I never need another peanut butter cookie recipe because these cookies are creamy, soft, and absolutely everything I want a peanut butter cookie to be.

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I’m obsessed with these peanut butter sandwich cookies. I love how creamy peanut butter shows up in every bite, not just as an idea but as a bold, nutty smack that makes you grin.

The filling’s powdered sugar turns that punch into something almost silky, a sweet counterpoint that slides between two soft, dense cookies and refuses to stay polite. And yes I’ll eat three in a row.

No guilt here. It’s peanut butter without apology, stupidly simple and wildly satisfying.

When I want a snack that actually thrills, these are what I reach for. I never do.

Not ever.

Ingredients

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Softened butter makes cookies tender and rich, like a butter hug.
Creamy peanut butter gives that nutty backbone and keeps it moist.
Granulated sugar adds crunch and balances peanut fat, it’s not cloying.
Brown sugar brings chewiness and slight caramel notes you’ll love.
Egg binds everything together and makes cookies a bit cakier.
Basically vanilla rounds sweetness and adds warm, familiar flavor.
Flour gives structure so cookies hold up to the filling.
Baking soda helps spread and gives a little lift and browning.
Baking powder adds gentle rise for a lighter, airier crumb.
Fine salt brightens flavors and cuts through the rich nuttiness.
Plus cornstarch keeps cookies ultra-soft and tender, almost pillow-like.
Butter in the filling makes it silky, creamy, and plush.
Peanut butter filling doubles down on nutty flavor and richness.
Powdered sugar sweetens smoothly and gives the filling a pipeable texture.
Milk thins the filling so it’s spreadable and pipes without cracking.

Ingredient Quantities

1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup (250 g) creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups (150 g) all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for extra soft cookies)

4 tablespoons (55 g) unsalted butter, softened for filling

1/2 cup (125 g) creamy peanut butter for filling

1 to 1 1/2 cups (120 to 180 g) powdered sugar, sifted

1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream, if needed to thin filling

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

2. In a large bowl beat 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar until smooth and a little fluffy, about 2-3 minutes; scrape the bowl once.

3. Add 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, mix until combined; the dough might look glossy.

4. Whisk together 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt and 1 tablespoon cornstarch if you want extra soft cookies.

5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until no streaks of flour remain, do not overmix or cookies get tough.

6. Scoop about 1 tablespoon sized portions and roll into balls, place 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets; press each ball gently with a fork in a crisscross pattern to flatten slightly.

7. Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are set but centers still look soft, let cool on the sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

8. While cookies cool make the filling: beat 4 tablespoons softened butter with 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter until smooth, then gradually add 1 to 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar until you get a thick spreadable frosting. If it’s too stiff add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream, a little at a time, until it spreads easily.

9. Sandwich cookies by spreading about 1 tablespoon filling on the flat side of one cookie and topping with another, press gently to spread the filling to the edges.

10. Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days or refrigerate up to a week; for best texture let refrigerated cookies sit 20 minutes before eating. If you want extra softness warm a sandwich for 5-10 seconds in the microwave.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheated to 350 F)
2. Two rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
3. Large mixing bowl plus one small bowl for dry ingredients
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a sturdy whisk if you dont have one)
5. Measuring cups and spoons (for both dry and wet ingredients)
6. Rubber spatula for scraping the bowl
7. Cookie scoop or tablespoon and a fork to press the cookies
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Small mixing bowl or bowl for the filling and a spoon for spreading
10. Airtight container for storage

FAQ

Q: Can I use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy? A: Yes you can. Crunchy gives more texture and some bites will be extra peanutty, but the cookies may spread a little less so watch baking time.

Q: How do I stop the cookies from flattening too much? A: Chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes before baking and don't overcream the butter and sugar. Also adding the optional tablespoon of cornstarch makes them softer and helps them hold shape.

Q: Can I make the filling ahead and store it? A: Absolutely. Keep the filling in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days. If it's stiff, stir in a tiny bit of milk or let it sit at room temp for 10 minutes before spreading.

