These Peanut Butter Cookies are the classic cookie you all know and love, with a secret ingredient that leaves them extra chewy and delicious! Made with easy pantry ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes!
I love these Peanut Butter Cookies because they have an extra ingredient that makes them super soft and chewy for days! Any guesses as to what it is? Well, if you guessed pudding, you’d be right!
When you add dry pudding mix to cookie dough, it yields deliciously chewy cookies that you won’t be able to get enough of! You can also take the balls of dough and roll them in sugar before pressing them with the fork for an even more sweet flavor!
I personally like to undercook my dough just slightly since the cookies will continue to cook on the pan after coming out of the oven. For my gas oven, I find that right around 9 minutes yields the best results.
Ingredient Notes
For this Easy Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe, you’ll need butter-flavored shortening, creamy peanut butter, light brown sugar, instant vanilla pudding mix, eggs, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar. You could also use crunchy peanut butter in this recipe if you’d like to; I personally just love using creamy peanut butter!
The butter-flavored shortening really gives these cookies a great buttery flavor and wonderful texture. If you don’t have any on hand, you could also just use butter but keep in mind that the cookies may not come out as chewy!
Some other handy kitchen tools that I find helpful to whip up a batch of these cookies are:
- Baking Sheet: You’ll want a large baking sheet to reduce the number of batches you have to bake. This recipe makes about two dozen cookies, so I use this cookie sheet and can usually cook 12-15 cookies per session.
- Parchment Paper: You definitely don’t want to use an ungreased cookie sheet for these cookies, but I prefer parchment paper over non-stick spray for cookie recipes. One of the most undervalued kitchen products. Using parchment paper will make for easy cleanup and unburnt cookie bottoms! I love using Parchment Paper Sheets that are pre-cut!
- Cookie Scoop: For cookies that are all the same size, I love using a medium cookie scoop for my dough.
- KitchenAid Mixer: Use either a stand mixer or hand mixer to whip up your dough; it’s so much easier than doing it by hand!
How To Make Peanut Butter Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream the shortening, peanut butter, and sugar together until smooth in a large bowl using an electric mixer.
- Add in the unprepared pudding powder, eggs, additional egg yolk, and vanilla, then beat together.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Then add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
- Roll the cookie dough into balls using your hands, and then roll the balls in granulated sugar.
- Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet and use a fork to gently press the balls flat. Making two indents to create the criss-cross marks.
- Bake and then allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to finish completely cooling to room temperature.
Can’t get enough of that delicious salty-sweet dessert combination? Try my Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookies that are loaded with Reese’s Pieces and chunks of peanut butter cups, or these Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies that have just 6 ingredients!
Frequently Asked Questions
How To Store
Store leftover Peanut Butter Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Placing a slice of bread in the container will help keep the cookies soft and chewy!
Do I Need To Prepare The Pudding Mix Before Adding It In?
Nope! You just use the unprepared pudding mix powder in this recipe!
Can I Use All Natural Peanut Butter In This Recipe?
I wouldn’t recommend using natural peanut butter because the oil levels could impact the final results of these cookies.
These Peanut Butter Cookies are easy enough to make so that we can all enjoy homemade cookies whenever the craving strikes! Check out more delicious cookie recipes that you’ll enjoy just as much as these ones!
- Circus Animal Sugar Cookies – Made with refrigerated cookie dough that gets loaded with circus animal cookies, white chocolate chips, and sprinkles!
- Classic Sugar Cookies – Soft, sweet cookies that you can decorate for any holiday or party!
- Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies – Big, thick cookies made with pantry staple ingredients that come out perfectly chewy!
- M&M’s Cookies – Sweet, buttery cookies overflowing with everyone’s favorite candy!
- Monster Cookies – The ultimate cookie experience that has M&Ms, Reese’s Pieces, chocolate chips, toffee, coconut, and sprinkles!
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Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter flavored shortening room temp
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 (3.4 oz.) box instant vanilla pudding mix unprepared
- 2 large eggs
- 1 additional large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar optional coating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Cream ½ cup butter flavored shortening, ¾ cup creamy peanut butter, and 1 cup light brown sugar together until smooth. Add the unprepared 1 (3.4 oz.) box instant vanilla pudding mix, 2 large eggs, 1 additional large egg yolk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat for about one minute on medium speed.
- In a separate bowl, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a ½ cup at a time and mix until combined.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to portion out the dough into balls and roll the dough between your palms. Roll the balls in ½ cup granulated sugar.
- Place the balls of dough on the prepared cookie sheet about two inches apart. Use a fork to gently press the balls flat, making two indents with the fork tines, criss-crossing the marks.
- Bake for 9 to 12 minutes then let rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
- Do not use all-natural peanut butter in this recipe.
- Butter can be used in this recipe instead of shortening but I find that it makes them less chewy overall. The butter-flavored shortening gives the buttery flavor everyone loves and yields the best texture.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Lindsay says
These were delicious and so chewy – a huge hit tonight!
Rebecca Hubbell says
Yay, so glad they were a hit with the family!
Heidy Mccallum says
My son loves peanut butter cookies , this recipe looks fantastic. I love the extra special touch with the designed tops.
Rebecca Hubbell says
Thank you!
Cliona Keane says
I need these in my life! They literally look like they’d melt in your mouth!
Rebecca Hubbell says
They are very chewy and delicious! Hope you get a chance to make them soon!
Emma says
Ooooooh the secret ingredient is pudding mix?! What exactly is that, not sure we have it in the UK…is it like Angel Delight? Would love to be able to make these!
Rebecca Hubbell says
Hi Emma, I’m not entirely sure, here in the US we have Jell-O brand and that is what I use.
Jane says
Looks like I’ll now be baking cookies this afternoon! Thanks for the recipe 😀
Rebecca Hubbell says
Enjoy!
Amy Nash says
Pudding in the cookies is genius! And I love the classic look of the lines made with the tines of a fork. These are an after-school favorite for sure!
Rebecca Hubbell says
Absolutely, peanut butter cookies never go out of style!
Karly says
I need to make these!! Pinning!