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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.
I made these but used Truvia as I am trying to eat a lower sugar /lower carb diet. Still came out great! I used slightly less, probably about 3/4 of a cup instead of 1 cup. Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m so glad that you like the cookies, Liz.
Hi. This is a great recipe. I did make a couple of tweaks. I used the 2 eggs per your notes and used half light brown sugar and half coconut sugar. I might try all coconut sugar next time. Thanks for posting!
I’m thrilled that you’re enjoying the cookies, Sue.
I use this recipe.I add a spoonful of vanilla flavoring and I only use Peter pan peanut butter and omg.. they are delicious…
Some other peanut butters has molasses in it which majes the cookie a but more harder than I like.
I’m glad you like the cookies, Chantell.
Can you freeze them
Yes, these should freeze nicely.
I have to say I am very disappointed in this recipe. I am giving it one star, If I would give it “0” stars if I could. The reasons are 1. When mixing it, the dough seems so very dry, you have to add some liquid to it. 2. The dough becomes very greasy. The grease was dripping off of my hands onto my clothes. 3. They do not cook right and does not look right. 4. They taste very disgusting. I do not recommend this recipe at all.
Well, as you stated, you changed the recipe by adding additional liquid, thereby changing the result entirely. Did you change any other ingredients? When you’re changing a very simple 3 ingredient recipe, there isn’t a large margin for adjustment. This is a very old recipe straight off the jar of peanut butter. Three simple ingredients and they do work well together. When you changed it, you were no longer making the recipe as written. I wish you the best with a different recipe, friend. Clearly, this isn’t the one for you.
This is the recipe my grandmother would make for my grandfather. Word for word. I have made these many times and I told some people about it, but never thought it would be used in someone’s cook book or cooking blog.
I’m so glad you have happy memories of it as well. This recipe is actually straight off the side of the peanut butter jar many years ago. It’s an old-fashioned favorite for sure.
I bake these frequently. They remind me of the peanut butter cookies we used to have in high the school cafeteria.
I always use crunchy peanut butter. I like the way the peanut bits look and taste in the cookie and mine haven’t gone out crumbly at all.
I’m so glad you enjoy the cookies, Laurie.
Will I be able to add chocolate kisses to the center of these? I remember having peanut butter cookies like that as a kid.
Yes, just press them into the warm cookies out of the oven.
Oh girl you read my mind!!!
I love these, have been making them for years! But a couple of suggestions, I only add about 1/3 cup sugar and they are still plenty sweet for us, and I like to use fine grain sugar (aka bakers sugar) so they don’t have a gritty texture.
I’m glad you’re enjoying them!
Can you do half white sugar and other half of brown sugar?
Sure, that will work fine, Norma.
I tweaked the recipe slightly per the comments (added vanilla extract) and my cookies spread like wildfire. 🤣 Thankfully, there’s no such thing as bad cookies. The family got the “bad” batch and ate them immediately. They were delish. I’ll try again soon.
I’ve never seen these cookies spread like that, Teresa. The vanilla shouldn’t have made an impact on the texture at all. Did you substitute a natural peanut butter? or change any of the other amounts? I’m glad your family still enjoyed the cookies!
Would organic peanut butter count as natural peanut butter? That’s all I have at the moment so I’m hoping the cookies 🍪 I’m making don’t turn out funny. I’ll be sending these to my daughter’s father in law for Christmas 🎄.
Honestly, it just depends on the peanut butter. Some natural or organic peanut butters work just fine for the cookies and others, not so well. It’s worth trying with a small batch.
These are always a quick and easy hit. I do recommend Not using skippy peanut butter. I used it this time because that’s what I had in the cupboard. It is extremely oily and the cookies spread more than when I use jiffy. I also add a drop of vanilla.
Lovelovelove this recipe. I’ve been baking these for several years now, using the 1-1-1 ratio, then adding my own touch. Today I added bittersweet chocolate chips to the mix, and topped them with Maldon flaky salt before baking. Delish, and a fan fave. Thank you, Mary.
BEST PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE RECIPE EVER🤤 Thank you and may Yah bless you!!!
Great!!! I added dark chocolate to cut the sweetness and it came out perfect! Only thing I would be wondering is- if I could use less sugar? Other than that it was great!
You may be able to reduce the sugar slightly, but not by much. With only three ingredients, the structure of the cookies won’t hold well if it’s alternated by very much at all.
Not made yet but do you need parchment paper?
I typically do use it, but it isn’t required.
These cookies turned out chewy and crunchy! I did do the 2 eggs, 1t vanilla and added about an eighth of a cup chopped peanuts! Hubby loved them!
I made the cookies using 2 eggs and vanilla. They came out just fine. Thank You for sharing 😄
Delicious 😋 cookies and so simple too. Thank you for sharing it.