These soft and chewy, three-ingredient peanut butter cookies are packed with peanut butter flavor. They’re flourless, made in one bowl, and quick to prepare.
Have you ever tried making three-ingredient peanut butter cookies?
At first it sounds too simple: cookies with only peanut butter, sugar and an egg. But these cookies prove that great flavor doesn’t require a long ingredient list or a sink full of dishes.
Made with a single bowl and a spoon, these cookies deliver classic peanut butter taste and the familiar fork crosshatch on top.
They’re soft and chewy, the kind of cookie that brings back memories of home baking. This simple version is essentially the classic Kraft-style recipe that many of us grew up with.
There are many variations online—some call for brown sugar, others use different proportions or bake at various temperatures. After testing several versions, the traditional recipe produced the best balance of texture and flavor for our preference.
We prefer our peanut butter cookies soft and chewy, so we bake these for about 12–14 minutes rather than the longer time some recipes suggest. That shorter bake keeps the centers tender while the edges just begin to brown.
The result is an easy, reliable cookie: one bowl, one spoon, three ingredients, and about 20 minutes from start to finish.
Tips and variations:
- Use regular creamy peanut butter for best results. Natural peanut butter tends to make the dough too oily and can affect texture; crunchy works in a pinch but creamy yields the classic cookie consistency.
- Substituting brown sugar will produce a softer cookie that spreads a bit more, if you prefer a chewier texture.
- Line baking sheets with parchment or use nonstick liners for easy cleanup, though the cookies will bake fine directly on a baking pan.
- A cookie scoop helps make evenly sized cookies that bake uniformly.
How to make 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 large egg until combined.
- Form the dough into 2-tablespoon balls (or use a cookie scoop) and place them about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.
- Press each ball down with a fork to create a crosshatch pattern.
- Bake 12–14 minutes until cookies are set, no longer shiny, and the edges are just beginning to brown. Avoid overbaking to keep them soft and chewy.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Yield: 12 cookies
More cookie ideas
- Swig Sugar Cookies
- Raspberry Lemon Cookies
- Salted Double Chocolate Cookies
- Monster Cookies
- Carrot Cake Cookies
3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
These soft and chewy, three-ingredient peanut butter cookies are full of peanut butter flavor. They’re flourless, made in one bowl, and quick to prepare.
5 minutes
12 minutes
17 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the peanut butter, sugar and egg until well combined.
- Form the dough into 2-tablespoon balls (or use a cookie scoop) and place them 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.
- Press each ball down with a fork to make a crosshatch pattern.
- Bake 12–14 minutes until cookies are set and no longer shiny, with the edges just beginning to brown. Don’t overbake to keep them soft and chewy.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12
Serving Size:
1 cookie
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 165Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 108mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 10gProtein: 5g
Nutrition information is an estimate based on ingredients used and may vary.
This three-ingredient peanut butter cookie recipe has also been shared on Food Fanatic.