Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies made this way are my favorite. I don't know why I never see a recipe for them made with crunchy peanut butter, but I like to have some peanuts in my cookies. It makes them a little bit more sandy and soft, and that is just how I like them.
I originally published this recipe on January 27, 2021, it was updated on May 1, 2023.
Why "Crunchy" Peanut Butter Cookies?
It makes me think of this packaged cookie I remember having as a kid that had 3 little halves of peanut in the middle of the cookie. I would eat all the way around the cookie and save that crunchy and gooey center for the last bite. For the life of me, I can't remember the brand, and I never see them anymore, but they were by far my favorite.
I don't even think they make them anymore, but if they did they would be my go-to snack. If you remember them and the brand be sure to tell me in the comments at the bottom of this page.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and instructions.
Ingredients
The name may be a little bit misleading, but this recipe yields a fantastically soft and chewy cookie, I just like to use "Crunchy Peanut Butter", as opposed to smooth. It lends a texture that I enjoy and leaves you with some crunchy peanut bits inside.
They do however retain the quality of that favorite childhood memory, with a slightly crisp outer edge and a smooth and chewy center.
This recipe is great because it requires minimal ingredients and might even be considered small-batch baking. Just one egg, one cup of sugar and flour, and a single stick of butter. These are the small-batch Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies of your dreams. The recipe makes 20 1-ounce cookies.
Method
Start by creaming together the butters and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy. This should take about 3 minutes.
Beat the egg in till fully combined, then add the dry ingredient and let the mixer run on low just till no streaks of flour remain.
Portion the cookies out onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Then using a fork, dipped in sugar, create a cross-hatch pattern on the top of each cookie. Pressing them down a little as you do it.
It is optional, but I like to finish the cookies off with a sprinkle of flakey sea salt when they come out of the oven. It adds a little extra crunch and balance to the cookie. It is very welcome!
Notes & Tips
One tip that I love to share is one that I learned from Christina Tosi. It has to do with the beginning stage of making cookies. She gets a little sciencey with it, but essentially you want to really beat the heck out of your butter and sugar at the beginning of the cooking dough-making process.
Doing this ensures you get a luxuriously textured cookie, and that when it comes time to add the flour to the mixture you don't have to overwork the flour. Overworking the flour can result in a cookie that has a tough texture, and nobody wants that!
So always be sure to really beat the butter, for at least 3-4 minutes and it begins to get almost white. This will ensure you get a perfectly textured cookie. The rest of the process is pretty straightforward. Add everything in at the proper stages and gently fold in the flour as the last thing you do.
Substitutions
I make my cookies with crunchy peanut butter, but you could 100% make these with regular if you don't like the peanut pieces in your cookie. But steer clear of the natural stuff. I know, I know, but I am a fan of Jif all the way!
Don't drop the ball on the good ol regular peanut butter for this recipe, Jif is where it's at! They are cookies, after all, none of those words like healthy or healthy-ish here.
If you did want to make this dairy-free, you can substitute shortening for the butter, good old Crisco, or a plant-based shortening, I have used both.
If you don't have brown sugar on hand, you can make brown sugar by combining 1 cup of white granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon of molasses together in a food processor until combined.
You can sub vanilla extract with one of a couple of things. Vanilla flavored milk, almond or soy, or Maple Syrup. Bourbon, Rum, or Brandy can also be used, many vanillas are alcohol-based, and these carry enough flavor to imitate the vanilla.
And finally, if you wanted to make these cookies gluten-free I would suggest using almond flour. It provides the protein and structure of classic wheat flour while keeping the cookie chewy in the center. If you want a more robust almond flavor, toast the flour in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until golden and fragrant, cool before using.
I hope you enjoy these as much as I do, peanut butter just might be my favorite food ever. At the very least I am a sucker for anything that includes it. I even love to slather it on banana bread, like this one.
And if you love this cookie, check out my version that features marshmallow fluff, I even got to bake them for Joanna Gaines in the Silos Baking Competition. Get the recipe HERE!
More Peanut Butter Goodness
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📖 Recipe
Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies
The name of these cookies may be a little bit misleading, this recipe yields a fantastically soft and chewy cookie, I just like to use crunchy peanut butter, opposed to smooth.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Crunchy Peanut Butter, not natural
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter, soft
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Egg, room temp
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 ½ cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar, for stamping cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, peanut butter, and both sugars. Cream together, scraping down at least twice, until everything is evenly combined. 4 minutes
- Add the egg and vanilla, beat until well combined. 45-60 seconds longer.
- Add salt, flour, and baking soda, mix at low speed until flour is completely worked in. Whack the mixer up to full speed and then off, quickly, for a final mix. 2 seconds.
- Use a 1-ounce scoop to scoop cookies onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. I use a small ice cream scoop for equal-sized cookies.
- With a fork, tap on some of the dough left in your bowl to moisten, dip in sugar and then create a crosshatch pattern on your cookies, tamping your fork in sugar after each press of the cookie.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes, just until the top and edges begin to turn golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Be sure to flatten the cookies a bit no matter when you do. Whether you want to leave the sugar off or not create a classic peanut butter cookie crosshatch, give them a press before baking for a flatter cookie. Leaving them in a ball will produce a tall squishy cookie and that's not quite what you want with these.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 382Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 294mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 2gSugar: 27gProtein: 7g
This is an estimated caloric value, actual numbers may differ based on the ingredients used.
Lisa
I have been craving a crunchy peanut butter recipe, scouring Pinterest and the "Internets and the Googles," looking for a recipe. You are my Chef in shining armor! This is the one, the money maker, the thick, crunchy peanut butter recipe I've been looking for! Lawd have mercy! I doubled this recipe, and it was a winner! I probably doubled my thigh diameter eating them!
Search no more people! This is the one to save in your recipes! Winner, winner, chicken dinner! Yes, Chef!!
Kendell
Lisa! I am so glad we have found each other! It makes me so happy to hear that you loved this recipe, I don't know why there are not more crunchy peanut butter cookie recipes out there, but I am happy to fill the void. Enjoy!
Deanna
These are absolutely delicious! A true classic. I put a bit of chocolate to melt on top. I also used organic/natural crunchy peanut butter- was nervous because the recipe specified not to. But they turned out great! Thanks!!
Kendell
Deanna, I am so glad you enjoyed them. And thank you so much for the note on using the natural peanut butter and it working. I just made the note because I don't use it to make them, but now people can know they can. Thanks for giving it a try and glad it was a success.