Description
This easy peanut butter cookie recipe delivers soft, chewy, and perfectly golden cookies using just three simple ingredients: peanut butter, brown sugar, and an egg. With no flour required, these cookies come together quickly and are ideal for a quick sweet treat or when you have limited pantry staples. Refrigerating the dough before baking helps achieve the ideal texture, and the classic fork press gives them the signature peanut butter cookie look.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 1 cup / 265 g peanut butter (smooth or crunchy commercial spread, NOT pure peanut butter, e.g., Bega)
- 200 g / 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: Place the peanut butter, brown sugar, and egg in a mixing bowl and stir until well combined. The dough will be soft and sticky, too soft for scooping at this stage.
- Chill Dough: Refrigerate the dough for 10 minutes to firm it up, making it easier to handle during shaping.
- Preheat Oven: While chilling, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) for standard ovens or 160°C (320°F) if using fan/convection setting.
- Prepare Baking Trays: Line two baking trays with parchment paper to prevent sticking and facilitate easy cleanup.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop 1 tablespoon portions of dough onto the trays, spacing them about 5 cm (2 inches) apart to allow for spreading. Use a cookie scoop if available.
- Press the Cookies: Dip a large fork in hot tap water to prevent sticking. Press the dough balls down with the fork, then rotate the fork 90 degrees and press again to create a crisscross pattern and flatten the cookies to about 1 cm (2/5 inch) thickness. Re-dip the fork in water as needed.
- Bake: Place both trays in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes. Swap the trays halfway through baking to ensure even cooking. Bake until the cookies are light golden on top and golden around the edges. For crispier cookies, extend baking time slightly.
- Cool and Store: Allow the cookies to cool on the trays to set. Once cooled, store them in an airtight container for up to 4 to 5 days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Use commercial peanut butter spread, not pure peanut butter, for best texture and flavor.
- Pressing the cookies with a fork dipped in hot water prevents sticking and creates the classic peanut butter cookie texture.
- Refrigerating the dough briefly makes it easier to handle and helps maintain cookie shape during baking.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Adjust baking time for softer or crispier cookies according to preference.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: peanut butter cookies, easy cookies, 3 ingredient recipe, quick cookies, soft cookies, chewy cookies, no flour cookies
