Browned Butter Peanut Butter Cookies are perfectly soft and chewy, loaded with nutty flavor from peanut butter and luscious browned butter, and topped with a sprinkle of sea salt. It's quite possibly the best peanut butter cookie recipe ever.
Peanut butter lovers, be sure to try Nutter Butter Bars and Peanut Butter Oreo Cookies next!
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Browned butter peanut butter cookies are rich, chewy, and full of that classic peanutty flavor with a soft, slightly sandy texture. But they're not just any old regular peanut butter cookie. What makes these extra special is the deep flavor of nutty brown butter.
🧈What is Browned Butter?
Browned butter has been melted and cooked until the milk solids turn golden brown and toasty, creating a deep, nutty flavor. Try browned butter in cookies like these browned butter snickerdoodles, frostings, like this browned butter frosting I use on gingerbread cookies, any of your favorite baked goods, or even savory dishes like mashed potatoes and roasted veggies. Best part? It's super easy to make.
❤️You're Going to Love This
- Soft and tender brown butter peanut butter cookies with deep, nutty flavor.
- Made with rich peanut butter and other simple ingredients.
- Easy one-bowl peanut butter cookie recipe.
- Perfectly soft and chewy peanut butter cookies every time.
- Classic peanut butter cookies with a gourmet twist.
Not in the mood for scooping and rolling cookie dough? Try these gooey peanut butter oatmeal bars or peanut butter bar cookies!
🥜Ingredients
- Unsalted butter. Start with 9 tablespoons, browning reduces it to about 8. Salted butter works too; just reduce added salt to taste.
- Brown sugar. Dark brown sugar adds rich molasses flavor, but light brown sugar also works just fine.
- Egg. Bring to room temp by leaving it out for 30 minutes or placing it in warm water for 10.
- Creamy peanut butter. Use regular, smooth peanut butter like Skippy. Natural peanut butter is too oily for this recipe.
- Flaky sea salt. A sprinkle of salt adds crunch and contrast. Large flakes can go on before baking; finer sea salt is best added after, so it doesn't melt into the cookie.
🥣How to Make Browned Butter Peanut Butter Cookies
Step 1: Melt butter in a light-colored small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until foamy and bubbly. After 5-8 minutes, it will settle with brown specks and a nutty aroma.
Step 2: Remove browned butter from heat and pour into a heat-proof bowl to halt cooking. Measure to ensure you have ½ cup. Cool to room temp -- you can speed this up in the fridge.
Step 3: In a large bowl, beat browned butter and sugars. Mix in egg, then peanut butter and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Cover dough in plastic wrap and chill for 1-2 hours.
Step 4: Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Press into ¾-inch pucks and sprinkle flaky salt onto the tops of the cookies.
Step 5: Bake cookies at 350°F for 9-11 minutes, until edges are set and tops are lightly golden. Don't overbake.
Step 6: Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then on a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy with a cold glass of milk or a warm cup of coffee or tea.
✅Expert Tips
- Start with 9 tablespoons of butter to yield 8 tablespoons after browning. Some liquid cooks off.
- Pay close attention to the browned butter; it can burn fast.
- Chill the dough for 1-2 hours to improve flavor and texture. It's not needed to control spread (these don't spread much), but it's highly recommended.
- Let chilled dough sit out 5-10 minutes before scooping to make it easier to work with.
🎁Storage
- Cookie dough: You can refrigerate the dough (covered) for up to 3 days before baking. Let it sit at room temp for 5-10 minutes before scooping if it's too firm.
- Baked cookies: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to one week.
🧊Freezing
- Cookie dough: Scoop and slightly flatten dough balls into pucks. Freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Label and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature until mostly thawed. Bake at 350°F, adding 1-2 extra minutes.
- Baked cookies: Cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Separate layers with parchment paper if stacking. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave for a just-baked texture.
❓FAQs
This brown butter peanut butter cookie dough doesn't spread, so why take the time to chill it? Even a brief 30-minute chill enhances the flavor and results in a softer, chewier texture. So, it's worth it for a better cookie experience!
Yes! Browned butter is so much more flavorful than regular butter. The rich, nutty flavor of the browned butter amplifies the flavor of the peanut butter and makes the best peanut butter cookies.
You can use either salted or unsalted butter to make browned butter. In baking, unsalted butter is most often used so you can best control the salt levels.
Peanut butter cookie dough is quite thick and dense and doesn't really spread much. Most peanut butter cookie recipes call for flattening the dough with a spatula or the tines of a fork to allow the cookie to bake evenly.
✨More Delicious Peanut Butter Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Browned Butter Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- flaky sea salt, optional
Instructions
- Make browned butter. Cut the butter into cubes and place it in a medium, light-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir while it becomes foamy and bubbly. After 5-8 minutes, it will begin to toast and you'll see little brown flecks. Immediately pour the butter into a heat-proof bowl to stop the cooking process. Measure the browned butter to make sure you have ½ cup. Cool to room temperature.
- Beat ½ cup browned butter and both sugars on medium speed until combined. Mix in the egg for one minute. Add the peanut butter and vanilla and mix for one minute. Mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt until just combined. Do not over-mix. Chill the dough for 1-2 hours, up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes so it's easy to work with.
- Scoop 2-tablespoon dough balls and set them onto a baking sheet. Use your hand or a greased silicone spatula to gently press the cookie dough balls into ¾ inch thick pucks. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are set and the tops are very light brown. The centers will still be very soft. Be careful not to overbake or the cookies will be dry.
- Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way. Store cooled cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week.
Charisa McBee says
These peanut butter cookies were the BEST I have ever had! So delicious! All I had was honey peanut butter- and it tasted so good in this recipe!
Cara Lanz says
Thank you so much for trying the recipe. I'm so glad you enjoyed the cookies -- and honey peanut butter sounds delicious!