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These chewy, dense, peanut butter cookies are an unforgettable memory from my childhood. Made with just an egg, a cup of peanut butter, and a cup of sugar, 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies are an old-fashioned cookie that everyone loves.
Peanut Butter Cookies
After you’ve tasted them, these old-fashioned chewy peanut butter cookies will be forever in your memory, too. And if you scan the comments at the bottom of this post, you’ll see a whole lot of people calling these the Best Peanut Butter Cookies Ever.
While the origin of these peanut butter cookies is sometimes debated, the recipe has certainly been around longer than I have. I can remember seeing the instructions on the side of Jif, Skippy, and Peter Pan peanut butter jars throughout my childhood.
So quick easy and delicious! Always have the ingredients so it is really perfect for a spur of the moment sweet tooth 😋 👍
Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
I remember stirring a batch of these cookies together with a friend in the middle of the night when I was in junior high or high school. I was a bit skeptical that it would work, but I loved them from the first bite.
There is nothing like being able to satisfy a sweet tooth craving at a moment’s notice! We sat and nibbled on the warm cookies and talked half the night.
In less time than it takes to preheat the oven, you can have these ready and waiting to bake on a tray. There are plenty of variations of peanut butter cookies on the internet and in countless cookbooks, and I’ve played with plenty of them in the past.
1 Cup Peanut Butter + 1 Cup Sugar + 1 Egg
In the end, I keep going back to the original peanut butter cookie. I love it for its simplicity. 1 cup of peanut butter, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 egg: there really isn’t anything easier that tastes this good.
Truly the BEST!
As much as I love the original recipe, I often change things up just a tiny bit when I make these cookies. I like to remove about 2 tablespoons of peanut butter from the “cup” listed in this recipe. This results in a slightly less dense cookie that we love even more than the original. Happy baking!
One of my favorite things about this very easy peanut butter cookie recipe is that kids can usually make these cookies without any help at all. This was the first cookie recipe that each of my boys learned to make, and they were probably about 5 years old when they made them for the first time on their own.
Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies
While the main ingredients for these 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies are simply peanut butter, sugar, and an egg, feel free to adapt the recipe however you like best! Add a teaspoon of vanilla, an additional egg (for a gooier cookie – see note below), a pinch of sea salt, or a handful of chocolate chips. The cookies are delicious both as written and with the extra ingredients.
As much as I love the original recipe, I often change things up just a tiny bit when I make these cookies. I like to remove about 2 tablespoons of peanut butter from the “cup” listed in this recipe. This results in a slightly less dense cookie that we love even more than the original.
Please note: I do not recommend using a natural peanut butter for this recipe. I’ve found that a commercial peanut butter, i.e. Jiff or Skippy will work best for these cookies. While some readers have commented that their all-natural peanut butter works well, that is not universally true with all natural peanut butters.
Recipe Tip
Many readers have mentioned that they like to add an extra egg to this recipe. If you choose to add an extra egg, simply scoop the finished cookie dough onto the baking tray. The dough will not be firm enough to roll into balls or press with a criss-cross pattern.
The cookies will be puffier straight out of the oven and then will settle a bit as they cool. I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest fan of this particular variation, as the cookies are a bit more delicate this way, and I really like the chewy texture of the original version.
3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
It really doesn’t get any easier than these cookies. Stir together the peanut butter, sugar, and egg. Scoop the cookie dough onto a baking sheet and then use the back of a fork to press down on each cookie. Press again from the opposite direction to form the criss-cross pattern on top.
These cookies will not spread much at all. You can bake the full batch on a single tray if you like. Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container, either on the counter until they all disappear, or in the freezer, for up to 2 months.
Easy Cookie Recipes
For more easy dessert recipes, check out these easy cookie recipes! {5 Ingredient} Coconut Lovers Oatmeal Cookies and these {5 Ingredient} Almond Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies.
For the easiest and most memorable cake you’ll ever make, try the {6 Ingredient} Cranberry Christmas Cake. You’re going to love it from the first bite. I’m willing to bet on that. Do you have a favorite super easy cookie recipe? If so, I’d love to hear about it!
I’m always looking for more simple dessert recipes to try. These Easy Double Chocolate Nutella Cookies and these Easy Shortbread Cookies (made with a cookie press) are both on my to-bake list now.
3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar * see note below
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the peanut butter, sugar, and egg in a bowl. Stir together until well combined.
- Scoop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. (Roll into 1" balls with your hands, if you do not have a scoop.) Press down with the back of a fork, and then press again from the opposite direction, to form the criss-cross pattern on top.
- These cookies will not spread much at all. You can bake the full recipe on a single tray if you like. Bake for 12 minutes and then cool on the tray for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 08/14/2013 – photos and recipe notes updated 09/25/25}
This has been a very popular recipe here on the website for almost as long as I’ve been sharing recipes online. I’m updating the photos and resharing the recipe today; however, I’m including the original photos here for those who may already be familiar with these cookies.
Awesome 🍪 cookies!!!!
Oh my that’s too much sugar!
And I didn’t read until afterwards that you shouldn’t use natural peanut butter. They never hardened up. And they’re sickeningly sweet.
I used natural peanut butter and xylitol and this was a fail. I might try again with some modification.
Unfortunately, if you used natural peanut butter and xylitol to make this, you didn’t make the recipe as directed and that is why it failed for you. Baking with xylitol is not something I’m familiar with, so I can’t advise you as to how to make that work.
