Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

I can’t get over how three simple ingredients turn into peanut butter cookies this soft, rich, and dangerously snackable. One bite and they’ll be the shortcut dessert I keep coming back to.

I’m obsessed with these 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies because they taste way more dramatic than they should. One bite and I get crisp edges, a soft middle, and that straight-up peanut butter hit I want from a cookie.

No fuss, no weird extras, just creamy peanut butter and granulated sugar doing the most. And I love that they feel a little rebellious, like dessert hacked the system.

They’re sweet, salty, chewy, and dangerously easy to keep “testing” from the pan. But the best part is how fast they disappear.

Every single time. Get ready to run to your kitchen.

Ingredients

• Creamy peanut butter brings the rich, nutty flavor and keeps each cookie soft.
• Natural peanut butter works too, but it can make cookies a little crumbly.
• Regular peanut butter gives the most classic, lunchbox-style cookie taste.
• Granulated sugar adds sweetness and helps those edges get lightly crisp.
• It’s not health food, but it makes the texture simple and satisfying.
• The egg holds everything together, so the cookies don’t fall apart.
• Plus, it adds a little protein, which is nice, even in dessert.
• Basically, these three ingredients make a chewy, sweet cookie without much fuss.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (smooth, natural or regular)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

2. In a medium bowl combine 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1 large egg.

3. Stir with a spoon or spatula until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.

4. Use a tablespoon or small cookie scoop to portion dough, about 1 tablespoon per cookie.

5. Roll each portion into a ball between your palms.

6. Place dough balls on the prepared baking sheet spaced about 2 inches apart.

7. Flatten each ball with a fork, pressing twice in a crisscross pattern to make a crosshatch.

8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are set and tops look slightly cracked.

9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven
2. Baking sheet
3. Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
4. Medium mixing bowl
5. Tablespoon or small cookie scoop
6. Spoon or rubber spatula for stirring
7. Fork for crisscross pressing
8. Wire cooling rack

FAQ

Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (smooth, natural or regular)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg

Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, stir together peanut butter, sugar, and egg until a smooth dough forms.
3. Scoop tablespoon-sized portions, roll into balls, and place on the sheet about 2 inches apart.
4. Use a fork to press a crisscross pattern into each ball.
5. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until edges are set and tops have small cracks.
6. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Substitutions

• Peanut butter: use almond butter or cashew butter 1:1 for a milder, nutty flavor; sunflower seed butter 1:1 if nut-free
• Granulated sugar: swap equal parts brown sugar for a chewier, caramel note; or use coconut sugar 1:1 for a slightly less refined option
• Egg: replace with a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 minutes) for a vegan option
• Texture tweak: mix in 1/4 cup of rolled oats or chopped nuts to the dough for extra chew and crunch

Pro Tips

1. Chill the dough for 10 to 15 minutes if it feels very sticky; it firms up and is much easier to roll, plus the cookies spread less while baking.
2. For chewier cookies, press them a little less when making the crosshatch; for crisper edges, flatten slightly more and bake at the higher end of the time range.
3. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon measure for even sizes so all cookies bake at the same rate; rotate the baking sheet halfway through baking for even browning.
4. If your peanut butter is oily, stir it well first so oil is incorporated; if the dough still seems too loose, add a tablespoon of extra sugar until it holds shape.
5. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for the full five minutes before moving them. That short rest helps them set so they do not break when you transfer to the rack.