If you’ve ever wanted fresh-baked cookies without the fuss of flour, butter, or baking soda, this recipe is about to change your life. These 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies are impossibly simple, naturally gluten-free, and ready in under 20 minutes from start to finish. All you need is peanut butter, sugar, and one egg — and you’re on your way to the best cookies you’ve ever made.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Only 3 ingredients — no flour, no butter, no baking powder needed
- Naturally gluten-free — perfect for those with gluten sensitivities
- Ready in 20 minutes — faster than a trip to the store
- Budget-friendly — uses pantry staples you probably already have
- Kid-friendly — simple enough for little hands to help
Ingredients
You only need three things:
- 1 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky — your choice!)
- ½ cup sugar (white granulated sugar works best)
- 1 egg (large, at room temperature)
That’s it. Seriously.
Pro tip: Use a good-quality peanut butter for the best flavor. Natural peanut butter works, but stir it well first to incorporate any separated oil.
How to Make 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Step 1: Preheat Your Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). This ensures the oven is at the right temperature the moment your cookies go in, giving you that perfectly golden bottom.
Step 2: Mix the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, sugar, and egg. Stir until everything is fully incorporated into a smooth, uniform dough. The mixture will be thick — that’s exactly what you want.
Step 3: Shape the Cookies
Scoop out a spoonful of dough and roll it between your palms to form a smooth ball. Place the cookie balls onto a nonstick baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each one.
Step 4: Create the Classic Criss-Cross Pattern
For the signature peanut butter cookie look — and to help them bake more evenly — gently flatten each ball with a fork. Press straight down, then rotate 90° and press again to create a criss-cross pattern. This classic finish isn’t just decorative; it helps the cookies bake uniformly by flattening the dense dough.
Step 5: Bake
Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. Keep a close eye on them — they can go from perfect to overdone quickly because of their low moisture content.
Step 6: Cool and Enjoy
Remove the cookies from the baking sheet and let them cool on a wire rack. They’ll firm up as they cool, so don’t panic if they seem a little soft fresh out of the oven.
Tips for Perfect 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Don’t overbake. These cookies continue to set as they cool. Pull them out when the edges just start to firm up and the bottoms are golden.
Use a cookie scoop. For uniform cookies that bake evenly, a small cookie scoop is your best friend.
Room temperature egg. A room-temperature egg blends more smoothly into the peanut butter, resulting in a more cohesive dough.
Crunchy vs. creamy peanut butter. Creamy peanut butter yields a smoother, more uniform cookie. Chunky peanut butter adds texture and a little extra nuttiness.
Add-ins are welcome. While the base recipe has just 3 ingredients, feel free to press a chocolate chip or a Hershey’s Kiss into the center before baking, or mix in a handful of chocolate chips for a fun twist.
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