Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Updated Nov 17, 2025
Soft and chewy peanut butter oatmeal cookies made with simple ingredients, rolled oats, and peanut butter, and no chilling, bakes up in minutes.
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Peanut butter oatmeal cookies are two treats in one!
I grew up eating peanut butter oatmeal cookies, but I could never get them to taste the way I remembered until I started making this version. They’re soft with a bit of chew from the oats, and they are balanced, ie, they’re sweet without being overly sweet. I tend to bake these peanut butter oatmeal cookies when I want something simple that doesn’t require chilling the dough or any extra steps, just mix, scoop, and bake. They’re the kind of cookie everyone grabs still warm from the tray before they even make it to a plate.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies Ingredients
- Peanut butter: I recommend creamy, natural peanut butter without added sugar or oils. You can use crunchy peanut butter if you want the extra texture.
- Old-fashioned oats: Also called rolled oats. Don’t use quick oats here, because they’re cut smaller and won’t give you the hearty texture of thicker old-fashioned oats.
- Dry ingredients: All-purpose flour, light brown sugar, cane sugar (or granulated sugar), baking powder, and salt.
- Wet ingredients: Unsalted butter and vanilla extract.
How to Make Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies Recipes
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup old-fashioned oats
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and sugars. Cream together on medium-low speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Add the peanut butter and continue mixing to combine. Then, add the egg and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the oats and mix until just incorporated.
- Using a 1.5 tablespoon spring-loaded cookie scoop, scoop a rounded amount of dough and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly flatten the top of each cookie with your fingers.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are just set and lightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Equipment
Notes
- My Top Tip: Use room-temperature ingredients. Read my tips on how to soften butter so it combines easily with the sugars. For best results, use a room-temperature egg, too.
- Storage: Place the PB oatmeal cookies in an airtight container, separating with layers of parchment paper to prevent sticking. Store at room temperature for 5–7 days.
- Freezing: Place the baked PB oatmeal cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag. You can also freeze the unbaked dough balls. They’ll last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw baked cookies at room temperature, and thaw unbaked dough balls overnight in the fridge.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Add chocolate chips: Fold in a cup of dark or semisweet chocolate chips for extra sweetness.
- Or, dip the cookies in melted chocolate: I recommend using chocolate wafers or chocolate chips.
- Add baking spices: Stir in ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and/or a pinch of nutmeg for a warm, cozy cookie.
Recipe Tips
- Use room-temperature ingredients. Read my tips on how to soften butter so it combines easily with the sugars. For the best peanut butter oatmeal cookies, use a room-temperature egg, too.
- Mix just until incorporated. When you add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix only until no streaks of flour remain. If you overmix the dough, you risk developing the gluten in the flour, which can make your cookies dense and tough.
- Use a cookie scoop. This makes all the cookies the same size and shape.
FAQs
Yes, but bring it back together before measuring. Make sure the peanut butter is room temperature so you can stir it until evenly creamy.
Yes, you can chill the cookie dough for up to 3 days before baking. Make sure you wrap it tightly in plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out.
You may have overbaked them. Check them at the earliest possible cooking time, and when the edges are just turning golden, and the middles are set, take them out of the oven.
Comments
They were a bit dry and crumbly but tasty. How can this be remedied?
I used dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar, does that matter?
Hi Wendy! I don’t think dark brown sugar should cause any issues but there are a few other reasons your cookies could’ve ended up dry and crumbly. Did you make sure to use creamy peanut butter instead of crunchy? And is there any chance you overmixed the dough or overbaked the cookies?
Thank you! I made them again and they were fine, I think I had overbaked them originally.
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