The Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe You Need
If you thought you couldn’t mix peanut butter cookies and romance, think again! Nothing beats the comforting flavor of a soft peanut cookie still warm from the oven. But as a food of seduction? Well, maybe not the peanut butter cookies you remember as a kid. But my version of soft and chewy peanut butter cookies is light on sweet and big on salty peanut flavor. Best of all, these cookies can be made in 20 minutes, from start to finish, so you won’t even work up a sweat.
Why you’re going to love this salted peanut cookie recipe
I’ve been making peanut butter cookies since I was a kid. If I could say for certain I’m an expert on one thing, it’s how to make a cookie with the right ratio of softness and moisture to chewy texture. And this cookie recipe has just the right balance. The cookies aren’t crumbly, they’re not dry and crunchy. They are sink-your-teeth in moist, soft and just a hint chewy.
But these are not the peanut butter cookies of my childhood. No, I gave my cookie a makeover to create a sweet treat worthy of date night. And the recipe is so good, it even made its way into an aphrodisiac cookbook, Amazon bestseller Eat Cake Naked. But I’m sharing the secret to my best peanut cookie here because I want you to be able to make this incredible date night snack whenever the mood strikes.
So how did I make this cookie so special? The first thing I did was replace the classic, kids’ sweetened peanut butter with all-natural peanut butter made with no added sugar, just peanuts and salt. Incidentally, did you know that peanuts make my list of the Best Foods for a Woman’s Libido? Yes, that means peanut butter is an aphrodisiac. I told you these were date night cookies.
Next, I added some texture by sprinkling the just-baked cookies with large granules of sea salt. With each bite, the tongue is surprised by the sharp spike of salt followed by the smooth, mellow sweetness of the roasted peanut cookie. This one tiny addition takes the experience of eating the cookie from sweet monotony to surprising sensual pleasure.
My soft peanut butter cookie ingredients
This recipe calls for just five ingredients. And you might notice that the recipe doesn’t use flour, which means these cookies are naturally gluten-free.
Here’s what you need:
- All-natural salted, smooth peanut butter – You want to skip the Skippy and buy a peanut butter made from just peanuts and salt. (You can also make your own.). For a variation, try using crunchy peanut butter.
- Egg – Be sure to use a large egg so you have the right volume of liquid in the cookies.
- Granulated sugar – Also known as white sugar
- Brown sugar – Be sure to lightly pack the brown sugar but don’t compact it too much or your cookies will be overly sweet.
- Sea salt flakes – You want to use sea salt with some texture, not finely ground, because it’s going to add a little crunch to the cookies.
Key tips to making a soft and chewy peanut butter cookie
A few quick tips to help ensure delicious, soft chewy peanut butter cookies include:
- Make sure to beat the egg before you add it to the other ingredients.
- To make sure your cookies are all an even size, use a cookie scoop to divide the dough evenly onto the trays.
- Line the baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Take your time making the hash marks. Although pressing down the cookies with a fork serves the purpose of flattening them for baking, it’s also what gives the cookies their pretty appeal.
- Check cookies for doneness about a minute before the baking time is over. Some ovens run hotter than others and these cookies go from golden to dry to burned very quickly.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to two weeks. Cookies can be frozen for up to three months.
Serving suggestions
These cookies are a holiday season staple in my house. Who doesn’t love a peanut butter Christmas cookie? They’re also great for potlucks and, despite the fact that they have a less sweet flavor than your average peanut butter cookie, peanut butter lovers of all ages can’t get enough. I’ve even served them at kids’ birthday parties and they disappear in a flash wherever I take them.
But my favorite way to serve these salty peanut cookies is to get a small bakery box and pack up a batch. Tie the box with a wide, satin ribbon and hand it to your one and only as a very sweet gift of love. They’re great for sharing in bed. Just watch out for the crumbs!
How to make a peanut-free variation with almond butter
For those who live in a no-peanut zone, you can make these cookies with all-natural almond butter made from roasted almonds. The flavor of the final cookie is slightly different but still a pleasure. (Almonds have both more sweetness and more bitterness than peanuts.)
I’ve never tried the recipe with sunflower butter. Its texture is somewhat different from the nut butters so I’m not sure how it will work but it is an experiment I intend to try one day. Let me know how it goes if you choose to take on the challenge yourself. Add a note in the comments section with your results.
This cookie recipe comes from my bestselling cookbook, Eat Cake Naked. You can check out excerpts and order a copy on Amazon or your favorite ebook retailer.
Salty Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-natural salted peanut butter at room temperature*
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar lightly packed
- sea salt flakes for topping cookies**
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Adjust your oven racks so that one is about a third of the way from the top and a second rack is one third of the way from the bottom.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. (This step isn’t necessary but it cuts down on clean up later so you have time for more important things.)
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, egg, sugar and brown sugar. Mix until you have a smooth dough.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on cookie sheets about 1 inch apart. Using the tines of a fork, flatten each ball with a crosshatch pattern.
- Bake until golden around the edges, approximately 9-10 minutes. Be sure to switch racks after 5 minutes to ensure even baking.
- Sprinkle the top of each cookie with a pinch of sea salt then remove from tray and transfer to a cooling rack.
Notes
**You don't want to use finely ground salt for topping the cookies but something with a little bit of texture. I like using these sea salt flakes.Â
Store cookies in an airtight container on the counter. Cookies can be frozen for up to three months.Â
A note on the provided nutrition information
The nutrition information provided has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator and is not a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.Nutrition
This recipe was first published on our site in 2019 and most recently updated in January 2023 with a new introduction, added clarifications and a new graphic.Â
Amy is considered a leading authority on aphrodisiacs. Her work in aphrodisiacs is quoted in publications including National Geographic, The New York Times, Epicurious, Wine Enthusiast, Health and Playboy magazines. She speaks internationally on aphrodisiac foods and has brought her knowledge of aphrodisiac history and science to national television shows including The Today Show and CBS Early Show. She is a frequent guest on relationship and lifestyle radio and podcast shows and has been interviewed by BBC and NPR radio, Cosmopolitan radio and popular podcasts including My Dad Wrote a Porno.
Amy is also a freelance food, wine and health researcher and writer as well as a wine competition judge. Her work has appeared in publications ranging from Variety to The Daily Meal. She is an MSN content provider. And she is also a former wine editor for Gayot.com and wine & spirits editor of Las Vegas magazine.
Fun fact: Amy was the creator of the first ever comprehensive food and wine apps, Amy Reiley's Pocket Gourmet and Amy Reiley's Pocket Vineyard for Palm.
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