The Best Peanut Butter Cookies with Brown Butter

If you’re a peanut butter cookie fan, get ready to have your world turned right-side up with this elevated version! These Brown Butter Peanut Butter Cookies take everything you love about the classic—soft centers, peanut buttery richness, and sweet-salty flavor—and dial it up with the nutty, caramelized depth of browned butter. It’s a simple upgrade that makes a huge difference.

This post has been sponsored by American Greetings. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Key ingredients

You’ll need 10 simple ingredients to make these cookies. Some noted ones are:

• Brown butter is key to get that deep nutty caramelized flavor and complexity that takes these cookies up another level.
• Brown sugar – you can use granulated sugar but brown sugar will provide yet another layer of flavor and complexity. It also adds more moisture to the dough making the cookies softer and chewier.
• I used creamy peanut butter for this recipe – homemade or store bought should both work. Crunchy peanut butter will add more texture but I haven’t tried this recipe with crunchy peanut butter so I don’t have any recommendations for adjustments you may need to make.
• Chopped peanuts – instead of using crunchy peanut to add more texture, just stick to the recipe and add chopped peanuts instead!

How to make peanut butter cookies

1. Brown butter, peanut butter and brown sugar are added to a stand mixer bowl that’s fitted with the paddle attachment. Brown butter can be made ahead of time or the day of, but make sure to use room temperature brown butter for this recipe.
2. Beat the butter, peanut butter, and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add egg and vanilla extract to the stand mixer bowl.
4. Beat again until incorporated and fluffy.
5. Add the flour mixture with the chopped peanuts to the liquid ingredients.
6. Stir until cookie dough forms.

7. Divide dough with a cookie scoop. Use a kitchen scale for exact portions.
8. Roll dough into balls and place on a baking sheet. This dough does not need to be refrigerated before baking. Bake six to a tray, one tray at a time, in the middle oven rack.

Testing notes

If you have never worked with brown butter before, don’t be afraid to try. It’s really worth it. I tested this peanut cookies recipe multiple times using both regular unsalted butter and brown butter. They both work, but the ones made with brown butter have a much more complex toffee flavor. And the final coloring of the cookies is much more golden brown as well.

With their crisp edges, chewy middles, and a warm, nutty aroma that fills the kitchen, these cookies are pure comfort in every bite. Whether you’re baking for a cozy afternoon treat or packing up goodies for a cookie swap, these are the kind of cookies that disappear fast—so maybe make a double batch!

5 from 2 votes

Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

By Trang

These classic Peanut Butter Cookies get a little flavor treatment with brown butter, brown sugar and chopped peanuts for extra depth and texture.

Servings: 23 cookies

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 12 minutes mins

Total Time: 42 minutes mins

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Equipment

• Stand Mixer

Ingredients 

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• ▢ 4 oz unsalted butter, 113 g or 90 g brown butter
• ▢ ½ cup creamy peanut butter, 128 g
• ▢ ¾ cup light brown sugar, 150 g
• ▢ 1 large egg, room temperature
• ▢ ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 3 g
• ▢ 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 154 g
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 g
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda, 3 g
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon baking powder, 1 g
• ▢ ½ cup peanut, 77 g, roasted and finely chopped

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Instructions 

• Melt 4 oz or one stick of butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat and allow it to boil. Start whisking. When the boiling subsides, the butter will start to brown. Continue whisking and watching the color of the butter. When the butter smells nutty and becomes caramel in color, turn off the heat. Transfer brown butter into a heat-proof bowl, leaving the burnt milk solid behind. Allow to re-solidify at room temperature or at least cool to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• If using raw peanuts, roast in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until lightly brown and fragrant. Add peanuts to a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
• Transfer ground peanuts to a small mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly before adding flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Whisk to distribute evenly and set aside.
• In a stand mixer bowl, combine brown butter with creamy peanut butter and brown sugar and beat with the paddle attachment for 1 minute until combined. Add egg and vanilla extract; beat for another minute until combined.
• Slowly pour the dry ingredients mixture into the stand mixer bowl and stir until incorporated. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure thorough mixing.
• Divide dough into 1-oz portions with a cookie scoop. Roll into balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 6 to a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes in the middle oven rack, one baking sheet at a time.
• Optional: when there is about 3 – 4 minutes left on the timer, open the oven door and bang the baking sheet again the oven rack twice, rotate and bang against the oven rack twice more. Place baking sheet back into the oven to finish baking.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven, set it on a wire rack, and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 – 10 minutes. Then move the cookies to another wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Notes

• 4 oz of unsalted butter when browned will yield about 3 1/8 oz of brown butter. You can brown butter in a larger batch, use just what this recipe calls for and save the leftovers for other recipes.
• The pan banging step to flatten the cookies is optional. If you don’t do it, the cookies will rise a little higher and have less crinkles.
• This batch yields 23 cookies, 2 1/4” – 2 1/2” in size once baked.

Nutrition

Serving: 30g, Calories: 141kcal

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!

More Peanut Butter Treats

• Double Peanut Butter Brownies
• Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
• Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

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