BEST Soft & Chewy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

4.98 from 37 votes

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Perfectly soft and chewyPeanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies are made with quick oats, peanut butter, and brown sugar and baked to cookie perfection.

hand holding a peanut butter oatmeal cookie over a class of milk.
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These cookies are super soft and packed with oatmeal cookie and peanut butter flavors, which I love. They are so great warm, and they store well, too! If oatmeal cookies and peanut butter cookies had a baby, this would be it! These are right up there with my Chocolate Chip Cookies and my Oreo Cookies!

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Cookies..need I say more?
  • They are soft, full of flavor, and easy to make!
  • They store well, so you could make a ton and keep them for later

Recipe Ingredients

  • Butter
  • Peanut butter – creamy
  • Sugar – granulated and brown
  • Eggs
  • Oatmeal
  • Flour

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

fuzzy picture of a pan of cookies on a wooden cutting board.

How to Make Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

  1. Cream together the butter and peanut butter.
  2. Add the sugars, eggs, and vanilla and mix
  3. Next, add all of the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
  4. Make into balls, bake, and enjoy!
top view of an oatmeal peanut butter cookie on a glass of milk, next to a plate of cookies.

Recipe FAQs

What kind of oatmeal is best for cookies?

In oatmeal cookies, old-fashioned oats will give you a chewier texture, and quick oats will be slightly less chewy, but the flavor is the same. It’s really a personal preference which one you like better for baking, and it also depends on what the recipe calls for. I like quick oats for this recipe, which are the best for the softer texture but still great oatmeal cookie flavor.

Should I use salted or unsalted butter?

The correct answer is to use unsalted butter for baked goods. That way, you can control the amount of salt in the recipe. I like to make my own butter and salt it just how I want. That being said, I love a little extra salt in things, so baking with salted butter is no issue. Use what you like and what you have for this recipe. If you are sensitive to salt, use unsalted! Use salted butter if you like things a little salty (me!).

What peanut butter is best for making peanut oatmeal cookies?

The best peanut butter to use when making these cookies is a
creamy peanut butter like Skippy or Jif. Steer clear of natural
peanut butter for this recipe because it will change the texture of
the cookies.

hand dipping oatmeal peanut butter cookie in a glass of milk.

Expert Tips

  • To freeze the oatmeal cookie dough, make the dough into balls and then let them freeze for a few hours on the cookie tray (or in a dish so that they aren’t touching much). After the cookie dough balls have frozen through, add them to an air-tight container or a freezer zipper-top baggie. When you are ready to bake the dough, simply preheat your oven, place the frozen cookie dough balls on a baking sheet, and bake, adding 2-4 minutes to the suggested cook time, as needed. No need to thaw ahead of time.
  • I like to use the thicker peanut butter here that is not the natural kind, if it’s too drippy your cookies will spread when baking
  • Use instant or quick-cooking oats for this recipe; they tend to be smaller pieces than old-fashioned oats, and the texture is a little lighter.
white plate full of oatmeal cookies with peanut butter.
hand dipping oatmeal peanut butter cookie in a glass of milk
4.98 from 37 votes

Soft Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Perfectly soft and chewy peanut butter oatmeal cookies made with quick oats, peanut butter, brown sugar. Baked to cookie perfection.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 dozen

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar, light or dark
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats, (also called instant or minute oats)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
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Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
  • In a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer) beat together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar, until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes (using a hand mixer if you don’t have a stand mixer is a good option.)
  • Add the two eggs and vanilla and mix to combine.
  • Add the oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to the bowl and mix to combine well.
  • Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes and then stir again (this gives the oats time to absorb some of the moisture giving you the nice cookie dough texture).
  • Using a cookie scoop or two spoons, place a large tablespoon of dough on the baking sheet, about 3 inches apart.
  • Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly browned.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing from the sheet and placing on a wire rack to cool.
  • Enjoy right away. Store extras in an air-tight container for up to a week or in the freezer for much longer.

Notes

  • Butter is the best for cookies. It adds great flavor and helps the texture to be nice and crisp
  • For cookies that will be eaten in a day or two, store soft cookies in a container with a tight-fitting cover. 
  •  both granulated and brown sugars are great and add color and flavor to the finished cookies
  • The key to keeping cookies fresh and soft is to seal them in an airtight container, like a resealable freezer bag. And here’s a nifty little trick: add a piece of bread to the bag.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 of 48 cookies, Calories: 130kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 17mg, Sodium: 89mg, Potassium: 53mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 181IU, Calcium: 24mg, Iron: 1mg
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55 Comments

  1. Donna says:

    5 stars
    So let me begin by saying that I make PB cookies all the time, it is my go to cookie for so many functions. I just made this recipe for the first time and I have to tell you that it is the ONLY recipe I will be using from now on. I followed the recipe exactly and they are the most delicious cookies. Flavor and texture are perfect! I made them for my next door neighbor and I will be surprised if any make it over there (lol)!!!!

    1. Melissa says:

      I love that! Thank you for sharing!

  2. Theresa Harding says:

    5 stars
    These are the best cookies I’ve ever baked or eaten! Lightly crisp with a soft chewy inside! I do add peanut butter chips.
    Thank you for an amazing recipe!

    1. Melissa says:

      Ohhhh peanut butter chips is a great idea! Thank you for sharing!

  3. Meagan says:

    I just made these my my mother in law (she loves cookies and her birthday is tomorrow). They’re SO yummy! Thank you!

  4. Ana Laura says:

    5 stars
    Thank you so much for the recipe, they truly are the best oatmeal peanut butter cookies, me and my family love them so much❤️ It helped us to get entertained during quarantine.

  5. Lyn says:

    5 stars
    My goal for quarantine was to find the best oatmeal peanut butter cookie recipe….and at last I found it!! They really are the perfect cookie!

    1. Melissa says:

      I love that! Thank you for letting me know!

  6. Hector says:

    Thank you for the recipe my family love the cookies. I added a few chocolate chips and so easy to make.

  7. Christina says:

    5 stars
    A really good cookie! Made with gf flour (Domata is my fav) and Quaker gf instant oats. Batter will be glue like since it’s gf but don’t worry! I didn’t flatten the first set (on the upper left) but I did on the rest with a spoon after someone mentioned it. I cooked to 12 minutes for all and was perfect! I even added chocolate chips and holy cow it’s really, REALLY GOOD! Crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Amazing!!

    1. Melissa says:

      Yay! Thank you for letting us know what worked!

  8. Rebecca says:

    5 stars
    Just made these and add Reese pieces and chocolate chips. Turned out great thanks for the recipe. My kids enjoyed helping make them.

    1. Melissa says:

      Ohhhh that sounds so good!!

  9. Tammy Dutton says:

    I just made these cookies as directed and they are so delicious.

    1. Melissa says:

      Thanks so much for letting me know. Glad you liked them!

  10. Emma says:

    5 stars
    These look amazing, I love a peanut butter cookie! Also your blog design is absolutely lovely.

    1. Melissa says:

      Thank you for both comments, I appreciate that!