You know that moment when you bite into a crumbl peanut butter cookie recipe at the store and think, "I need this in my life every single day"? That was me three months ago when Emily and I stopped by Crumbl after her soccer practice.
We split one of their classic peanut butter cookies, and I'm not kidding when I say it was gone in about thirty seconds. Emily looked at me and said, "Mom, we need to figure out how to make these at home." Challenge accepted!
After weeks of testing (and probably gaining five pounds in the process), I finally cracked the code. These copycat crumbl cookies are thick, chewy, and have that perfect peanut butter flavor that makes you want to hide the container from everyone else in your house.
If you're looking for more Crumbl-inspired treats, you'll want to check out my Crumbl cornbread cookie recipe and this amazing mocha cookie crumble frappuccino that pairs perfectly with these cookies.
Why You Will Like This Crumbl Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
Trust me, once you make these classic peanut butter cookies, you'll never want to buy them from the store again. Here's what makes them so special:
- Ready in under 20 minutes - Because who has time to wait around when you're craving cookies?
- Perfectly soft and chewy texture - They stay soft for days (if they last that long)
- Rich peanut butter flavor - Uses the perfect ratio of creamy peanut butter to butter
- No chilling required - You can go from craving to eating in record time
- Freezer-friendly dough - Make a double batch and freeze half for later
- Kid-approved - Emily gives these a solid 10/10, and she's pretty picky about her cookies
Ingredients For The Best Crumbl Peanut Butter Cookies
The secret to these soft peanut butter cookies is using the right ingredients in the right proportions. Here's what you'll need:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter (I use Jif or Skippy - avoid the natural stuff for this recipe)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar, plus 3 tablespoons for rolling
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
A quick note about the peanut butter - stick with regular creamy peanut butter for these. I learned this the hard way when I tried using natural peanut butter and ended up with flat, oily cookies. Not cute!
How To Make Perfect Crumbl Peanut Butter Cookies
Making these homemade peanut butter cookies is actually pretty straightforward. Here's my step-by-step process:
Getting Started
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Cream the butter and sugars. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a hand mixer), cream together the softened butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and ¼ cup of granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until everything is well combined.
Making The Cookie Dough
- Mix in the dry ingredients. Add the salt, baking soda, and flour to the bowl. Mix just until combined - don't overwork the dough or your cookies will be tough.
- Portion the dough. Scoop the dough into ¼ cup sized balls. This is key for getting that thick, bakery-style cookie!
The Secret Crumbl Technique
- Roll in sugar. Roll each dough ball in the remaining 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar. This creates that slightly crispy exterior.
- Create the classic pattern. Place 6 cookies per baking sheet, giving them room to spread. Using a fork, create that signature criss-cross pattern by pressing down about halfway through each cookie.
- Bake to perfection. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Here's the important part - the centers should look slightly underdone! They'll continue cooking as they cool.
- Cool properly. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. This prevents them from falling apart.
Storage And Reheating Your Peanut Butter Cookies
These chewy peanut butter cookies stay fresh for quite a while if you store them properly.
Room temperature storage: Keep them in an airtight container for up to 7 days. They'll stay soft and chewy the whole time.
Freezing the dough: This is my favorite trick! Roll the dough into balls, coat in sugar, then flash freeze on a baking sheet until firm. Transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months.
Baking from frozen: Add just 1 extra minute to the baking time. No need to thaw first!
Reheating: Pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to get that fresh-baked warmth back.
Tips For Making The Best Copycat Crumbl Cookies
After making these cookies about fifty times (I'm not exaggerating), here are my top tips:
- Don't skip the room temperature butter. Cold butter won't cream properly, and melted butter will make your cookies spread too much.
- Pack that brown sugar. This adds moisture and chewiness to the cookies.
- Use a cookie scoop. A ¼ cup cookie scoop makes perfectly uniform cookies every time.
- Don't overbake. Seriously, they should look slightly underdone when you take them out.
Want to mix things up ? Try adding a handful of mini chocolate chips or chopped peanuts to the dough. Emily loves the chocolate chip version!
Crumbl Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe FAQ
These peanut butter cookies stay fresh for up to 7 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They maintain their soft, chewy texture the entire time. I actually think they taste even better the next day!
Yes, you can substitute crunchy peanut butter for creamy if you prefer some texture. Just avoid natural or oily peanut butters as they can affect how the cookies spread and their final texture.
This is totally normal and exactly what you want! The centers should look slightly underdone after 8-10 minutes of baking. They'll continue cooking and set as they cool on the pan, giving you that perfect chewy texture.
Absolutely! Roll the dough into balls, coat in sugar, then flash freeze on a baking sheet until firm. Transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding just 1 extra minute to the baking time.
Recipes You May Like
If you're obsessed with these cookies like we are, you might want to try these other sweet treats:
- Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies - Perfect when you want just a few cookies without making a huge batch
- Cookie Monster Cookies - Emily's absolute favorite with chocolate chips, M&Ms, and oats
- Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies - A slightly healthier option that still tastes amazing
The Bottom Line On This Crumbl Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
These copycat Crumbl peanut butter cookies have become our go-to weekend baking project. They're simple enough that Emily can help, but impressive enough to bring to potluck dinners.
The best part? They're ready in under 20 minutes from start to finish. No waiting around for dough to chill or complicated techniques to master.
Next time you're craving those expensive bakery cookies, skip the trip and make these instead. Your wallet (and your taste buds) will thank you!
Don't forget to save this recipe to Pinterest for later - trust me, you'll want to make these again and again.
Copycat Crumbl Classic Peanut Butter Cookies
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- pre-cut parchment paper
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar plus 3 tablespoons for rolling
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer, cream butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and ¼ cup of granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and mix again until well combined.
- Add the salt, baking soda, and flour and mix until combined.
- Portion into ¼ cup sized balls and roll in the granulated sugar. Place 6 per baking sheet. Using a forks' tines, create a criss cross pattern in the dough, pressing down about halfway.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. The centers will look slightly underdone but will set as they cool.
- Remove from oven and let cookies cool on pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve at room temperature or warm.
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