3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

All you need are 3 ingredients to make these decadent peanut butter cookies. This 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies recipe is one we use often for a quick sweet tooth fix. Peanut butter, egg, and sugar are all you need to make these easy cookies.

All you need is a bowl, something to stir, and a cookie sheet. No special equipment is needed for this peanut butter cookie recipe. You might even have all these ingredients in your kitchen and pantry. Simple ingredients with big flavor turnout for this easy recipe.

If you love peanut butter, you might love our other popular peanut butter lover recipes. Try our easy edible peanut butter cookie doughpeanut butter pie or even this peanut butter lasagna. All are no-bake desserts that are full of rich peanut butter flavor.

3-ingredient peanut butter cookies are naturally gluten-free as there is no flour used. Just make sure the peanut butter is made in a gluten-free factory, which you can find if the peanut butter is gluten-free on the label.

We love creamy peanut butter for this recipe for that soft baked cookie with the criss-cross pattern that is the classic design for a cookie.

Reasons To Love These Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten Free)

• An easy peanut butter cookie recipe takes three ingredients to make.
• These are some of the best peanut butter cookies you will ever have.
• If you are not a pro in the kitchen, no worries. This recipe is so easy and you end up with golden brown soft baked cookies.
• Flavorful peanut butter cookies that take minutes to whip up and get baked in the oven.
• Full of rich nutty peanut butter flavor in each bite.
• If you are a cookie lover you will enjoy these homemade cookies.

Ingredients Needed

Peanut Butter – You can use creamy peanut butter Now if you reach for a natural peanut butter just know the texture is a bit different so we recommend using a bit less of the peanut butter to get the right consistency of the texture of the batter. Then if you need to add more peanut butter. Crunchy peanut butter tends to cause the cookies to crumble too much so we do recommend smooth peanut butter for this recipe.

Sugar – Granulated sugar is what we used for the sweetener in the cookie recipe.

Egg – One large egg works perfectly for this three-ingredient peanut butter cookie recipe.

How to Make

Full steps on how to make these peanut butter cookies are in the printable recipe card below. This is a visual walk through how it is made.

1. Preheat the oven and spray your baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. In a bowl add your peanut butter, egg, and sugar. Mix with a spatula, for a minute until the dough forms into a ball.
3. Roll 24 balls out of the cookie dough and place them on the pan, one inch apart.
4. Use a fork to make the traditional peanut butter cookie criss-cross pattern.
5. Then bake as directed, and let cool and devour.

Expert Tips For Making PB Cookies

• Use a fork to press onto the top of each dough ball to slightly flatten and leave the imprint of the fork. Turn the fork 90 degrees and make a second imprint to create the classic peanut butter cookie look. This is a must for the top of the cookies so the cookie dough fully bakes in the oven.
• We like to cool our cookies on a wire rack so they cool from both sides.
• You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer, but a spatula and bowl work great if you don’t want to mess with equipment.
• We recommend using a cookie scoop so all your cookie dough balls are even in size and will bake up evenly.
• You do need to mix the cookie dough for around a minute until the ball is formed. This ensures all the dough is fully mixed. This will offer the best results of the baked cookies.
• Use parchment paper or a greased pan to ensure the cookies will not stick to the pan.
• A room temperature egg is what we recommend as it creams together better with the other ingredients.

Substitutes and Variations to Recipe

• Nut Butter – Sunflower seed butter, cashew butter, almond butter, and more can be used for a twist to classic peanut butter cookies. Just aim for a similar texture on cookies.
• Sweeteners – If you want you can swap out the white sugar for brown sugar (we recommend light brown sugar) or even a sugar substitute for less sugar or a sugar-free option. Just know that sometimes the texture of the cookies alters with a swap to a sweetener. Coconut sugar is another great sugar replacement.
• Dip in Chocolate – Melt some chocolate chips and dip half the cookie in the chocolate or even drizzle on top. This is a fun twist to the peanut butter cookies. Dark chocolate, milk, or even white chocolate works.
• Vanilla Extract – Add a small splash of vanilla to the cookie dough (1/2 teaspoon) for a sweeter flavor to the cookie dough.
• Sea Salt – Top the cookies with a small sprinkle of sea salt that will enhance the peanut butter flavor in the cookies tremendously.
• Cinnamon – Add 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon to the dough for a nice warm spice flavor that will compliment the soft peanut butter cookies.

Storing

Room Temperature – Store the cookies in an airtight container for 3-5 days at room temperature. We find that pb cookies do dry out faster than other types of cookies. So make sure to plan to eat them before they become crumbly.

Freezer – Want to freeze the cookies for later? Place the cookies in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Then freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw on the counter or eat them straight from the freezer. Feel free to make a double batch of these cookies to purposely stock your freezer!

Practical notes

Can we add mix-ins like chocolate chips or chopped nuts to our peanut butter cookies?

Go right ahead and add in some chocolate chips, M&M’s, Reese’s pieces, or other mix-in items to the cookie dough. This will add flavor to the cookie and alter the texture just a bit.

Why do you need to press peanut butter cookies with a fork?

Pressing the small balls with a fork is going to help flatten the cookies so they bake evenly, and it offers that pretty appearance. If you don’t flatten the cookies and then make the crisscross pattern the center of the cookies can be raw and unevenly baked. The back of a fork is the traditional method.

Are peanut butter cookies safe for people with nut allergies?

You will find that peanut butter cookies are not safe if you have a peanut allergy. You can swap the peanut butter with a nut butter if you need a peanut free cookie due to nut allergies.

How do you know when the cookies are baked?

The three-ingredient peanut butter cookies are baked when they are lightly golden brown on top, and the cookie is firm to the touch. We find 8-10 minutes is the average bake time.

Craving More Cookie Recipes

• Brownie Cookies
• Fruity Pebble Cookies
• Berger Cookies
• Cherry Pecan Cookies

Ingredients

Makes 24 servings

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg

Equipment

• Mixing bowl
• Cookie Sheet
• Spatula
• Cookie Scoop

Method

1. Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a spacious mixing bowl, combine all three ingredients. Ensure they are thoroughly mixed, and continue blending for approximately 1 minute or until the dough is cohesive enough to shape into a ball.
3. Divide the dough into 24 equal portions and roll them into balls. Place these dough balls on ungreased baking sheets, leaving at least 1 inch of space between each.
4. Take a fork and gently press it onto the top of each dough ball to slightly flatten it while leaving the distinctive fork imprints. Rotate the fork by 90 degrees and press it again to achieve the classic peanut butter cookie appearance.
5. Bake the cookies at 350°F (175°C) for 8-10 minutes or until they are set and slightly golden.
6. Allow the cookies to cool briefly on wire cooling racks before serving.

Kitchen notes

Crunchy peanut butter has made the cookies crumble a lot easier so we recommend not using crunchy peanut butter. Swap the peanut butter with a nut butter if you have a nut allergen. Just aim for the same texture of the cookie dough. Using a cookie scoop offers evenly sized cookies that all bake up at the same time.