Your whole family is going to LOVE these super easy Christmas Peanut Butter Cookies. They have the perfect blend of sweet and salty plus packed full of that delicious peanut butter flavor. This is the classic Peanut Butter Cookie with a candy-coated twist.
Is there any cookie more classic than the peanut butter cookie? Well, maybe one…(lookin’ at you chocolate chip cookies).
But, Peanut Butter Cookies are a favorite of chocolate lovers and non-chocolate lovers.
I wanted to take classic Peanut Butter cookies and make them festive for the holidays. Instead of changing the recipe, I decided to simply add an adorable decoration.
Aren’t they cute? I’m happy to say that they’re super easy to decorate too!
Make a batch of these Christmas Peanut Butter Cookies along with some White Chocolate Mocha Coffee Bombs and give some to your friends and family this holiday season!
If you want more yummy holiday cookie recipes, try my Easy and Festive Holiday Fruitcake Cookies, Homemade Decadent Holiday Gingerbread Whoopie Pies, or Grinch Chocolate Covered Strawberries.
Ingredients Needed For Christmas Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
You just need basic ingredients to make these cookies! Gather these items:
- Flour – all-purpose or pastry flour
- Baking Soda – helps add the delicious chewiness to the cookie
- Baking Powder – helps make the cookie light and airy
- Salt
- Butter – unsalted
- Peanut Butter – creamy peanut butter works best, but you could substitute crunchy if you like that texture.
- White Sugar – granulated sugar
- Brown Sugar – light or regular
- Eggs
- Egg Yolk – adds richness to the flavor and helps make the cookie more tender and chewy
- Vanilla Extract
- Candy Melts
- Christmas Sprinkles
How To Make Christmas Peanut Butter Cookies
Step 1
Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.
Step 2
Stir flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
Step 3
In a large bowl, thoroughly beat together the butter and peanut butter.
Step 4
Add in the white sugar and brown sugar and beat for 2 minutes until creamy and light.
Step 5
Add in the egg and vanilla extract beating for 30 seconds. Slowly add in the flour mixture until just incorporated.
Step 6
Portion out the dough using a cookie scoop and place dough balls on a lined cookie sheet.
Step 7
Once you have placed all the cookie dough balls on the lined cookie sheet, use a fork and press down on the cookies flattening them and making a classic criss-cross pattern.
Step 8
Bake cookies for 8 – 10 minutes until lightly golden brown.
Step 9
Allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 30 minutes.
Step 10
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the candy melts for approximately 25 seconds. Stir and reheat for 20 seconds more as needed.
Step 11
Dip each cookie one at a time into the melted candy melts. Cover one-half of each cookie.
Step 12
Put the dipped cookie back on the cookie sheet and use the sprinkles to decorate as desired. Allow cookies to dry before serving or storing.
Christmas Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe Notes And Tips
- The amount of peanut butter will vary, as needed, based on the brand of peanut butter you use. Add up to 1 cup achieve a thick (but not crumbly) dough.
- Measure your flour very, very carefully. It is a common mistake to add to add slightly too much flour making the cookies dry and crumbly.
- You can use dark brown sugar in these cookies if you desire. Just know that they will add a slightly more caramel flavor to your cookies.
- These cookies will be very soft when you take them out of the oven so allow them or cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. When they have cooled completely they will be firm enough to pick up easily.
Variations Of Christmas Peanut Butter Cookies To Try
- Change up the color of the chocolate melts for different seasons such as green melts and white icing for St. Patrick’s Day, pastel colored melts and sprinkles for Easter or black melts and orange sprinkles for Halloween.
- Try adding either some melted chocolate or melted candy melts to a baggie. Cut off the tip and drizzle over your cookies in a variety of patterns!
- If you love chunky peanut butter as much as I do, you will want to add it to your recipe in place of the smooth. It will make them even more crunchy and delicious!
FAQs
If you have questions, check below to see if they’ve already been answered. If you don’t see yours down below, please leave them in the comments so I can provide answers!
Should I chill the Christmas Peanut Butter Cookie dough before baking?
No, you do not have to do that. If you don’t have time to bake a batch right away, it is definitely fine to put the dough in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake them.
Why is it common to put the criss-cross marking on the top of peanut butter cookies with a fork?
Peanut butter cookie dough is denser than other types of cookie dough. Making the criss-cross on the top actually flattens them and helps them to bake more evenly. They would not bake as evenly if they were not flattened.
Why are my Christmas Peanut Butter Cookies dry and crumbly?
There could be a couple of reasons your cookies and dry and crumbly. You may have added a little too much flour, the margarine or butter substitute didn’t hold well or they could have been slightly overbaked.
How long will my Christmas Peanut Butter Cookies stay fresh?
They will stay fresh and delicious for up to a week if kept in an air-tight container. They do not need to be refrigerated
Can I freeze the Christmas Peanut Butter Cookies?
You can freeze the peanut butter cookie dough or the baked peanut butter cookies for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe, air-tight container.
I would recommend not freezing them after they have been dipped in the candy melts. If you do, after they thaw the melts may have an unpleasant, unappetizing haze or texture.
More Holiday Desserts To Try
If you love these Christmas peanut butter cookies, try these other recipes too!
- The Best Pumpkin Cobbler
- Deliciously Easy Oreo Fudge
- Festive Easy Peppermint Bark
- Addictive Dutch Apple Crisp Bars
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites
Christmas Peanut Butter Cookies
Your whole family is going to LOVE these super easy Christmas Peanut Butter Cookies. They have the perfect blend of sweet and salty while also bursting at the seams with delicious peanut butter flavor. This is the classic Peanut Butter Cookie with a candy-coated twist.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3/4 to 1 cup peanut butter, as needed
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup white candy melts
- Christmas Sprinkles, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter and peanut butter thoroughly.
- Add the sugars and beat for 2 minutes, until creamy and light.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract, beat for 30 seconds, then slowly incorporate the flour mixture until just incorporated.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion out the dough on a lined cookie sheet.
- Use a fork to press down on the cookies, flattening them and making a classic criss-cross pattern.
- Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden and set.
- Cool on the cookie sheet for about 30 minutes.
- Melt candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl for 25 seconds. Stir and reheat as needed.
- Dip each cookie individually in the melted candy melts, covering up to one half of each cookie.
- Place cookie back on the cookie sheets and decorate with Christmas sprinkles as desired. Allow candy melts to set before storing or serving.
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