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Salted Peanut Butter Cookies. Made with lightly browned butter, brown sugar, plenty of vanilla, and double the peanut butter for extra richness. Inspired by those soft, chewy cookies we all remember from pizza day at school—only better—these are crinkled all over with buttery peanut swirls and finished with flaky sea salt. Salty-sweet, chewy, classic, and nearly perfect.
A friend sent me a photo of her peanut butter cookies the other week, and suddenly, I was baking peanut butter cookies too.
Hers looked so good—deeply crinkled, soft and chewy, perfectly flat, with flakes of sugar and sea salt on top. I knew right away what I wanted mine to taste like: the peanut butter cookies they served on pizza day back in middle school. Soft, chewy, and somehow never dry. I’m convinced those cookies had secrets, and one of these days I’ll get my hands on that recipe.
For now, these are very close. I baked at least twelve batches before landing on the version that felt just right.
And truly, the photos don’t quite do these peanut butter cookies justice.
The trick is lightly browned butter, lots of vanilla, and double the peanut butter—creamy peanut butter only! Every detail of this recipe is designed to keep the cookies soft, rich, and totally irresistible.
These are the details
Ingredients
- salted butter
- brown sugar – I used dark
- granulated sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- creamy peanut butter
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
- granulated sugar
- vanilla bean paste
- flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
Kitchen Tools
You don’t need anything fancy for these cookies. Just a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, a skillet for browning the butter, a large mixing bowl, a whisk, and a spatula. I also use a shallow bowl for rolling the dough in sugar and a tablespoon scoop to keep the cookies even. Simple tools, nothing special—just the kind of setup that makes baking feel easy and familiar.
These are the Steps
Step 1: Preheat the oven
Start by preheating the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. I always do this first because once the dough is ready, you want to move quickly.
These cookies spread just right, and parchment makes all the difference when it comes to easy cleanup.
Step 2: Brown the butter
Add the butter to a skillet set over medium heat and cook, swirling often, until it turns lightly golden—about two minutes.
Don’t walk away; this happens fast. It’s a subtle step, but it’s one of the secrets here. Lightly browned butter adds depth without overpowering the peanut butter. Pour the butter into a bowl and let it cool slightly.
Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients
Whisk the brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter into the warm butter until smooth. This is where the dough really comes together.
I use plenty of vanilla and double the peanut butter because I want these cookies rich and nostalgic, not dry or crumbly. Creamy peanut butter is key—it’s what gives you that soft, chewy center.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients
Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, mixing just until combined. Stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour.
Overmixing is the fastest way to lose that soft, bakery-style texture we’re after.
Step 5: Roll and coat
In a shallow bowl, mix the sugar with the vanilla bean paste. Roll the dough into rounded tablespoon-size balls, then roll each one through the sugar.
This small step is important—it’s what gives the cookies that sparkly, crinkled top, just like the ones that always disappeared first in the lunchroom on pizza day.
Step 6: Bake and flatten
Bake for six minutes, then rotate the pan and gently tap it on the counter once or twice. This helps the cookies flatten and crinkle all over. Return them to the oven for another two to three minutes, just until the edges are set.
They’ll look slightly underdone in the center, and that’s exactly what you want.
Step 7: Cool and finish
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. They’ll finish setting up as they sit. While still warm, sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.
It’s the final touch that makes these feel a little grown-up—even though they taste exactly like the cookies you hoped for back in middle school.
These cookies are also perfect for the Super Bowl. They’re easy to make ahead, easy to transport, and everyone loves a classic peanut butter cookie. They hold up beautifully on a platter, stay soft for days, and feel right at home alongside salty snacks and game-day food.
Looking for other fun cookie recipes? Here are some favorites:
Brown Butter Malted Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Snickerdoodle Peanut Butter Chocolate Chex Mix Bars
Slice n’ Bake Bourbon Caramel Pretzel Cookies
Lastly, if you make these Salted Peanut Butter Cookies, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Salted Peanut Butter Cookies.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste , (optional)
- flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.2. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, swirling, until very light brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.3. Whisk in the brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter until smooth. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; mix just until combined.4. In a shallow bowl, mix the sugar and vanilla bean paste. Roll the dough into rounded 1-tablespoon balls and coat them in sugar.5. Bake for 8 minutes, rotate the pan, then tap it on the counter 1–2 times to flatten. Bake another 2–3 minutes, until the edges are set.6. Let cool on the baking sheet. Finish with flaky salt.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
I should have read the ratings before attempting this recipe, although I did add an additional half cup of flour due to the soupy nature of the dough following the original recipe. Nonetheless, I baked for 8 minutes, removed from oven, pressed a fork on top of each cookies to flatten, then baked an additional 4 minutes. The resulting cookies, while enjoyable, were on the dry side with minimal peanut butter flavor. I will stick to the old fashioned recipes!
Hi Maureen,
Thanks so much for trying these cookies and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear you didn’t love them!