Three ingredient peanut butter cookies are one of my all-time favorite cookie recipes! They’re so easy to make and they’re crispy, chewy, and full of peanut butter flavor. I had to create a blog post for these cookies because they’re just TOO good not to share. Sometimes the best recipes are the simplest. Using only three ingredients, you can have a fresh batch of the best peanut butter cookies in time to impress your guests this holiday season!
Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
This recipe has just 3 ingredients. It’s fast, easy, and the cookies are wonderful! It’s great for kids that are just learning to bake.
Ingredients
Decrease Serving
6Increase ServingAdjust
Original recipe yields 6 servings
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
Directions
Instructions Checklist
- Step 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Step 2Combine the peanut butter, white sugar and egg. Mix until smooth.
- Step 3Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 6 to 8 minutes. Do not overbake! These cookies are best when they are still soft and just barely brown on the bottoms.
Ingredients:
The only ingredients you’ll need to make 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies are 1 egg for binding the ingredients, peanut butter, and white granulated sugar. That’s it!
You can use creamy or chunky peanut butter. I have made this recipe several times using either type of peanut butter and both bake up just fine. If you want a bit of crunch in your cookies, definitely use chunky peanut butter!
It’s also worth mentioning that these cookies are gluten-free! That makes them a perfect and quick dessert for people with gluten allergies! Most store-bought gluten-free cookies are higher priced than traditional cookies, so these are a blessing!
How to Make:
The process for making Three (3) Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies can’t get any easier. After preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, grab a large bowl and add the peanut butter, sugar, and egg. Mix it together with a spoon or in an electric mixer until it’s well combined.
Once the batter is fully mixed, roll the dough into golf ball sized balls and place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. The parchment paper will help prevent the cookies from sticking to the pan and make cleanup easier.
Here’s the most important part… Take a fork and press the cookies down until they’re about 3/8″ thick. Then turn the fork 90 degrees to make a crosshatch pattern on the top of the cookie dough. The cookies don’t spread on their own, so this step is important!
You’re now ready to place them in the oven to bake. Go ahead and place them on the center oven rack and bake them for 8-10 minutes until the edges look golden brown. Definitely check them after 8 minutes to make sure they’re not burning.
Allow them to fully cool, and enjoy your super easy three-ingredient peanut butter cookies!
Storage
Room temperature
These cookies will last for up to 3 days when placed in an airtight storage container at room temperature.
Freezing
Freezing cookie dough is a great way to save time. The dough can be rolled into balls, placed on parchment-lined baking sheets, and then frozen for about an hour or two until solid.
Transfer the frozen dough balls by placing them in a freezer-safe container or bag. When you want some cookies pull out as many individual pieces as needed from the bag/container and bake with 1 minute of added time.
3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies- three basic ingredients turn into the perfect peanut butter cookies! This is the EASIEST peanut butter cookie recipe out there! You are going to love them!
I love baking all kinds of cookies (I am a cookie monster), but when I need an EASY recipe, I always turn to my 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies.
I have been making these cookies for years and I still can’t believe they turn out, ha! There really are only THREE ingredients and they turn out every single time.
If you love peanut butter, you are going to fall in love with these cookies. They have a rich peanut butter flavor, they are crisp around the edges, and soft and chewy in the center. Everything you want in a peanut butter cookie!
The cookies are gluten-free, dairy-free, and SO delicious!
3 Simple Ingredients
That’s right, you only need THREE ingredients!
- Peanut Butter– use creamy butter, Skippy and Jiff are classic brands. Don’t use crunchy peanut butter or reduced fat peanut butter, the cookies will be dry and crumbly.
- Sugar– basic white sugar does the trick!
- Egg– to add moisture and bind the ingredients together.
How to Make 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Preheat the oven and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat.
- In a large bowl, mix peanut butter, sugar, and egg together until creamy and smooth. You can use a stand mixer, hand mixer, or mix by hand.
- Scoop the cookie dough into balls, about 1 tablespoon per cookie, and place on prepared baking sheet. Flatten each ball with the back of a fork, making a criss-cross pattern. The cookies don’t spread in the oven, so you can put them close together on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are slightly golden. Don’t over bake. If it’s your first time making the recipe, check the cookies early to be safe. The cookies should be slightly golden around the edges, but still soft in the center. They will set up as they cool.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Customize the Cookies
These are technically 3 ingredient cookies, BUT if you want play around, you can add the following ingredients. They won’t be 3 ingredient cookies anymore, but still really easy!
- Vanilla extract– add a splash of vanilla extract.
- Salt– add a pinch of salt to the cookie dough. You can also finish the cookies with flaky sea salt.
- Chocolate– stir in a handful of chocolate chips or chocolate chunks.
- Candy– add some color to the cookies by stirring in Reese’s Pieces or M&M’s!
- Sugar coating– you can roll the cookies in granulated sugar before baking if you want to add a little extra sweetness!
How to Store
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 4 days.
You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Make sure you freeze them in a freezer container or freezer bag (with the air removed) to keep them fresh.
You can also freeze the cookie dough. Roll the dough into balls and place on a baking sheet or tray. Put in the freezer until the balls are firm. Transfer the balls to a freezer container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, remove from the oven and add a couple of minutes to the baking time.
FAQ
Are these peanut butter cookies gluten-free?
Yes! They are flourless peanut butter cookies so they are naturally gluten-free.
Can I use natural peanut butter?
I think the cookies have the best texture when I use a classic brand like Skippy or Jiff. If you want to try natural peanut butter, make sure the peanut butter is stirred really well and drippy, not dry.
Why are my peanut butter cookies dry and crumbly?
You probably over baked the cookies. Check the cookies at 8 minutes to be safe. The cookies should be slightly golden brown around the edges, but still light in color and soft in the center. The cookies will finish baking as they cool on the baking sheet.
Why do peanut butter cookies have fork marks?
The fork marks in the cookie dough balls actually make them bake more evenly. The fork marks also give the peanut butter cookies a classic look.
The Best Peanut Butter For Making Peanut Butter Cookies
If you tell anyone I said this, I will deny it and say that you are lying. The best peanut butter to use in this recipe is cheap, smooth peanut butter. The brand you want to use is probably the one you grew up on, but don’t buy anymore at the store.
Nothing against my Homemade Peanut Butter recipe, but it just doesn’t yield you the best peanut butter cookie with the fullest peanut butter flavor. If you find your cookies are too crumbly, it can be a result of a more quality peanut butter. Sometimes the perfect peanut butter is the most affordable kind.
Ratio Of Ingredients For 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
My 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookie recipe is truly as easy as 1, 2, 3, meaning you can whip them up on any old day. This recipe is pretty much magic, made with just 1 cup of creamy peanut butter, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 egg. The 1 to 1 to 1 ratio really makes this recipe easy to remember.
What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Peanut Butter Cookies
- Large cookie sheet (or baking sheet) and parchment paper.
- Large bowl
- Measuring cups
- Fork
- Wire rack
How To Make Peanut Butter Cookies From Scratch
Not only does this three-ingredient peanut butter cookie recipe need few ingredients, it only takes a few steps.
- Preheat oven to 350 and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Stir all three ingredients in a large bowl.
- Scoop out 2 tablespoons of cookies and roll into a ball.
- Place cookie dough rolls on cookie sheet.
- Press down with a fork. Create a criss-cross pattern by pressing down again at a perpendicular angle.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 1 to 2 minutes. Then move cookies to a wire rack to continue cooling.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.