Two-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Incredibly simple peanut butter cookies made with just peanut butter, sugar, and an egg. These tender, naturally chewy cookies have a crackled surface and deep peanut flavor. No flour, no butter, no complicated steps—ready in under 30 minutes.
Steps
Before you start
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
- Use creamy peanut butter (not natural oil-separated type)
- Cookies will be underbaked when removed from oven—they finish setting as they cool
Combine ingredients
- In a medium mixing bowl, add 1 cup (240 ml) room-temperature peanut butter and 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed (or whisking by hand), beat until well combined and slightly lighter in color, about 1 minute.
- The mixture will be thick and sandy-looking.
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Ready when: Peanut butter and sugar fully incorporated and uniform in color
Tip: Room-temperature peanut butter mixes faster and creates a smoother dough than cold peanut butter.
Add egg and mix
- Add 1 large room-temperature egg to the peanut butter mixture.
- Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the egg is fully incorporated and the dough comes together into a soft, slightly sticky mass.
- The dough will appear lighter and more cohesive than before.
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Ready when: Egg completely mixed in and dough is uniform throughout
Tip: Do not overmix once the egg is added, or the cookies may become tough. Mix just until no streaks of egg remain.
Scoop cookies onto baking sheet
- Line a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Using a 1-tablespoon (15 ml) cookie scoop or spoon, drop rounded portions of dough onto the sheet, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
- You should have about 24 cookies.
- Slightly flatten each cookie with the bottom of a damp measuring cup or your palm to about ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick.
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Ready when: All dough scooped and flattened on baking sheet
Tip: Slightly damp hands or the cup prevent sticking. Cookies spread minimally, so flatten them gently before baking for a better shape.
Bake cookiesOven 350°F / 175°C
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
- The cookies will look slightly underbaked with a soft center and crackled, pale-golden top.
- The edges will hold their shape but the cookies will be soft to the touch—do not wait for them to feel firm in the oven, as they firm up as they cool.
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Ready when: Top is crackled and pale golden; edges are set but centers still soft to gentle touch
Tip: Underbaked cookies are tender and chewy; overbaked ones become dry and hard. If unsure, remove at 10 minutes first—you can always bake longer, but you cannot undo overbaking.
Cool and serve
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes.
- They will continue to set as they cool.
- After 5 minutes, transfer cookies to a wire rack or serving plate if desired.
- They are ready to eat warm or at room temperature.
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Ready when: Cookies are set enough to move without breaking apart
Tip: Do not transfer cookies immediately—they will fall apart. The 5-minute rest on the sheet is essential.
Good to know
Tips
- These cookies are naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and flour-free. They rely entirely on peanut butter for structure, which is why room-temperature ingredients and not overbaking are crucial.
- For a fun twist, press a chocolate chip or a small piece of candy into the top of each cookie before baking.
- If you prefer crispy cookies, bake for 14–15 minutes until they feel fully firm to the touch; they will harden further as they cool.
- The 'crackled' top is a sign of proper doneness—it happens naturally as the outside dries slightly while the inside stays soft.
Make ahead
Dough can be made up to 2 hours ahead and refrigerated; cookies bake straight from the fridge (add 1–2 minutes to bake time).
Storage & reheating
Room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Refrigerate for up to 1 week. Freeze baked cookies in a freezer bag for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes. Unbaked dough can be frozen for up to 1 month and baked from frozen (add 2–3 minutes to bake time).
Substitutions
- creamy peanut butter → Almond butter or sunflower seed butter. Use an equal amount of creamy nut or seed butter. Flavor will change; sunflower seed butter yields slightly less sweet cookies.
- granulated sugar → Packed light or dark brown sugar. Use an equal 1 cup (200 g); brown sugar creates chewier, more caramel-flavored cookies. Mix in brown sugar alone or combine half granulated and half brown.
- large egg → Applesauce or mashed banana (2–3 tablespoons or 30–45 g). Use for a vegan version; cookies will be slightly less structurally sound but still tender. Add 1 minute to bake time to ensure they set.
