Chewy 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
These peanut butter cookies require just three ingredients – peanut butter, sugar, and an egg – and they deliver intense peanut butter flavor with a chewy, slightly crackly texture.
They’re naturally gluten-free and come together in under 20 minutes from start to finish.
Why You’ll Love It
Only three ingredients that you probably already have.
Naturally gluten-free without any specialty flour substitutes.
Intense peanut butter flavor since there’s no flour to dilute it.
Ready in under 20 minutes including bake time.
Chewy centers with slightly crispy edges.
Perfect for last-minute dessert cravings or bake sales.
Ingredients
1 cup peanut butter – creamy or crunchy, not natural style
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
Optional additions:
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda – for slightly puffier cookies
Pinch of salt – if using unsalted peanut butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Steps
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the peanut butter and sugar until completely combined.
3. Add the egg and mix until the dough comes together and is smooth.
4. If using any optional additions, stir them in now.
5. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls – you should get about 20 cookies.
6. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
7. Use a fork to press a crosshatch pattern into each cookie, flattening them to about 1/2 inch thick.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are set and the tops look dry but not browned.
9. The cookies will look underdone – this is correct, as they firm up significantly while cooling.
10. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before moving them.
11. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Helpful Tips & Substitutions
Do not use natural peanut butter – the oil separation causes the cookies to spread too much and become greasy.
The cookies are extremely fragile when hot, so patience during cooling is essential.
For chewier cookies, pull them from the oven at 10 minutes – for crispier edges, go the full 12 minutes.
Almond butter or sunflower seed butter work as substitutes, though flavor and texture will differ slightly.
Brown sugar can replace granulated for a slightly chewier cookie with deeper flavor.
Press chocolate chips or peanut butter chips into the tops before baking for a candy-topped version.
Sprinkle with flaky sea salt right after baking for a sweet-salty combination.
Serving Ideas
Serve warm with a glass of cold milk for the classic combination.
Sandwich two cookies together with chocolate ganache or Nutella for peanut butter cookie sandwiches.
Crumble over vanilla ice cream for a quick sundae topping.
Pack in lunchboxes for a gluten-free treat that travels well.
Stack on a plate with a ribbon for a simple homemade gift.
Make-Ahead & Storage
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
These cookies actually improve in texture after a day as the chewiness develops further.
Freeze baked cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Thaw frozen cookies at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Cookie dough balls can be frozen and baked directly from frozen – add 2-3 minutes to the bake time.
If cookies lose their chewiness, microwave for 10-15 seconds to refresh the texture.
Simplicity at Its Best
These cookies prove that more ingredients don’t always mean better results.
The pure peanut butter flavor is actually more intense without flour competing for attention.
Keep these three ingredients stocked and you’ll always be 20 minutes away from fresh cookies.
