Small Batch Peanut Butter Cookies
This easy Small Batch Peanut Butter Cookie recipe requires just one bowl! This recipe only makes 6-7 cookies and they’re done in just 30 minutes!
Before Josh and I got married I lived in an apartment by myself for a year or so. It was definitely a learning experience because I had to get used to cooking for one person, sometimes two people if Josh came by my apartment after work to eat dinner with me. It was also during that time that I was planning and preparing for a wedding. And of course, wedding dress fittings (one thing I do not miss AT ALL).
I knew that making huge batches of cookies or desserts and leaving them in my apartment would only mean one thing, I would end up eating more than I should. It was during that time that I started experimenting with making small batch recipes.
I know I’ve said it before, but these small batch chocolate cookies are one of my favorite recipes to make when I’m craving a cookie! I’ve been a little peanut butter crazy lately, so I felt like it was time to start working on a peanut butter version.
Now, I know it’s January and we’re all trying to eat a little better. But sometimes when you’re craving a cookie, you just need a cookie.
So I got to work creating a peanut butter cookie recipe that was soft, full of peanut butter flavor, and only make a few cookies. This recipe is it! It’s an easy recipe that only requires one bowl. Once you mix up the cookie dough, you can scoop out the dough onto the baking sheet and pop them in the oven. With this recipe there’s also no need to chill the dough, which means these cookies come together pretty quickly.
I’ve found that these small batch peanut butter cookies are perfect after baking for exactly 9 minutes. Every oven is different though, so I suggest to start checking them at the 9 minute mark. They will look done on the outside, but still soft on the inside.
Once you pull them out of the oven, you’ll let them cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes. The cookies will be perfectly soft like the picture above! The best part? This recipe only makes 6-7 cookies! I usually get exactly 7 cookies when I use a two tablespoon cookie scoop. And you can be eating your cookies in 30 minutes.
Now that’s my kind of cookie.
Small Batch Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (50 g) creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter softened
- 3 tablespoons (40 g) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (50 g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- tiny pinch of salt optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl using an electric mixer, beat the peanut butter and butter until smooth. Add in the brown sugar and granulated sugar and mix until fully combined. Add in the egg yolk and vanilla and mix until well combined.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until everything is well combined.
- Scoop out two tablespoon sized pieces of dough onto the prepared baking sheet (I usually get about 7 cookies). Gently press down with a fork on the top of each cookie to make a small criss-cross pattern.
- Bake at 350°F for 9-10 minutes.
- Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
I always seem to make way too much food and desserts, and it’s just Mike and I! I’m in definite need of more small batch recipes, especially sine I’m usually the one that ends up eating ALL the cookies. I love this recipe, Danielle! So perfect for my pb-loving self!
I do too, Gayle. I’m always trying to send it off with people I know or bring it to work haha! Thank you 🙂
These look so cute and yummy! Maybe I will try making them soon♥
summerdaisy.net
Thank you, Summer! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Can you use nutella instead of peanut butter in this recipe???
I haven’t tried it, but it may work. Just keep in mind that Nutella has quite a bit more sugar in it than peanut butter so they may be sweeter.
Learning to cook/bake for just 2 people is a challenge. I always make way too much food. Love that these cookies are small batch! I seriously need to get on board with making smaller amounts of sweets!
It really is hard to get used to cooking for two people and we usually end up with a lot of leftovers. Small batch recipes are my go to when it comes to desserts for us!
These look so soft and chewy- delicious! 🙂
When you need a cookie, you do need a cookie — nothing else is a good substitute! I rarely make cookies because I just have too many and end up eating half a dozen a day myself. I need to try this small batch recipe — it sounds perfect!
Small batches are sometimes more detrimental to me because I feel like it’s okay to make them all the time!! LOL! These look soooo delicious though– definitely going to have to try these a time or 10. 😉
Haha I know what you mean, Jess! Sometimes I’m the exact same way 😉
Oh wow, I am so keen to make these, they look delicious! I love anything with peanut butter in it. These would be perfect in our house, as my partner doesn’t like PB and I think it would be dangerous if I was left with a regular-sized batch to myself!!
I just HAD to pin these Danielle – they are what my dreams are made of! Serious perfection. Soft and buttery with the gorgeous criss cross pattern. I love that they are small batch. I will never say no to a cookie, but to not have 20 sitting there starring at me, would be a good thing for my jeans I think! 😉
Thank you for the kind comment, Jessica! I absolutely love small batch recipes and they’re definitely better when it comes to skinny jeans 😉
These look so delicious, I’m definitely going to add them to my list of things to try! I’ve recently fallen in love with peanut butter (I don’t know what took me so long! )
Hope you enjoy the recipe, Sian!
