Big Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Crinkle Cookies

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Old-Fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies — These soft peanut butter cookies are the peanut butter version of a molasses crinkle. They’re soft, supremely chewy, and have an old-fashioned peanut butter cookie flavor!

stack of Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Crinkle Cookies

I love crinkle cookies. When I see those big crevices, my eyes light up and I know I’m in for a chewy treat. 

I love molasses crinkles, but peanut butter crinkles sounded so good. These simple peanut butter cookies are soft, supremely chewy, and have an old-fashioned peanut butter cookie flavor.

I have 20+ peanut butter cookie recipes on my site and another 10+ in my cookbook, but none quite like these. Most of my cookies are thicker, puffier, and on the softer rather than chewier side. And none have big valleys and canyons running through them.

These soft peanut butter cookies are large in diameter, but not very thick. They’ll disappear quickly since it’s a small batch recipe, making just 1 dozen cookies.

stack of chewy and Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

The difference between this dough and most other cookie dough is that for the amount of butter and peanut butter used, adding more flour would be expected. However, more flour isn’t added, so the dough is very soft and limp. Extra flour would firm up the dough and would cause the cookies to bake thicker with smoother rounded tops.

By keeping the dough on the wetter and softer side, the cookies spread more, bake thinner, and as they rise and then fall in the oven, crinkles develop.

It’s a very easy peanut butter cookie recipe to memorize because it starts out with 1/2 cup each of butter, peanut butter, granulated and brown sugars, along with an egg and vanilla. Add in the flour, baking soda, and using a large cookie scoop, 1/4-cup measure, or your hands, form 12 equal-sized mounds of dough.

When I eat cookies, I’m a breaker, not a biter, and these cookies break apart so nicely at the crinkles. Half the fun is them breaking apart. I told myself, oh just break off that little piece there. And then that other little piece over there came off so effortlessly, too.

And then breaking off another section. And another crinkly seam. So good.

easy peanut butter cookies on white countertop with bowl of peanut butter

Ingredients in Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies

This easy cookie recipe calls for just nine basic ingredients. To make these old-fashioned chewy peanut butter cookies, you’ll need: 

  • Egg
  • Creamy peanut butter
  • Unsalted butter
  • Granulated sugar
  • Light brown sugar
  • Vanilla extract
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking soda
  • Salt

stack of soft and chewy peanut butter cookies

How to Make Old-Fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

When I say these are easy peanut butter cookies, I mean it! Full instructions are provided in the recipe card below, but here’s an overview: 

  1. To make the dough, simply beat together the wet ingredients, then mix in the dry. 
  2. Scoop the cookie dough into balls, then chill them for at least 2 hours. 
  3. Before baking, I roll the dough through granulated sugar because I like my crinkle cookies with the ever-so-slight crunch of a sugary coating. It’s very minimal, but a nice touch.
  4. I baked these chewy and soft peanut butter cookies for 12 minutes. If you’re an oven door watcher, the cookies begin crinkling about 9 minutes into baking, and the longer the bake, the more they crinkle, and continue to do so as they cool. 

soft peanut butter cookies on wood countertop

Can I Make Smaller Cookies? 

I haven’t tried the recipe making smaller cookies, but if you do, you’ll need to reduce baking time, but by how much, I don’t know. Part of the appeal is their softball-like size.

Can I Freeze the Cookies? 

Yes, baked PB cookies will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 6 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored in the freezer for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.

stack of soft peanut butter cookies in front of small bowl of creamy peanut butter

What Type of Peanut Butter Should I Use? 

You want to use a creamy peanut butter from a brand like Jif or Skippy. Don’t use natural or homemade peanut butter in these cookies, as both are too runny for this recipe. 

Can I Make These Cookies Gluten-Free? 

I haven’t made this old-fashioned recipe for chewy peanut butter cookies using gluten-free flour, so I can’t say for sure. But I’ve had readers report success using Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour, so it’s worth a shot!  

Big Soft & Chewy Peanut Butter Crinkle Cookies - Super chewy, packed with PB flavor & just made for breaking apart at the crinkly seams!