My second batch was awesome! It looked like this:
1/2 cup smooth commercial pb
1/2 cup chunky commercial pb
1/2 cup xylitol
1 egg
Sugar free, low carb/keto, and delicious
These cookies DO spread. Bad. I went from having 9 cookies to one large one. Hope it is good.
Super quick chewy biscuits in a jiffy.. Lovely.re
These are the best. Make them two ways, one with sugar an one with Splenda. Both are great.
Hi Everybody!! These cookies have been my “go to” Christmas cookies since 2006!! I have the recipe right where ibwant it!! The secret is, use the paddle on a stand mixer, blend slowly, stop, scrap the sides then blend some more until you get a thorough somewhat crumbly moxture. Using half brown sugar and half white sugar is where it’s at!! The dark brown sugar holds the mixture together perfectly. Before even going onto the cookie sheet, place the cookie dough into the fridge for 5 minutes to chill, then place them on your cookie sheet. Instead of using a fork, I also use the bottom of a flat glass to flatten them out slightly. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, remember the cookies remain on the cookie sheet for 2 to 3 minutes which means essentially they are still baking on a hot cookie sheet!! You can mix any flavor chip in these or minature M&M’s (the christmas colred ones) about a half of a cup. When I make them for the holidays, once the cookies are baked and they are just placed on a cooling rack, lightly press a candy kiss in the very center!! Just to give insight on how versatile this recipe is!! This cookie is a holiday treat that my entire family looks forward to during the holidays!! I hope my tips helped!! 🙂
Can you use honey instead of the sugar?
The sugar contributes structure to the cookies, so, unfortunately, it will not work the same way with honey.
just finished up my first batch of these! They’re quite tasty, but they are a little dry for me. Is there any way to add a little bit of moisture? Would milk change the structure of the cookie too much?
Maybe drink/dunk them with milk!
These are absolutely delicious! I took one person’s suggestion and did half white surgar and half dark brown and I added just a bit of vanilla. I’m trying several of your recipes today (your Flourless Chocolate Brownie Cookies are in the oven right now), and I’m so happy with these. I’ll definitely be making them again! Thank you for sharing your recipe with us. 🙂
I decided to try out these cookies after a baking itch. Although I was skeptical about it not having flour or butter, I thought it might be good after these ratings. Sadly I was wrong. The cookies that came out were bland and crumbly. They also had a high chance to burn even though I followed the instructions. The thing that did surprise me was that they were even able to turn into dough and bake into a cookie. I also thought that since it only had 3 ingredients, clean up was pretty easy. It’s sad so see that I won’t be able to recommend it, but something I did notice is that my puppies really liked them. Maybe they would be better as puppy treats since it’s relatively bland and has nothing that would be poisonous to them. As for humans though, I’d steer clear of it.
This is exactly how I thought of them. Kinda a waste of ingredients, but thanks for the recommendation my pups love them., My family, not so much..
Being sugar is included i wouldnt gove to animals 😏
I use a honey peanut butter and add 2 eggs and add an extra half a cup of each peanut butter and sugar it changes the density and gives it a sweeter taste but if you put a thumb print in the middle instead of the fork marks when they are done put herssey kisses in it. As for the burning reduce your cook time and that should work. I experiment on recipes when I have issues and make them my own hopefully you will give this a try.
Can you use coconut sugar instead of regular sugar?
I think it would work fine, but I haven’t tried it myself.
Hi
These were a bit cakey dry??
I am a diabetic and I was wondering has anyone ever tried this with stevia sweetener instead of sugar and if so how did they come out?
They came out good I think but I’m use to the stevia
WE make these several times a year and enjoy the cookies. We grew out of needing cookies with, so much flour and butter, so the three ingredients (4 if I add vanilla) keep these cookies clean and pure peanut butter tasty without extra fluff.
You will never need another peanut butter cookie recipe!! This was hands-down the easiest cookie recipe EVER!! My teen daughter made them by herself from start to finish. She followed the recipe to the letter. It was her first ever attempt at making cookies. She kept asking me to let her make peanut butter cookies, but I am not huge peanut butter cookie fan, I kept stalling. Finally, I caved and found this recipe. They were perfect, they were tasty, and they will be made again often. I was super impressed. Thank you so much for sharing!!!
For everyone giving bad reviews you need to understand, these are not meant to be world class cookies. These are a great quick and easy treat when you’re craving some peanut butter cookies. They are also a great alternative when you find you are short ingredients for traditional peanut butter cookies. I would definitely recommend them.
These are gluten free as well…making them this week and doing as you suggested…a wee bit less of peanut butter and thus it ought to be a crunchy cookie….
I have been making these
like 20 years,they are GREAT..CAN’T KEEP THEM IN THE COOKIE JAR.
I had been looking for a recipe to use with ingredients I had on hand and this fit the bill nicely. They turned out lovely. My husband loves all things peanut butter and just couldn’t get enough of these.
Do NOT use light Peanut butter! I repeat do NOT use light peanut butter. They were a disaster!!!! 🤦🤦🤦
This is why I specify in the recipe not to use anything other than standard peanut butter. Natural and light peanut butter will not work. With recipes this simple, with just a few ingredients, there isn’t a lot of room for substitutions.
I used Jiff Natural peanut butter and they were delicious. I added an extra pinch of sugar since there is less sugar in natural peanut butter, but otherwise followed the directions. They were gobbled up in no time with lots of compliments.
I found mine to be sort of gritty.. Any thoughts ?