Classic peanut butter cookies are dense, flavorful, and kinda oily. I made some recently using a “classic” recipe, but the results were literally frying in their own oil on the cookie sheet. And it only made 12 cookies! I can eat 12 cookies in a day! I try not to.., but sometimes it happens.
So, if I am going to make cookies, I want the recipe to check the following boxes:
- The recipe needs to make at least 36 cookies. I want to eat cookies all week if I am going to make this mess.
- I like cookies that are delicious on their own merit. Any cookie is delicious if you put a whole Snickers in each one…
- A simple recipe made with regular ingredients that I always have on hand.
So with that in mind, I combined the regular peanut butter cookie recipe with a meringue preparation, similar to that in this Meringue Cookie Recipe. This resulted in light and fluffy peanut butter cookies which are definitely worth sharing.
Why Do I Like This Recipe?
- This recipe yields 24-36 cookies, which is 2-3X more cookies than the traditional recipe.
- There is no flour in the recipe, making it an excellent gluten-free cookie that isn’t too dense or dry, which can be a problem with gluten-free cookies.
- Removal of the egg yolks and the increase in cookies per batch means an overall healthier cookie.
- When stored, the cookies get chewier like a meringue cookie, which is just spectacular.
- Making meringues is fun!
Ingredients & Equipment
PB Cookie Ingredients
- Peanut butter: The star of the show. I use creamy peanut butter such as JIF or the Aldi brand. I haven’t tried crunchy peanut butter as we don’t keep it on hand.
- Sugar: Simple white sugar is added for sweetness.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted, at room temperature. Salted would get it closer to a Resse’s peanut butter flavor, which is definitely quite tasty.
- Egg Whites: Fresh eggs whip up better, so try to use fresh eggs for an easier time whipping up the meringue.
- Cream of Tartar: A small addition to the egg whites will allow them to whip up easier and faster.
Equipment
- Hand/Stand Mixer: You could technically do this recipe by hand, but I recommend a mixer to make everything easier and faster.
- 2 Mixing Bowls: Two mixing bowls are needed, one for the peanut butter/butter, and one to make the meringue.
- Cookie Sheet: To bake the cookies on. I recommend these Calphalon cookie sheets since I have so much success with them.
- Spatula: Something to transfer your cookies off the sheet when you are finished.
- Cooling Rack: A place to cool your cookies before eating them.
Preparation
Cream the Sugar and Peanut Butter
Creaming sugar is beating sugar with butter until it is nice and homogenous (properly mixed). For these peanut butter cookies, we use peanut butter instead of butter for creaming. I promise it works just the same.
So, combine the sugar and butter and beat it until they are well mixed, which is at least 3 minutes. Don’t skimp on this step, it’ll give better cookies.
Whipping the Merigue
Next, separate four egg whites and whip them until nice and frothy. Slowly add the sugar and cream of tartar and whip them until soft peaks form. If you end up with stiff peaks, that’s okay. It should just give a fluffier cookie when combined with the other ingredients.
Making the Cookie Dough
Fold the finished meringue back into the peanut butter mixture until combined and appearing to be one texture. Over mixing here will result in dense, chewy cookies. However, make sure to mix them enough to combine the ingredients so they cook evenly.
Once combined, scoop approximately 2-3 Tbsp of cookie dough onto a greased baking sheet, spacing them out to account for spreading.
Baking the Light Peanut Butter Cookies!
Place the baking sheets in an oven preheated to 325*F. Bake them for 18-20 minutes. It seems long but the lower temperature demands it, you don’t want to scorch these fluffy beauties. Watch for browning around the edges and they should be done when you see it.
Light & Fluffy Peanut Butter Cookies
Equipment
- Hand/Stand Mixer with whisk attachments
- 2 Mixing Bowls
- Silicone Spatula
- 2 Cookie Sheets
- Spatula
- Cooling Racks
Ingredients
- 1 cup Peanut Butter Creamy
- 1 cup White Sugar divided (¾C, ¼C)
- 4 egg whites large
- ¼ tsp Cream of Tartar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease two cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
Cream the Peanut Butter
- In a mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter (1C) and sugar (¾C). Cream together with a hand or stand mixer until thoroughly combined, 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
Make the Meringue
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites (4) until frothy and add the remaining sugar (¼C) and cream of tartar (1/4t).
- Whisk until firm peaks form.
Bake the Cookies
- Fold the meringue into the peanut butter. Mix until just fully combined.
- Dallop 2-3T portions onto the cookie sheet, 1-2 inches apart to account for spreading. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the edges begin to brown.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Store in an air tight container.
Notes
- It’s entirely possible to omit the sugar from the meringue preparation. However, the egg may not whip up as quickly.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the Best Peanut Butter to Use for Peanut Butter Cookies?
I prefer creamy peanut butter in all instances of peanut butter ever. Chunky peanut butter may work fine but may require more folding to get the meringue to mix together. If using natural peanut butter, mix the peanut butter well before measuring. Excess oil will break down the meringue and can make for a flat cookie.
Can I make These Cookies Without Peanut Butter?
Absolutely! Sun-Nut butter, almond butter, etc. should work fine. If the nut-butter is a bit drier than peanut butter, add in a Tbsp. of butter while creaming with sugar to ensure proper incorporation. I cant wait to try this with Nutella!
Do these Peanut Butter Cookies use Flour?
Nope! The combination of eggs and peanut butter in the recipe combine nicely to create the body of the cookie. No flour necessary.
How Do I Store My Peanut Butter Cookies?
Seal them up in an airtight container for up to a week or more. In storage, these cookies will get chewy instead of stale, which is downright delightful and definitely my favorite part of these cookies.
Can I Freeze These Peanut Butter Cookies?
I will make a double batch next time I make them and report back. Cookies don’t make it long enough in our house that freezing is necessary, but I can make a bunch for the sake of discussion.
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