These small batch peanut butter cookies are so soft and chewy! They're made with just a few simple ingredients and they don't need any chill time. This recipe makes 6 cookies, perfect for peanut butter lovers!
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I absolutely love having a small batch recipe on hand, perfect for when there is just you at home and you don't need a ton of cookies! These delicious homemade peanut butter cookies are made with peanut butter and get an extra hit of peanut butter flavor thanks to some peanut butter chips! Perfect for when you have that peanut butter craving.
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Why you'll love this small batch peanut butter cookie recipe
- This is a small batch cookie recipe which only makes 6 cookies.
- These are made in one bowl, so minimal clean up for you!
- These soft peanut butter cookies don't require any chill time.
- You can use a stand mixer, hand mixer, or make it by hand with a wooden spoon(though you'll need some elbow grease!)
- This is a really easy recipe to make with simple ingredients, it takes just 7 minutes to prepare and less than 10 minutes of baking time.
Ingredient Notes
Flour: I used all purpose flour for this recipe, I haven't tried gluten free flour.
Sugar: I'm using a combination of white granulated sugar and light brown sugar. You'll need a little bit of extra white sugar to roll the cookie dough balls in before baking.
Baking Soda: called bicarbonate of soda in the UK, this is going to give the cookies a chewy texture!
Peanut Butter: I am using commercial creamy peanut butter, so not natural peanut butter which has oil on top. I haven't tried this with crunchy peanut butter.
Peanut Butter Chips: this is totally optional but I think it gives an extra peanut butter taste to the cookies!
Egg: instead of using a whole egg, we're just using the egg yolk.
Salt: because all cookies need a pinch of salt! I'm using kosher salt in this recipe.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: In a medium bowl with a hand held mixer, cream together your unsalted butter and peanut butter until smooth.
Step 2: Add in the two sugars and mix for another minute. Then add the egg yolk and vanilla extract.
Step 3: Fold in all of your dry ingredients and your peanut butter chips. In a small bowl, pour in your extra sugar.
Step 4: Scoop out 2 tablespoons of the peanut butter cookie dough and roll it in between your hands to form a ball. This cookie dough is a little bit dry, but you can just squish the dough together and it should hold. Roll the cookie balls in extra granulated sugar, then use a fork to create a criss cross pattern. Repeat for the rest of the cookie dough and bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes. Let cool completely then serve with a glass of milk!
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Fluff & Sprinkle Method - If you aren't using a scale to measure your ingredients and are using cups, use the fluff, sprinkle and scrape method (find it here). If you use too much flour, your cookies will be very dry and crumbly.
- Room Temperature Ingredients - I make sure that all of my ingredients are at room temperature before I start the recipe, so pull out all of the ingredients before you start baking.
- Making the Crisscross Pattern - don't squish down your fork too hard on the cookie dough balls or the cookie might break!
- Baking Time - keep an eye on the cookies as you don't want them to overbake in the oven.
- Let the Cookies Cool - let the cookies cool on the baking sheet before removing them as they can be a bit delicate!
Frequently Asked Questions
If we just rolled up the cookie dough balls and baked them like that on the cookie sheet, the cookies wouldn't spread much (if at all) and the middle might still be underdone. This is because of the peanut butter in the cookie dough makes it much more dense. By flattening the cookie it can bake evenly, you can use something other than a fork if you want! But I like the nostalgic look of the fork marks.
Natural peanut butter isn't going to produce the same kind of texture in the finished cookie and it will be more crumbly.
Keep them in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Try these cookie recipes next!
Have you made this recipe? Make sure to tag me on Instagram @alpineella and leave a review below if you have! If you want more baking ideas, you can follow me on Pinterest.
Recipe
Small Batch Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon (30 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 tablespoon (30 grams) white sugar
- 2 tablespoon (30 grams) light brown sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60 grams) peanut butter
- ½ cup (60 grams) all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter chips
- ¼ cup white sugar for rolling the cookies
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place a rack in the middle of the oven.
- In a medium bowl with a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the peanut butter and butter together until smooth.
- Add in your sugar and light brown sugar and mix again for 1 minute, or until smooth and creamy. Add in your egg yolk and vanilla extract and combine once more.
- Stop the mixer and fold in the dry ingredients - flour, baking soda and salt, by hand until there are no more streaks of flour. Fold in your peanut butter chips. Note, this cookie dough is a little bit dry but it will come together!
- Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop out 2 tablespoons of dough. Use your hands to bring the dough together into a ball and roll in between your palms. Roll the cookie dough ball in the extra ¼ cup of sugar. Place on your prepared baking sheet and use a fork to create a criss cross pattern. Be gentle as these cookies are delicate! Repeat with the rest of the cookie dough.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes. Once you take them out of the oven, let them cool on the baking sheet.
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Shelley says
I would like to make more than the recipe states. The conversion I came up to make 2 dozen with does not manifest good cookies. Do you have another recipe listed that is for a larger quantity?
Ella says
Hi there! I don't unfortunately, but this recipe looks good and is in a similar style!