Easy 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

These are the cookies you make when the craving hits and your patience is already on the floor. Three ingredients, one bowl, no flour, no butter, and they come out crackly on the edges, soft in the center, and wildly peanut-buttery. I call them my “12-minute peace treaty” because everyone stops bickering when these hit the counter. If you’ve never made them, welcome to your new emergency dessert.

This little recipe has become our house legend. My husband swears he can “taste the love” but really he can taste the peanut butter and sugar, because… that’s literally it. The kids love doing the fork crisscrosses and “accidentally” licking the fork between batches. I make a half-batch at 9 p.m. more often than I’ll admit, and we eat them warm with cold milk while pretending we’re going to save some for tomorrow. Spoiler: we don’t.

How to Make It

Grab a mixing bowl and dump in 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup sugar, and 1 egg. Stir with a sturdy spoon until glossy and thick—like you mean it. If your peanut butter is the “natural” kind with oil on top, stir the jar really well first or your dough might feel oily. If the dough looks crumbly, add another tablespoon of peanut butter and keep mixing; if it feels greasy and loose, sprinkle in a teaspoon more sugar.

Scoop tablespoon-ish mounds onto a parchment-lined sheet. Now the fun part: dip a fork in a little sugar and press crisscrosses on each cookie so they flatten to about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle a pinch of flaky salt if you’re a salty-sweet person (hi, same).

Bake at 350°F for 9–11 minutes. They should look set on the edges and a touch soft in the middle. Don’t panic. Let them sit on the sheet for 5 minutes to finish setting up, then move to a rack so they don’t keep cooking into hockey pucks. Eat warm. Try to share.

✔Ingredient Notes

– Peanut butter: Creamy, no-stir peanut butter gives the most consistent texture. Natural works—just stir that jar well so the oil isn’t pooling. Crunchy is great if you like little nutty bits.
– Sugar: Plain white granulated keeps the edges crinkly. You can do half white, half light brown for a deeper, almost toffee vibe. All brown will be softer and a smidge cakier.
– Egg: One large binds everything and gives that chewy middle. Room temp mixes in easier, but cold is fine if that’s what you’ve got.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Stir 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1 large egg in a bowl until smooth and thick.
3. Scoop 1-tablespoon balls and place 2 inches apart on the sheet.
4. Press each with a sugar-dipped fork in a crisscross to about 1/2 inch thick.
5. Bake 9–11 minutes until edges are set and tops look dry but centers are soft.
6. Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Makes about 16–18 cookies.

What to Serve It With

– Ice-cold milk or hot coffee, depending on your mood.
– A scoop of vanilla ice cream—make little sandwich cookies and feel like a genius.
– Drizzle melted chocolate over cooled cookies if you’re feeling extra.
– Fresh berries on the side for a not-too-sweet plate.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Don’t overbake. Pull them when the centers still look a tad soft; they firm up as they cool.
– Fork sticking? Dip it in sugar between presses.
– Dough too crumbly? Add a spoon of peanut butter. Too oily? Add a teaspoon of sugar or chill 10 minutes.
– Use parchment. Greased sheets can make the bottoms over-brown.
– Keep portions small. Big scoops bake up too soft in the middle and fall apart.

✔Storage Tips

Room temp: Pop them in an airtight container for 3–4 days. They stay soft and chewy.
Fridge: They get a little firmer and extra fudgy cold—great with coffee. Zero shame breakfast cookie situation.
Freeze: Freeze baked cookies up to 2 months (thaw on the counter). Or freeze scooped dough balls; bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 1–2 minutes.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Sugar swaps: Coconut sugar works 1:1 for a deeper molasses vibe. Maple or honey makes the dough looser; use 3/4 cup and chill 20 minutes before baking, but expect softer cookies.
– Nut butter swaps: Almond or cashew butter both work. Sunflower butter is fine too; without baking soda, it won’t turn green.
– Texture tweaks: Do half white sugar, half brown sugar for chewier middles. Or add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla if you must—yes, it technically makes it 4 ingredients, but I won’t tell.
– Add-ins: Chocolate chips, chopped peanuts, or a pinch of cinnamon. Keep add-ins around 1/2 cup so the dough still holds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

Crisp at the edges and soft-chewy in the center, these classic flourless peanut butter cookies use just three pantry staples and come together in minutes—no mixer required.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 18

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup peanut butter creamy; not natural/oily for best texture
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 large egg room temperature

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, stir peanut butter, sugar, and egg together until smooth and glossy.
• Scoop dough into 1 tablespoon portions and roll into balls. Arrange on sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
• Use a fork to press a crisscross pattern on each dough ball, flattening to about 0.5 inch thick.
• Bake until edges are set and tops show light cracks, 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake.
• Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For a bakery-style finish, sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt on the cookies right after they come out of the oven. If using natural peanut butter, chill the dough 20 minutes before baking to help the cookies hold shape.