Tips for the Best Peanut Butter Cookies

Butter: Make sure your butter has been softened to room temperature before adding it to the dough. If the butter is too cold, it won’t cream nicely together with the sugars and egg. 

Chilling the dough: You must chill the dough. If you don’t, the already soft and spread-prone dough will spread to epic levels and you’ll have one giant paper-thin cookie that baked together on the baking sheet. Not good, so chill it.

Bake time: Note that you should bake your cookies until they’re done and watch your cookies, not the clock, when evaluating doneness since oven, dough, and preferences vary.

Old-Fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies — These soft peanut butter cookies are the peanut butter version of a molasses crinkle. They’re soft, supremely chewy, and have an old-fashioned peanut butter cookie flavor!

Old-Fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies — These soft peanut butter cookies are the peanut butter version of a molasses crinkle. They’re soft, supremely chewy, and have an old-fashioned peanut butter cookie flavor!

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4.61 from 43 votes

Old-Fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

By Averie Sunshine
These soft peanut butter cookies are the peanut butter version of a molasses crinkle. They’re soft, supremely chewy, and have an old-fashioned peanut butter cookie flavor!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Chill Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 22 minutes
Servings: 12
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Ingredients  

  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter, not natural or homemade, too runny
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
  • ½ cup granulated
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • pinch salt, optional and to taste
  • granulated sugar, for rolling

Instructions 

  • To the bowl of a stand mixer (or large mixing bowl with electric mixer), combine egg, peanut butter, butter, sugars, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until smooth and creamed, about 4 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  • Add the flour, baking soda, optional salt, and beat on low speed until just incorporated, about 1 minute.
  • Using a large cookie scoop, 1/4-cup measure, or your hands, divide dough into 12 equal-sized mounds. Roll the mounds into balls, and flatten just slightly. Dough is very soft, limp, and mushy so be gentle with it.
  • Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days. Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake too thin, flat, and will spread far too much.
  • Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray; set aside.
  • Dredge each mound dough through granulated sugar, coating liberally.
  • Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart. I bake 8 cookies per sheet; do not crowd because the cookies spread considerably.
  • Bake for about 12 minutes (start checking at 10 minutes), or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center; don’t overbake because cookies firm up as they cool. If you’re an oven door watcher, the cookies begin crinkling about 9 minutes into baking, and the longer the bake, the more they crinkle and continue to do so as they cool.
  • Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving. I let them cool on the baking sheet and don’t use a rack.

Notes

  • Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
  • Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 215kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 36mg, Sodium: 176mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 8g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About the Author

Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    The Soft Chewy PB cookies are the BEST!  Although I try, my family always tells me make one type of cookie… until these… now these are their all time favorite!! Thank you!! Its an excellent recipe.. I only get 9 cookies per batch so I double the recipe every time…:)

  2. 5 stars
    The Soft Chewy PB cookies are the BEST!  Although I try, my family always tells me make one type of cookie… until these… now these are their all time favorite!! Thank you!! Its an excellent recipe.. I only get 9 cookies per batch so I double the recipe every time…:)

    1. Thank you for the 5 star review and glad that these are the new family favorite and took over the spot of the others! And that you double the batch every time!

  3. 4 stars
    I made these with Namaste gluten free flour, followed the directions but chilled for 24 hours. Drizzled chocolate on top, absolutely fabulous! Thank you for a new favorite recipe! 

  4. 5 stars
    Oh my! I thought that  your frosted soft sugar cookies were my favorite of your recipes, but these are right up there. They are simply delicious.!

  5. 5 stars
    Oh my! I thought that  your frosted soft sugar cookies were my favorite of your recipes, but these are right up there. They are simply delicious.!

  6. 5 stars
    I have been a cook at my current job for almost 19 years and have made countless peanut butter cookies. These are by far one of the best i have ever made. They came out perfect and i had to stop myself at 2 1/2 cookies. i used a slightly smaller scoop but, otherwise did everything the same. Thank you for this recipe!

  7. 5 stars
    I have been a cook at my current job for almost 19 years and have made countless peanut butter cookies. These are by far one of the best i have ever made. They came out perfect and i had to stop myself at 2 1/2 cookies. i used a slightly smaller scoop but, otherwise did everything the same. Thank you for this recipe!