Just in case you didn't know how to make the absolutely easiest after school treat, I'm sharing this formula with you. These 2 ingredient peanut butter cookies are an absolute classic, and I'm sure that you will make them again and again!
If these weren't the first cookies you baked with your grandparents or parents, let's remedy that right now. If you have a jar of peanut butter and some leftover powdered sugar from making my Pumpkin Tiramisu, you can make these cookies in minutes!
This recipe is for the classic criss-cross peanut butter cookies, but they're egg-free and gluten-free! Browse my other eggless recipes here. But also, if you need to make these with sunflower seed butter to make them nut-free, you absolutely can!
How to Make 2 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Before you even grab the ingredients from the pantry for these 2 ingredient peanut butter cookies, preheat the oven, because this recipe takes no time at all.
The Ingredients
- Peanut Butter. The only type of peanut butter that works for this recipe is real, natural peanut butter. Do not use conventional peanut butter that contains hydrogenated vegetable oil (cottonseed, soybean, and rapeseed oil). If your peanut butter contains fillers and extra oil (like palm oil, etc.), it will add too much oil to this recipe and the recipe will fail. I repeat: ONLY USE NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER FOR THIS RECIPE. I like Jif Natural, Santa Cruz Organics, or Justin's. If you use a peanut butter that contains additional oil, it will ruin this recipe.
- Powdered Sugar. You really can't substitute this for regular granulated sugar, because powdered sugar contains a small amount of cornstarch. This cornstarch is what thickens and holds the dough together. In general, cornstarch makes super soft cookies, which is why I add it in my Chocolate Chippers Cookies.
The Instructions
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the 1 cup of peanut butter and ½ cup of powdered sugar.
Use a spatula to combine the ingredients very well. Refrigerate this dough for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop out tablespoon-size scoops of dough, and evenly space them on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet. Use a glass to lightly press the cookies flat.
Then, use a fork to press criss-cross indentations in each cookie. If the fork sticks, dip it in flour before each press. Finally, slide the cookies in the oven and bake for 11-12 minutes. The edges of the cookies should start to turn golden brown and the cookies appear dry to the touch.
The cookies should cool completely on the pan, and then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Right out of the oven, these cookies are super soft and crumbly, so it's best to give them time to set up by cooling them completely before serving. You can speed this up and help them firm up by putting them in the fridge, too!
A few cracks will appear in the surface of the cookies, but that's just fine!
You might also like my Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies!
Tips and Tricks
Right when these 2 ingredient peanut butter cookies come out of the oven, they are very soft and fudgey. The cookies need to cool completely on the baking sheet to firm up. You can speed this process along by putting them in the fridge, too! Also, check the notes for the best types of nut butter to use to guarantee success. If your cookies spread too much in the oven, you used the wrong type of peanut butter. And finally, don't be afraid to bake these cookies until the edges are golden brown and they are dry to the touch.
Yes, this recipe really doesn't contain eggs! Just peanut butter and powdered sugar make the best cookies!
Yes, you can use the same amount of dates as sugar, but you must make them into a paste in the food processor. Add ½ cup of pitted dates in a food processor and puree until a paste form. Proceed with the recipe.
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The Only Type of Peanut Butter You Can Use with this Recipe:
As stated above, this recipe will not work with conventional style peanut butters. To know if your peanut butter is conventional, read the ingredients. If it contains hydrogenated vegetable oils (cottonseed, soybean and rapeseed oil), this means that the peanuts were ground and then added to oil to make the peanut butter. This type of peanut butter contains too much oil, and the recipe WILL FAIL. The cookies will leak everywhere and not set.
Read your ingredient label on your natural style peanut butter, and make these two ingredient peanut butter cookies with real peanut butter. Natural peanut butter contains only two ingredients: peanuts and salt. Here is a Food and Wine article on the difference between real peanut butter versus conventional peanut butter.
2 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Just 2 ingredient peanut butter cookies made in minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 cup peanut butter
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the peanut butter and powdered sugar until well-mixed and completely incorporated.
- Place dough in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350-degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop out 1-tablespoon sized dough balls, roll in your hands, and space them evenly on a baking sheet.
- Using a spatula or glass, press the cookies flat. Then, use a fork to make a criss-cross shape in each cookie.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes, until the cookies are dry on the surface and the edges are starting to turn golden brown.
Notes
Peanut Butter: The only type of peanut butter that works for this recipe is real, natural peanut butter. Do not use conventional peanut butter that contains hydrogenated vegetable oils (cottonseed, soybean, and rapeseed oil). If your peanut butter contains fillers and extra oil (like palm oil, etc.), it will add too much oil to this recipe and the recipe will fail. I repeat: ONLY USE NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER FOR THIS RECIPE. I like Jif Natural, Santa Cruz Organics, or Justin's. If you use a peanut butter that contains additional oil, it will ruin this recipe. Real peanut butter only has two ingredients: peanuts and salt. Do not use a peanut butter that contains added oils; the recipe will fail.
Powdered Sugar: Please don't use granulated sugar in its place, because powdered sugar contains a small amount of cornstarch. Cornstarch thickens and holds the dough together. You can use ½ cup of pitted dates that you puree in the food processor in place of the sugar, if you like.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 144Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 102mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 5g
Estelle says
2 ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
I know that I am not the best baker but your cookie recipe of the 2 ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies, intrigued me. So, how could anybody screw up this recipe, right? Well I did. I set out to make them because I had the peanut butter (Jif brand) and powder sugar (Domino) brand. Mixed it left in the frig for 30 min, still was soft and mushy, left in for 60 and then 90 more min. and it still was mushy. The peanut butter was fresh, just opened the jar and unexpired. As for the Domino powdered sugar the label did say it had corn starch in it but it was about 2 mos. after the expiration date. Is that perhaps why it may not have set? (the Kitchen temp was 72 degrees).
Please advise for I am curious.
Thanks in advance
Sara says
It may just be that different peanut butters have different consistencies, or even just different batches of the same brand, and maybe this one could have done with a little more powdered sugar or some added cornstarch. Just a thought!
Christina Lane says
Absolutely! So I only use natural peanut butter for this recipe, and I'm replying to comments and emails from people with recipe failures...it's because they're using regular Jif or Skippy. I am going to do some more recipe testing with these very oily non-natural peanut butters to confirm, and then I will update. If you use 'natural' peanut butter, I can guarantee this recipe works. As for others, I will test more and report back. So much variation in a single ingredient like peanut butter, huh?
Laura Pellegrino says
Same thing happened to me using Jif and domino powdered sugar disappointed.
Christina Lane says
Was it the Jif with all the extra hydrogenated oils in it? Try again with the 'natural' Jif that only contains peanuts and salt.
Beverly says
I had the same issue so I dropped the tablespoon of “ batter” on the parchment paper covered cookie sheet and then placed in fridge for another 30 minutes. The “batter” chilled nicely I’m guessing because of the smaller mass. I flattened the cookies and baked as recipe instructed. Turned out great!
Cheryl says
Another pantry friendly recipe! Easy and ohhhhh sooooo good! Thanks for all yourgreat cookies, cakes, and recipes. I grew up helping mom make these for my brothers and myself, I felt so grown up being allowed to make the criss cross!
Joe says
So i blended monk fruit sweetener for powdered sugar. Is that okay?