My 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies are a great quick dessert for your family. They take 30 minutes to make and use a handful of ingredients to make bakery-level tasting treats!
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Baking is a great way to get your family in the kitchen for some bonding (and learning)! But, overcomplicated recipes can stress everyone out, making family bonding time into family fighting time. This recipe for 3 ingredient cookies is simple enough for you to make with the kids, and they’re a great recipe for your little beginner bakers!
3 ingredient pb cookies help you avoid the stress that can come with baking. They are simple to make, using only eggs, sugar, and peanut butter. Even more, you only need one bowl for this recipe! Forget about the piles of dishes after baking.
Have fun and get creative with toppings! Three ingredient peanut butter cookies can be decorated any way you’d like– sprinkles, sugar, frosting, whatever floats your boat! Add fun colors, textures, and sweets to your 3 ingredient cookies for a super kid-friendly recipe!
How to Make 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a protective layer, like parchment paper or a silicone cooking mat.
STEP TWO: Combine your egg, sugar, and peanut butter in a bowl, mixing with either a fork or a whisk until you have a smooth mixture. Your three ingredient pb cookie dough will be thick, so be careful not to overmix — that will lead to tough cookies.
STEP THREE: Scoop out 1 tablespoon-sized portions of the dough, then roll each into a ball and place it on the lined baking sheet. Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand, or use a fork to create that traditional crisscross pattern across the top.
STEP FOUR: Bake each cookie tray for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden-brown. Let 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
STEP FIVE: Allow them to fully cool, which usually takes about 45 minutes. Then, decorate as you please! Try powdered sugar, frosting, or colored sprinkles for a fun twist!
Tips for the Best Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Chill your dough. This can help your 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies come out thicker and chewier. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator for about an hour for the best result.
- Don’t overbake. 3 ingredient pb cookies can go from perfect to burnt in no time. Keep a close eye on them, and remove from the oven as soon as the edges are set and the center no longer appears wet. They will finish baking as they cool.
- Bake one batch at a time. This recipe can easily be doubled, which is great! However, avoid loading up your baking sheets with dough balls, as overcrowding will lead to uneven results.
Variations for 3 Ingredient Cookies
- Try adding chocolate chips. Add in a few chocolate chips to your dough before you roll it into balls. Now you have peanut butter chocolate chip cookies!
- Add some vanilla extract. Include 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract for a floral, sweet touch to your 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies. This will also enhance the peanut butter flavor in your cookies!
- Make cookie sandwiches. Once your three ingredient peanut butter cookies are cooled, put a layer of frosting in between two cookies for a fun cookie sandwich. Or, try ice cream for a refreshing treat!
More Peanut Butter Recipes
- Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies
- Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
- Peanut Butter Mousse
- Peanut Butter Icing
- Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
- Air Fryer Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- No Bake Peanut Butter Fudge
- Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Hot Cocoa Balls with Peanut Butter
Why Are My 3 Ingredient PB Cookies Falling Apart?
This is most likely a result of the dough being too dry. While you are rolling your dough, if you notice it is flaky or drier than typical cookie dough should be, add one tablespoon of butter to your mix.
Do 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies Need to Be Refrigerated?
They don’t need to be kept in the refrigerator, but it will help your leftovers last longer.
Store your leftover cookies in an airtight container. They will keep for up to one week!
How Do You Fix Too Much Oil in Cookie Dough?
Peanut butter makes great-tasting cookies, but it is also an ingredient that is high in fat and oil — which can lead to an oily dough.
If you notice the dough is too oily, try adding 1 tablespoon of flour at a time to the mix, which should help soak up that extra fat.
More 3 Ingredient Recipes
- 3 Ingredient No Bake Cheesecake
- 3 Ingredient Oatmeal Cookies
- 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls
- 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins
- 3 Ingredient Banana Pudding
- 3 Ingredient Stir Fry Sauce
- 3 Ingredient Pie Crust
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Yield: 12 Cookies
3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
My 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies are a great quick dessert for your family. They take 30 minutes to make and use a handful of ingredients to make bakery-level tasting treats!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Cooling Time10 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a baking sheet with either parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a large bowl, mix the peanut butter, sugar, and room temperature egg together. Use a fork, whisk, stand mixer, or electric mixer to mix until all the ingredients are well combined and a thick dough has formed.
- Using a cookie scoop or a measuring spoon, scoop tablespoon-sized portions of the dough and roll them into balls using the palm of your hands.
- Place the cookie dough balls on the baking sheet that you prepared, leaving about 2 inches of space between them.
- Use the back of a fork to create a criss-cross pattern on the cookies if you want. The fork marks are optional.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes.
- Transfer them to a wire rack so they can cool completely.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 197Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 108mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 1gSugar: 18gProtein: 5g
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
