I typically like my peanut butter cookies thick and crumbly, but this recipe for thin and chewy peanut butter cookies is a nice change. It's adapted from a book called Food Writers' Favorite Cookies and was submitted to the series by Doris Reynolds.
Jump to Recipe
In the introduction, Reynolds credits the recipe to a caterer in Naples, FL named Alta Riley. Here's a photo of the recipe so you can read the whole thing.
I first posted this recipe in 2005 and noted that the dough required chilling in order to be shaped. Over the years I've tested the recipe again, reducing the milk slightly and not sifting the flour before measuring. The results, for the most part, have been the same -- very thin cookies with a chewy texture. The book mentions that these were originally served with ice cream, so perhaps a thin and chewy cookie would make sense in that situation.
Doris adds a pinch of ginger for a bit of a flavor twist, but you can leave it out if you prefer. These are perfect for people who love peanut butter, but tend to find traditional peanut butter cookies dry.
This recipe has its charm and the cookies are very thin, but if you want a chewy cookie that's slightly thicker, I recommend Peanut Butter Jumbos.
Gluten-Free Thin & Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
This recipe works very well with gluten-free 1:1 flour. Even though the cookies are gluten-free, they're still chewy. To make the cookies gluten-free, just use 140 grams of Cup4Cup in place of the all-purpose flour. You can leave the sugar the same or for even more chewiness, change the ratio of brown and granulated sugar a bit and use 1 cup of brown sugar and ½ cup of granulated. Some Reese's Pieces or peanut butter chips are also a great addition. I also recommend adding ½ teaspoon of vanilla.
Recipe
Thin & Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter, softened or margarine (114 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon salt increase to a scant ¾ if using unsalted butter
- 1 cup chunky peanut butter, mainstream kind with sugar (260 grams)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar (150 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ tablespoon milk, plus more if needed
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 140 grams -- weigh or sift after measuring
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ginger, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Beat together butter, salt and peanut butter.
- Beat in both sugars and eggs and continue beating until fluffy. Beat in milk.
- Mix together flour, baking soda, and ginger (if using). Add to butter mixture and stir until incorporated. If dough is not stiff enough to scoop, chill for 30 minutes.
- Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet or use a small cookie scoop to scoop rounds of dough. Press into criss-cross pattern and bake for 12-14 minutes
Option 2
- Scoop the dough balls onto a dinner plate, cover with plastic and chill the shaped dough until ready to bake.
Anna says
Carrie, if you're trying to replicate the same type of cookie dough the kindergartners sell around here (comes in a big carton) you'll probably want to find a recipe with shortening.
Carrie says
Mine were super thin- my criss crosses didn't even show up! Very tasty- I can't eat just one, though that might have something to do with the thiness. I was trying to replicate some frozen cookie dough that my husband bought from someone selling for a fundraiser. The fundraiser cookie was almost like a soft sugar cookie with peanut butter flavor (my husband loves them). These were too thin to be a contender, but good nonetheless.
Julie says
thanks for the great recipe. I arrived at your site during my journey for the perfect PB cookie for a friend (chewy and crispy, but with good PB flavor.) I omitted the ginger (wasn't sure where that would take the flavor, but I'll admit I'm curious) and subbed the milk with 2 T of PB syrup (a random find at world market.)
Anna says
That's great news, Amy!
If you can get your hands on one of the little "Food Writers' Favorites" books or "Food Editors' Favorites" you'll find a bunch of other good ones.
Amy says
My husband declared these the best peanut butter cookies ever! They were fantastic--we both definitely preferred them to the traditional dry/crumbly peanut butter cookie. My yield was not nearly as high though--only about 3 dozen, and I didn't make them big at all.