These small-batch Peanut Butter Cookies are easy to make, super peanut buttery, and SO addictive.
Hey, workweek got you down? You should make these Small-batch Peanut Butter Cookies. Your day will get 97% better immediately. I promise.
I love a good peanut butter cookie and these cookies definitely qualify as “good.” Other words used to describe them by taste testers have been, “amazing,” “really really good,” and “my favorite peanut butter cookies ever.” š
While I was baking and shooting recipes like crazy over the last few weeks to get ready for vacation (flying to Rome on Friday, follow my Instagram Stories if you want to tag along!), I made a bunch of different cookie recipes all at once and gave my family first crack at the leftovers. These peanut butter cookies were the first to go, which is saying something, considering they are usually more chocolate people than peanut butter.
But I totally get it. To be honest, I considered keeping the entire batch for myself and not sharing them at all, because these cookies are really good and *really* addictive. They are super peanut buttery and the perfect (or at least my perfect) peanut butter cookie texture where they’re a little soft and crumbly, a little chewy, and with a little extra oven time, a little crunchy.
Like my Small-batch Chocolate Chip Cookies and Small-batch Chocolate Mini M&M Cookies, this is another really simple and relatively fast recipe to throw together. It does call for softened butter, so you have to allow time for your butter to come to room temperature, BUT, since you only need 3 tablespoons, if you cut the butter into smaller pieces and set it out while you measure out the rest of your ingredients, it should be ready to bake with in 10 to 15 minutes (a little longer on cold days).
Once you have your dough ready, it doesn’t need to be chilled, so you just drop it onto a cookie sheet, bake, cool, and enjoy! And since this recipe makes 6 cookies, there are just enough to share, but not so many that you’re in any real trouble should you choose not to. š
Small-batch Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe Tips
- Proper flour measurement is important in this recipe. Be sure to use a scale to measure your flour or the spoon and sweep method as detailed in the recipe notes.
- These cookies freeze *really* well. If you have leftovers, put them in a freezer bag and they will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Looking for more peanut butter desserts? Try this Peanut Butter Cookie for Two,Ā Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies,Ā Peanut Butter Sauce, Small-batch Monster Cookie Bars, and Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate.
Small-batch Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour measured by weight or using the spoon and sweep method*
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup (85g) peanut butter (not natural peanut butter)
- 3 tablespoons (1.5oz) unsalted butter softened
- 3 tablespoons (37g) brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 350Ā°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter, softened butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla. Whisk together until smooth.
- Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Scoop rounded spoonfuls of the dough and roll into 6 balls. Place dough onto prepared cookie sheet and use a fork to firmly press a crosshatch pattern onto the tops of the cookies.
- Bake for 8 to 11 minutes, until the edges of the cookies look set, but the cookies are still pale (for a crispier cookie, bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the cookies begin to darken). Cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before moving (cookies will be quite soft until they cool).
- Enjoy!
Notes
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using them. There is absolutely no additional cost to you.
Hope says
Hi, I appreciate the detail in your recipe, but why do you specifically say no natural peanut butter?
Tracy says
Hi, Hope. Natural peanut butter is more oily so it can change the texture of desserts. You usually can use it in a pinch, but I don’t double test all my recipes using it, so I always recommend regular peanut butter since I can’t guarantee the results.
Pearl says
Sometimes I bake at late hours of the night/ungodly hours.
This was the most perfect recipe for me! I barely had butter and wanted something sweet, but realized a full batch of cookies was a bit much.
Something said āgoogle small batch peanut butter cookies.ā And oh my stars am I glad I did! Since I bake often I had everything (including a scale), and this whipped up so fast.
My brother even loved them. Weāre adding this to the ālate night bakingā recipe box!
Also we baked them in my convection toaster oven! Theyāre absolutely perfect! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Tracy says
Thanks, Pearl! So proud they earned a place in your “late night baking” recipe box! š
Holly says
These were so good and a big hit at the nonprofit I volunteer at (one of the girls there has come to expect cookies when I volunteer). I love when your recipes only require a spatula so I donāt have to get out my mixer! Thank you for the awesome recipe and all the recipes you provide for us small batch bakers.
Tracy says
Thanks, Holly! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them!!
Annabel says
Oh wow!!!! I’m a student at university so I’ve not got loads of ingredients or equipment… But I was craving cookies and these were SO perfect!! I’ve saved this recipe, I’ll be making these again soon!!!!!!
Tracy says
So glad these worked out for you, Annabel!!
Emily says
OMG so good!! Yummy late night snack and totally recommend making these!!! They make little to no mess!
Tracy says
Thanks, Emily! So happy you enjoyed them!
Emilie says
This recipe makes great cookies! I even forgot to press mine down because I have a baby crawling around š but did it at the end and they still turned out yummy. I also added a 1/4 bar of baking dark chocolate cut into pieces. My one question is how to improve upon the texture? Because I added the both sugars the cookie had a slight granulated texture. Any tips or do you know why? Thanks again!
J says
I just moved across the country and had limited baking ingredients. Thats why I like this easy recipe. I followed the recipe except for I omitted the salt because I had a dark chocolate sea salt bar that I broke up and added a little to the dough. Love when I can find small batch recipes.
Tracy says
Loooooove the idea of using salted dark chocolate in these!!!
Colette McFarland says
Discovered your site recently when looking for recipes for two as my husband & i are empty
nesters now. Just loved your peanut butter cookies! Quesion: If i did want to double the recipe
would i use 2 egg yolks?
Tracy says
Usually when doubling one of my cookie recipes that calls for just an egg yolk, you can either use two egg yolks or use one whole egg. It does change the texture and flavor a little bit. With these cookies, it makes them slightly puffier and softer. It’s really up to you, since it will work either way.
Sara says
This recipe did not work out for me at all. Would not reccomend
Tracy says
So sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy them, Sara!