaller sometimes too…. for the same reason….
Jen. says
Use the dough as a crust for a pie and fill with chocolate pie filling. A huge hit. It’s been a while, but I think I bake the crust for 15-20 minutes, allow it to cool, then fill with the cooked pudding. Of course, top with whip cream when serving!
Nagi says
OMG!!! You’re a GENIUS!!!!
Betty Lou says
Can these be frozen ? I’m sending them to my son and his army buddies!! Usually takes a week to get there !
Jen. says
I’ve had good luck freezing this recipe made with white sugar; can’t see why this one with brown sugar would be any different. I’ve had them in the freezer for up to a month, no issues.
Tsianina says
You can easily make these vegan. All you need to do is replace the egg with a flax “egg.” 1 tbsp ground flax plus 3 tbsp water, mix and let sit in fridge for 15 minutes… it’s the equivalent of 1 egg for baking. Not only does it make the recipe cruelty free, but it makes it a lot healthier both by omitting the egg and by providing the amazing proven health benefits of flax.
Kraft isn’t a “normal” peanut butter, it’s unhealthy, highly processed and it likely contains palm oil which is one of the most unsustainable products, very unhealthy and a product of severe cruelty to wildlife and indigenous humans. There is zero need to add oil to peanut butter, it already has its own oils. The ONLY reason they add oils (and often hydrogenated at that) is so that you don’t have to stir it… that’s it. Using REAL peanut butter will not making those come out doughy.
This is a pretty common recipe and I’ve done it numerous times. I use a flax egg, natural and unsalted peanut butter, and I use coconut sugar as it tastes so similar to brown sugar but doesn’t spike blood sugar as much in my experience and from my understanding.
And I have to comment on the dog photo… what a precious little guy!
Marion says
If we all switch to coconut sugar it will need to be farmed in the same way as palm oil 🤷♀️. Just something to keep in mind.
Sharon mcardle says
You can also replace the egg with golden syrup
Nagi says
This is such helpful information ,thank you so much for sharing Tsianina! Wow, that’s amazing that it works using ground flax! N xx
Tsianina says
No prob! 🙂 I also add a bit of maple syrup to mine since the coconut sugar isn’t as sweet, and it gives it this amazing chewy consistency and flavor. Thought I’d mention it in case anyone ex wanted to try it. (Has to be naked a bit longer though cause the syrup makes it softer, but it does harden when you bake it longer)
Tsianina says
No prob! 🙂 I also add a bit of maple syrup to mine since the coconut sugar isn’t as sweet, and it gives it this amazing chewy consistency and flavor. Thought I’d mention it in case anyone else wanted to try it. (Has to be baked a bit longer though cause the syrup makes it softer, but it does harden when you bake it longer)