These cookies are pure perfection, Danielle! Those gorgeous criss-crossy tops get me every time! I just love that this one makes a smaller batch, because I have no doubt I’d eat too many! 😉
I swear I always end up with so many cookies! This is just fantastic Danielle! Perfect quantity for the 2 of us to munch on!
Same here, Manali! These are perfect for just the two of us 🙂
I totally need on the small batch train. These look absolutely perfect!
Thank you, Dorothy! I love making small batch recipes when I can 🙂
Happy New Year Danielle! I’m in for a small batch cookie recipe, especially when peanut butter is involved 🙂 These look delicious! Pinning!
Thank you, Mira! Hope you had a Happy New Year too 🙂
These cookies look perfect, Danielle! Making a small batch sounds like the perfect way satisfy that cookie craving without going overboard .Love how soft and chewy they are!
It’s a given that I will eat all the peanut butter cookies on a plate, so this small batch concept is probaby necessary for me. They look great!
Same here, Mir! Thank you 🙂
I love small batch desserts because I just can never justify a huge normal recipe. I can’t wait to make these!
I love this mini-recipe! I never need dozens of cookies in the house, so this is perfect for a quick PB cookie fix when one hits 🙂 yum!
Thanks, Rachel! These are definitely perfect for a quick PB fix 😉
It’s seriously so hard for me to resist going to make these right now. They look SO perfectly soft and chewy! And so perfect for my diet because I can’t go and eat a huge batch in one sitting! LOL
Seven is better than a few dozen, right? Haha, Thanks Ashley!
Oh, I do NOT miss wedding dress fittings. Ick! I actually got poked by a needle during one of those fittings. Bad news. These small batch peanut butter cookies are genius! My current go to recipe makes 16. And then I have to eat them allllll. It’s dangerous. I’m making these tonight!
Ouch! I can say I was lucky enough that didn’t happen to me, but I’m glad that part of my life is over haha! Hope you enjoy the cookies, Natalie 🙂
These look SO good, Danielle! I love that they’re small batch so I can whip them up in no time!
I live in Hong Kong. I have an oven the size of an easy bake oven. I love love love your small batch recipes! Perfect for my oven and excellent for my lack of will power!! 😉 I visit your site often!!
This comment made my day, Heather! I’m so glad you love the small batch recipes as much as I do. They’re definitely perfect for a smaller oven too. Thank you for the kind words and for following along! 🙂
Note to self – next time I will: -Add 1 more 1bsp of peanut butter
-Make them smaller
Just made these and I do agree they could be a little more peanut buttery, but they were definitely delicious. I added a few chocolate chips and rolled them in plain sugar for baking, and I didn’t press them with the fork. They were amazing and so fast and easy. I’m definitely adding this to my repertoire.
One question, if more peanut butter were added, I’m assuming more flour would need to be added to offset, yes? Would anything else change, do you think?
Hi Krystal, so glad you liked the cookies! As far as adding more peanut butter you could try adding another tablespoon, though it may change the texture. I’m not so sure you would need more flour because peanut butter works differently in cookies. I wish I could be more help, but without testing it myself it’s hard to say. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how they turn out!
We’ve made these twice and they’re delicious! Did you create this recipe on your own or scale down a recipe? If you have a recipe that makes a bigger batch of these cookies would you please share it? We’d love to make enough to share with friends.
Thanks!
I’m so glad you like them! I did create this recipe just based off of what I know typically goes into a peanut butter cookie and played around with the measurements. I actually don’t have a full batch recipe on my site yet, but I will add it to my list!
i have them in the oven right now. So easy to make. Thank you
Hope you enjoyed the cookies! 🙂
Can I use wheat flour in your cookie recipes instead of all purpose flour.
Wheat flour tends to dry out baked goods and you usually need more moisture when you bake with it. You could do half wheat and half all-purpose flour and that would be fine. Or a good brand of white whole wheat flour may work well.
Thanks Danielle. I tried your small batch oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and they turned out amazing. Everyone simply loved it. Next time I shall try half wheat and half all purpose as I have a small baby at home and want to make it more healthy for him.
So glad to hear that! 🙂
Thank YOU ! These were perfect and made enough for just me for a few days or for me and three grand daughters to have 3 each. Great Textrue and Taste. ( ps : there are zero commercially made peanut butter cookies that i will eat )
So glad you enjoyed the cookies, Marie!
These are by far the best peanut butter cookies I have ever made. Not too gritty, not too floury, and sweet even with all natural peanut butter!
I have tried to make peanut Butter cookies in the past and they came out like little bullets in a puddle of grease. Will these work with natural peanut Butter?
Hi, Barb! I haven’t tried these with natural peanut butter, but I find that it tends to cause cookies to be greasy.
These cookies were very delicious and easy to make. I’m 17 years old and starting to experiment with baking homemade cookies. I’m glad I came across this recipe. The cookies came out perfect and were super yummy!