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These 3-ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies are so easy to make with just peanut butter, sugar, and an egg! They boast lots of peanut butter flavor and a chewy texture, but don’t use any flour making them naturally gluten-free.
Want more cookie recipes? Be sure to try my Monster Cookie Bars next!
Why I Love This Recipe
- Ready in 15 Minutes – The cookies are ready to bake in less time than it takes to preheat the oven.
- Only 3 Ingredients – Just peanut butter, sugar, and egg!
- Flourless – These flourless cookies are a great option to serve any gluten-free friends or family.
recipe walkthrough
Ingredient Notes
- Creamy Peanut Butter – It’s best to use a creamy peanut butter for this recipe so the cookie dough has a smooth texture. If you use a crunchy peanut butter then the cookie will likely crumble.
- White Granulated Sugar – This recipe is easy to remember because you’re going to use equal parts of the peanut butter and sugar.
- Egg – An egg is key to holding the cookie together!
How To Make 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
This peanut butter cookie recipe doesn’t get any easier! Just mix up (you can even mix by hand using a little muscle), roll into balls, and bake.
Prep – Start by preheating the oven and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Mix Up Cookies – Mix together the peanut butter, sugar, and egg in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined.
Scoop Cookies – Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the dough and roll into small dough balls. I like to use a cookie scoop to keep the sizes the same, but you can also eyeball with a spoon.
Bake Cookies – Place the dough balls on the lined baking sheet and use a fork to press down the cookies with a criss-cross pattern. Bake for 10-12 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool.
Frequently Asked Questions
The reason why you’ll notice that most peanut butter cookie recipes (with or without flour) call for pressing the cookies is it helps flatten the cookies so they bake evenly and it adds the distinctive, classic criss-cross pattern that peanut butter cookies are known for.
It’s important to not overbake them as they will continue to harden as they cool. Pull them out of the oven when the edges are just starting to brown and they feel mostly firm to the touch (but still slightly soft).
Most baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. I recommend flash freezing cookies by freezing them on a baking sheet then transferring to a freezer bag or airtight container for longer freezer storage. Frozen cookies can either be thawed at room temperature or even reheated in a 350 degrees F oven for a few minutes until warmed.
Recipe Tips
- Sprinkle with sugar before baking – For an extra pretty presentation, I like to sprinkle the unbaked, pressed cookies with regular granulated sugar or coarse sugar.
- Freeze unbaked cookie dough balls – You can freeze the unbaked dough balls and bake directly from frozen (you may need to add a minute or two of baking time) to have a treat any time!
- Try adding chocolate chips – For a peanut butter chocolate flair, try adding some mini chocolate chips to the cookie dough.
- Dip in chocolate – Also try dipping the baked and cool cookies in melted chocolate (I like to dip just half of the cookie). Or you can use a spoon to drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies.
- Don’t overbake – The cookies are done when the edges are starting to turn golden brown. They will continue to set and harden as they cool.
Storage Tips
The Best Way to Store Cookies
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep the cookies even fresher, I sometimes add a slice of bread to the container to absorb the excess moisture. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
More Cookie Recipes
- Cool Whip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Frosted Sugar Cookies
- Nutella Cookies
- Jello Cookies with Any Flavor
3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to combine the peanut butter, sugar and egg until well incorporated.
- Use a 1 Tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop and roll small dough balls. Place them evenly on top of the prepared baking sheet.
- Use a fork to press the cookies down into a criss-cross pattern.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and carefully transfer to the cooling rack to cool.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