Q: What if my filling is too runny or too thick? A: If it's too runny add more sifted powdered sugar a little at a time. If it's too thick add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time until it spreads easily. Don't add too much milk or the sandwiches will squish out.

Q: Can these be frozen? A: Yes freeze baked cookies on a tray then transfer to a freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp then fill, or freeze filled sandwiches with parchment between layers for up to a month.

Q: How do I get even sized cookies? A: Use a small cookie scoop or spoon and roll into balls, then gently press with a fork for the peanut cookie pattern. That keeps them uniform and bakes more evenly.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Unsalted butter (1/2 cup, 115 g): swap with equal parts solid coconut oil for a subtle coconut note, or use stick margarine if you need dairy free; coconut oil can make the cookies slightly crisper, so chill dough a bit before baking.
Creamy peanut butter (1 cup, 250 g): use almond butter or sunflower seed butter 1:1 for nut-free or different flavor; if your substitute is much thinner, chill it so the dough holds together.
1 large egg: replace with a flax “egg” (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 minutes) for vegan baking; texture will be a touch more cake-like, so chill dough before scooping.
All purpose flour (1 1/4 cups, 150 g): swap with a 1:1 gluten free flour blend (measure cup for cup) but add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum if the blend doesn’t include it, this helps keep the cookies from falling apart.

Pro Tips

1) Chill the dough 15 to 30 minutes if the balls look flat or your kitchen is warm. It firms the fat so cookies hold a nicer mound and don’t spread into sad pancakes. You can skip it if you like thinner cookies though.

2) If you want ultra soft cookies, definitely keep the cornstarch in and don’t overmix the dough. Mix just until the flour disappears; overworking makes them tough real fast.

3) Don’t overbake. Pull them when the edges are set but the centers still look a little underdone. They’ll finish on the sheet and stay chewy, not rock-hard. Let them cool a few minutes before moving.

4) For the filling, add the powdered sugar slowly and use milk one teaspoon at a time to reach the right spreadable texture. If it gets too thin, chill it 10 minutes to firm up. If you want cleaner sandwiches, pipe the filling instead of spreading it.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Kate Sinclair

0.0 from 0 votes

I never need another peanut butter cookie recipe because these cookies are creamy, soft, and absolutely everything I want a peanut butter cookie to be.

Servings

servings

Calories

456

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheated to 350 F)
2. Two rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
3. Large mixing bowl plus one small bowl for dry ingredients
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a sturdy whisk if you dont have one)
5. Measuring cups and spoons (for both dry and wet ingredients)
6. Rubber spatula for scraping the bowl
7. Cookie scoop or tablespoon and a fork to press the cookies
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Small mixing bowl or bowl for the filling and a spoon for spreading
10. Airtight container for storage

Ingredients

1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (250 g) creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (150 g) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for extra soft cookies)
4 tablespoons (55 g) unsalted butter, softened for filling
1/2 cup (125 g) creamy peanut butter for filling
1 to 1 1/2 cups (120 to 180 g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream, if needed to thin filling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
In a large bowl beat 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar until smooth and a little fluffy, about 2-3 minutes; scrape the bowl once.
Add 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, mix until combined; the dough might look glossy.
Whisk together 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt and 1 tablespoon cornstarch if you want extra soft cookies.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until no streaks of flour remain, do not overmix or cookies get tough.
Scoop about 1 tablespoon sized portions and roll into balls, place 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets; press each ball gently with a fork in a crisscross pattern to flatten slightly.
Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are set but centers still look soft, let cool on the sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
While cookies cool make the filling: beat 4 tablespoons softened butter with 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter until smooth, then gradually add 1 to 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar until you get a thick spreadable frosting. If it’s too stiff add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream, a little at a time, until it spreads easily.
Sandwich cookies by spreading about 1 tablespoon filling on the flat side of one cookie and topping with another, press gently to spread the filling to the edges.
Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days or refrigerate up to a week; for best texture let refrigerated cookies sit 20 minutes before eating. If you want extra softness warm a sandwich for 5-10 seconds in the microwave.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.