Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe: A Great Addition for the Cookie Jar
This recipe produces a cookie with a crunchy exterior, a soft interior and oozes peanut-butter goodness! Let these cookies cool slightly after coming out of the oven, grab a glass of cold milk and these crunchy peanut butter cookies.

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This crowd pleasing cookie is quick to make and chances are you already have the ingredients in your panty. This cookie is a classic for a reason! The crispy exterior comes from rolling the cookie in sugar prior to baking so don’t leave this step out.
Tips for Making the Perfect Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Ingredients:
- The question is whether to use chunky or creamy peanut butter. This is a personal choice and my choice is chunky! The more texture in a cookie - the better!
- I recommend using natural peanut butter when making this recipe. A natural peanut butter does not have the added emulsifiers, hydrogenated oils and sugars than a 'regular' peanut butter. These additives can cause a bland cookie.
- Bittersweet chocolate chips are folded into the cookie dough as the last step of the mixing process. These are optional and you will still have a mouth-watering cookie without the chocolate.
- Making the Peanut Butter Cookie Dough:
- Sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. All ingredients need to be well distributed throughout the cookie dough.
- A stand mixer works best when creaming fats and sugars together. A hand mixer may also be used – it will just take a little longer!
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes prior to baking. This will help the cookies maintain their shape and make it easier to roll in sugar prior to baking.
- Baking the Cookies:
- After chilling the dough, use a small cookie scoop (approximately 1 ½ tablespoons per cookie) to form balls of cookie dough and roll in granulated sugar. The cookie should be completely rolled in the sugar to form the super-crunchy cookie top we are going for!
- Flatten the cookies slightly with a dinner fork before baking - who doesn't love the signature crisscross pattern on a peanut butter cookie!
Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies
This recipe produces a cookie with a crunchy exterior, a soft interior and oozes peanut-butter goodness!
Equipment
- 2 Cookie Sheet Pans Lined with a Silpat or parchment paper
- 1 Hand Mixer or
Ingredients
- 150 Grams All-Purpose Flour (1 ¼ Cups)
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 115 Grams Butter, Room Temperature (½ cup or 1 four-ounce stick)
- 100 Grams Granulated Sugar (½ Cup)
- 105 Grams Light Brown Sugar (½ Cup)
- 1 Large Egg Room Temperature
- 112 Grams Crunchy Peanut Butter (½ Cup)
- 170 Grams Chocolate Chips, Bittersweet (1 Cup)
- 100 Grams Granulated Sugar (for coating cookies before baking) (½ Cup)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, begin creaming the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy (2 - 3 minutes on medium speed). Scrape the bowl as needed.
- Add the egg to the mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed until combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Add peanut butter to the mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed until combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined.
- Stir in chocolate chips by hand.
- Wrap the dough and place in refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes or until chilled.
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Prepare 2 baking sheets by lining with parchment paper or a Silpat.
- Using a small cookie scoop (approximately 1 ½ tablespoons per cookie) form balls of cookie dough and roll in granulated sugar.
- Place the dough on parchment-lined baking sheets leaving approximately 2 inches of space between each cookie.
- Lightly flatten each cookie using a dinner fork.
- Bake cookies for 10 - 12 minutes, or until tops and edges of cookies are browning.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Rob says
Wonderful recipe! The contrast between the chocolate and peanut butter is perfect!
DJ says
I made these with whole wheat flour. They came out grand.
Lindsay says
I've made these a few times and they're absolutely perfect each time. Great recipe!
Jessica Formicola says
I made these cookies last night and they turned out perfectly! So delicious!
dessertswithstephanie says
Thank you for your feedback!
dessertswithstephanie says
So kind of you to let me know!
Sandy says
Crazy crunchy peanut butter cookies ?
Darleen says
I've only made soft peanut butter cookies before. This is my new go to recipe - really yummy.
GransPeope says
Love the crunch on these cookies! Easy to make and easier to eat.