If you crave soft, chewy cookies brimming with peanut butter flavor, peanut butter sandwich cookies will become your next obsession. Each bite features tender cookies joined by a thick, luscious peanut butter cream. It’s a recipe for people who want more than a simple cookie—these deliver bold nutty goodness with every mouthful. From the first crisp snap to the gooey center, they’re pure comfort food. Bake a batch, and watch how quickly they disappear.
Why Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies Deserve a Spot in Your Kitchen
These cookies stack up against the classics, even Nutter Butters. Why choose this homemade version?
- Double Peanut Butter: Both the cookie and the filling use smooth peanut butter, creating a deep flavor and creamy texture in every layer.
- Quick and Refreshing: The dough skips chilling, which means you get from mixing bowl to oven in no time.
- Soft yet Structured: The cookies have a gentle crunch at the edge, but the centers stay pleasingly soft, making them easy to eat with or without milk.
- Endlessly Adaptable: Sprinkle chopped peanuts, swirl in mini chocolate chips, or experiment with flavored fillings.
- Shareable Treat: Their appealing look and rich taste make them perfect for school lunches, holiday trays, or casual get-togethers.
Ingredients for Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
Here’s what you’ll need, along with an overview of each ingredient’s role:
| Ingredient | Purpose/Notes |
|---|---|
| Smooth Peanut Butter | Offers distinct nutty flavor; for both cookie and filling |
| Unsalted Butter | Provides richness and a melt-in-mouth texture; used in both dough and filling |
| Granulated Sugar | Enhances sweetness and supplies slight crispness |
| Brown Sugar | Boosts moisture and gives subtle caramel notes |
| Large Eggs | Bind everything and add structure |
| Vanilla Extract | Rounds and deepens the overall flavor |
| All-Purpose Flour | Gives the cookies body and bite |
| Baking Soda | Lifts the cookies, preventing density |
| Salt | Balances sweetness, intensifies flavor |
| Powdered Sugar | Used in the cream filling for silkiness |
| Heavy Cream | Thins and smooths out the filling for easy spreading |
Quantities
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter (no-stir variety recommended)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
For the Filling
- 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp heavy cream
- Pinch of fine salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Step-by-Step: How to Make Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
1. Prep Your Baking Setup
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper for an easy, no-stick experience and quick cleanup.
2. Make the Cookie Dough
In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment to cream the peanut butter, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat until the mixture looks fluffy and pale, about 2–3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl.
Add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed until the mixture is just combined.
Separately, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir by hand, using a spatula, or mix on low just until you see no visible flour. Avoid over-mixing; the dough should appear soft.
3. Shape the Dough
Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough, rolling each into a ball. For visual flair and a slight crunch, roll each ball lightly in extra granulated sugar.
Space dough balls two inches apart on your prepared baking sheets. For even baking, use a cookie scoop to keep cookie sizes consistent.
4. Bake
Bake the cookies for 8–10 minutes. Watch for the edges to only faintly brown and the centers to puff up; they should stay pale and soft. Overbaking dries them out. After removing them from the oven, let them cool on the trays for five minutes before transferring to a rack.
5. Mix Up the Filling
In a clean bowl, beat together peanut butter and unsalted butter until creamy and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla—all at once or in increments—beating on low. Gradually drizzle in heavy cream until the filling becomes thick, satiny, and spreadable. You want it just loose enough to pipe, but stiff enough to hold its shape.
6. Assemble the Sandwich Cookies
Pair up cookies by size and lay half of them bottom side up. Add one heaping tablespoon of peanut butter cream to the center of each. Either use a piping bag with a wide tip or simply spoon on the filling. Gently press a second cookie on top, twisting lightly to spread the filling evenly to the edges.
Tips and Troubleshooting for the Best Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
Optimize Texture and Flavor
- Type of Peanut Butter: Choose a no-stir, commercial brand like Jif or Skippy. These blend smoothly and turn out the softest cookies. Avoid natural or oil-separated peanut butters, which cause crumbly dough.
- Creaming Technique: Don’t rush the creaming step. The more air you incorporate, the lighter your final bake.
- Skip or Add Sugar: The sugar roll is optional. If you prefer less sweetness, you can skip this step.
- Uniformity: Use a medium cookie scoop for portioning, ensuring all cookies are the same size for neat sandwiching.
- Flavor Play: Try folding mini chocolate chips or chopped roasted peanuts into the dough for added crunch.
Baking Pointers
- Timing is Key: Keep an eye on the clock. Pull cookies out while they’re pale and slightly underbaked in the center. Residual heat will finish the job.
- Chilling the Dough: Although not required, a 30-minute chill intensifies flavor and limits spreading, especially helpful in a warm kitchen.
Creative Variations
- Swaps for Filling: Swap in Nutella, marshmallow crème, or chocolate ganache for the peanut butter cream. For a playful twist, make a peanut butter and jelly filling.
- Kids’ Projects: Turn this into a fun family bake by letting children decorate the edges of the cookies with sprinkles or crushed nuts.
Storage and Make-Ahead Options
Homemade sandwich cookies taste best fresh, but they also store well. Here’s how to plan ahead.
Make Ahead
- Dough: Prepare dough up to 48 hours in advance. Cover tightly and store in the fridge. If needed, freeze scoops of dough on a baking sheet, then seal in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- Baked Cookies: Unfilled cookies freeze well for up to 2 months. Stack with parchment paper in an airtight container.
Assembled Cookies
- Fridge: Store filled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to one week. For a softer bite, let them rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes before digging in.
- Freezer: Lay assembled sandwiches on a tray and freeze until solid. Move to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies: A Nutty Tradition, Elevated
Homemade peanut butter sandwich cookies offer what packaged versions can’t: a chewy, melt-in-the-mouth texture and a rich, authentic flavor. They’re delicious with a cold glass of milk, hot coffee, or as a late-night snack. You can customize them with different fillings, experiment with dough additions, and scale the recipe for any crowd.
Whether you’re baking for a weekend treat or planning a cookie swap, this recipe delivers soft sandwich cookies full of big, nostalgic flavor. With straightforward steps and pantry-friendly ingredients, you’re never far from peanut butter cookie bliss. Set aside time to let the aroma fill your kitchen, and enjoy the satisfaction of biting into a cookie that’s as good as anything on the shelf.
Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
If you’re a fan of Nutter Butters, you’ll love these cookies. They are soft and chewy peanut butter sandwich cookies. The filling is a sweet and salty peanut butter cream.
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream, as needed
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1-2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Make the cookies: In a large bowl, beat the peanut butter, butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, then beat again until smooth. Blend in the egg and vanilla on low.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add this to the butter-sugar mixture and stir by hand until just combined.
- Portion the dough into 1 tablespoonful balls and roll each in the extra sugar, if desired. Arrange on the baking sheets with 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned on the edges and puffy in the middle. Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the peanut butter and butter until smooth. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar on low until smooth, then blend in the vanilla. Increase the speed to medium and beat until thick, about 30 seconds. If needed, add the heavy cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
- Assemble: Dollop or pipe the frosting onto the flat side of half of the cookies. Place the remaining cookies on top and gently press to spread the filling to the edges. Serve and enjoy!