These 5 Ingredient peanut butter cookies are chewy and super easy to make, full of peanut butter flavor, and have melty pockets of chocolate.
These cookies are made with chocolate chips which creates melty pockets of chocolate in every bite and are a delish treat that's incredibly easy to make.
The recipe is perfect for both novice bakers and those short on time. With just a handful of common ingredients, you can whip up a batch of these delicious cookies in no time.
The texture is a perfect balance of chewy and crumbly, with the peanut butter providing a rich, creamy base.
The addition of chocolate chips adds a sweet, melty surprise to every bite. What's great about this recipe is its simplicity – you don't need any special equipment or baking skills.
Just mix, scoop, and bake! The result is a batch of warm, comforting cookies that are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.
For more cookie recipes check out my coffee cookies, Oreo chocolate chip cookies, mini chocolate chip cookies, chocolate crinkle cookies, and tiramisu cookies.
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Why this recipe works
- Texture- these cookies have a delicious texture, chewy in the middle with a crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth exterior that will make it hard to stop at one.
- Peanut butter and chocolate flavor- the combination of peanut butter and chocolate is one of the best flavor pairings and is perfect if you enjoy this delish combo of flavors.
- 5 ingredient cookies- you will only need 5 simple ingredients to make these cookies: creamy peanut butter, chocolate chips, egg, baking soda, and brown sugar.
- Time- this entire cookie recipe takes 20 minutes to make from start to finish: 5 minutes to make the cookie dough, 10-12 minutes to bake, and you're done with perfectly delish cookies!
- Naturally gluten free- these cookies are naturally gluten-free, low-carb, and dairy-free, making them perfect for people with various food allergies!
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Peanut butter- I used creamy processed peanut butter for this recipe like the Jif or Skippy peanut butter brand, but you can use the chunky kind as well.
Brown sugar- adds a rich flavor and chewy texture to the cookies. You can use light or dark brown sugar for this.
It is common to use brown sugar for peanut butter cookies so you can use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar.
Egg- you will need 1 egg for this recipe. Make sure that your eggs are at room temperature.
Baking soda – baking soda helps the cookies rise and spread. Make sure that your baking soda isn’t expired. Don’t replace baking soda with baking powder!
Chocolate chips- you can use any kind of chocolate chips for these cookies, we like to use either dark chocolate chips or semisweet chocolate chips.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180c (350f) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Into a large mixing bowl, add the egg, brown sugar, creamy peanut butter, and baking soda. Mix it with a whisk until well combined and creamy.
Add the chocolate chips and fold it with a spatula until evenly distributed.
Using a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough balls onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet at least 2 inches apart.
Bake the cookies in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 8-11 minutes or until the edges become lightly golden brown. The cookies will be very soft but will harden while they cool.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overbake these cookies. For a chewy on the inside and crispy on the edges cookie texture, bake these cookies for no more than 10-12 minutes. They keep baking in the cooling process.
- Use room temperature ingredients. You must use room-temperature ingredients like eggs. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Line your sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat! This step helps the cookies to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cookies release easily from the pan.
- Use a cookies scoop to scoop out the cookies, that way you will have even-sized cookies, plus it ensures that your cookies bake evenly.
- Be patient! I know it’s extremely tempting to eat these cookies as they are pulled out of the oven, but let these cookies cool for at least 5 minutes so they will be firmer and won’t crumble up.
- I suggest letting these cookies cool for 5 minutes and then transferring them to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 more minutes. This step ensures that the bottom of your cookies will not be soggy from the steam.
- Use smooth store-bought peanut butter and not chunky peanut butter for the perfect texture.
Faq's
The basic components include peanut butter, sugar (both granulated and brown), flour, eggs, and a leavening agent like baking soda. Some recipes may also call for salt to enhance flavor.
Overbaking causes dry, crumbly peanut butter cookies. To prevent this, remove cookies from the oven when the edges are lightly golden but the centers seem slightly underdone.
They'll continue setting as they cool, yielding a softer texture.
When it comes to choosing peanut butter for cookies, creamy varieties are typically the best option.
Popular brands like Jif or Skippy work well, as they provide a smooth texture and consistent flavor that blends seamlessly into cookie dough.
Storing
Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freezing
For baked cookies, let them cool completely. Then, put them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Add wax paper between layers to prevent sticking. Freeze for up to 2 months.
When you're ready to eat, thaw baked cookies at room temperature.
For unbaked cookie dough, shape it into balls and place them on a baking sheet. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag.
For dough balls, bake them straight from the freezer, adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time. This way, you can have fresh cookies anytime without the fuss of making them from scratch.
Make it ahead of time
To make these ahead of time, you can make the cookie dough and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. When you are ready to bake, follow the instructions as written.
Substitutions
Nut butter- You can use processed almond butter or cashew butter instead of peanut butter if you are allergic to peanut butter!
Natural peanut butter- some people tried these cookies with natural peanut butter and it turned out great. I haven't tried it yet, but if you do, let us know how it turns out!
Sugar- swap the brown sugar with granulated sugar for an extra chewy texture and richer flavor.
Variations
Chunky- replace creamy peanut butter with chunky peanut butter for added texture and crunch.
Vanilla extract- add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to enhance the overall flavor profile.
Sea salt- sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on top of each cookie before baking for a sweet-salty contrast.
Double chocolate- use dark chocolate chips instead of regular ones and add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the mix.
Oatmeal crunch- substitute ¼ cup of brown sugar with quick oats for a heartier texture and added fiber.
Cinnamon spice- add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the batter for a warm, aromatic flavor.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl (set of 3)
- Whisk Set (pack of 3) to whisk the ingredients together
- Baking sheet and rack set (our fave)
- Cookies scoop set of 3 (the best cookie scoop we used)
More peanut butter desserts
Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies- These fudgy, and moist chocolate peanut butter brownies are stuffed with a thick layer of creamy peanut butter in every bite!
Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies- These one bowl peanut butter thumbprint cookies are soft and flavorful and are filled with a strawberry jam filling.
Chocolate Cake With Peanut Butter Frosting- This chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting is made with soft and moist chocolate cake layers and is frosted with silky peanut butter frosting.
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and a comment below. We love hearing from you.
If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
5 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Peanut butter Creamy, Jif or Skippy style.
- 1 cup Brown sugar light brown sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ cup Chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180c (350f) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Into a large mixing bowl, add the egg, brown sugar, creamy peanut butter, and baking soda. Mix it with a whisk until well combined and creamy.
- Add the chocolate chips and fold it with a spatula until evenly distributed.
- Using a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough balls onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 8-11 minutes or until the edges become lightly golden brown. The cookies will be very soft but will harden while they cool.
Notes
- Don’t overbake these cookies. For a chewy on the inside and crispy on the edges cookie texture, bake these cookies for no more than 10-12 minutes. They keep baking in the cooling process.
- Use room temperature ingredients. You must use room-temperature ingredients like eggs. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Line your sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat! This step helps the cookies to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cookies release easily from the pan.
- Use a cookies scoop to scoop out the cookies, that way you will have even-sized cookies, plus it ensures that your cookies bake evenly.
- Be patient! I know it’s extremely tempting to eat these cookies as they are pulled out of the oven, but let these cookies cool for at least 5 minutes so they will be firmer and won’t crumble up.
- I suggest letting these cookies cool for 5 minutes and then transferring them to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 more minutes. This step ensures that the bottom of your cookies will not be soggy from the steam.
- Use smooth store-bought peanut butter and not chunky peanut butter for the perfect texture.
Annika says
These cookies are sweet but very peanut buttery. Everyone loved them! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Jeremy says
Sooo good!