Peanut butter snickerdoodles are a peanut lover’s dream. Soft, chewy, and rolled in cinnamon sugar, these irresistible cookies have the perfect balance of sweet and salty. With just 20 minutes prep, the easy snickerdoodle recipe is the perfect holiday treat!
Peanut butter snickerdoodle cookies
Adding peanut butter to snickerdoodles creates an amazing, soft texture and a delicate, velvety crumb. These cinnamon peanut butter cookies are a complete crowd-pleaser.
Peanut butter snickerdoodles are sweet, chewy, and a bit salty, and I simply cannot get enough of them. Each cookie is rolled in plenty of cinnamon sugar and delightfully soft and chewy in the center.
Not only are they easy to make in a pinch, but they stay soft for days. Perfect when that cookie craving strikes!
This is my favorite snickerdoodle recipe, and I can’t wait to tell you how to make them!
If you love snickerdoodles as much as us, try our all-butter snickerdoodles and chocolate chip snickerdoodles next!
Do snickerdoodles have peanut butter?
No, classic snickerdoodles don’t have peanut butter. They are made with butter and/or shortening. My recipe uses peanut butter and puts a delicious twist on the classic.
Ingredients
You can make peanut butter snickerdoodles in 20 minutes or less using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. Please see the recipe card near the end of the post for specific measurements.
- Peanut butter: For the best taste and texture, reach for the no-stir peanut butter like Skippy or Jif. I prefer creamy peanut butter, but crunchy peanut butter works too.
- Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter in this recipe. Either way, let your butter sit out on the counter to soften to room temperature.
- Sugar: We need granulated sugar for the cookies and the cinnamon sugar coating.
- Eggs: You need 2 large eggs. Let them come to room temperature as well.
- All-purpose flour gives these peanut butter cinnamon cookies plenty of chewy texture and structure. Too much flour will make the cookies dense, so measure properly using a digital kitchen scale or the spoon and level method.
- Cream of tartar + baking soda leaven these cookies and contribute to the slightly tangy taste and chewiness.
- Ground cinnamon gives that classic snickerdoodle taste.
How to make peanut butter snickerdoodles
This easy snickerdoodle recipe comes together quickly. They are sweet and salty with a touch of tanginess and the perfect chewy texture. I make the cookies in a stand mixer, but a handheld mixer also works well.
#1: Mix snickerdoodle dough
- Beat butters and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, around 1 to 2 minutes.
- Make dough. Beat in the eggs until combined. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour, cream of tartar, and baking soda until just combined.
#2: Scoop & roll cookies
- Mix cinnamon sugar. Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl to make the cinnamon sugar coating.
- Scoop and roll dough. Scoop the dough with a medium cookie scoop and roll into balls. Roll each dough ball generously in the cinnamon sugar until well coated.
#3: Bake cookies
- Bake. Arrange the cookies 2 inches / 5 cm apart on lined baking sheets and bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to overbake the cookies. The key to soft and chewy snickerdoodles is to take the cookies out when they look set but slightly underbaked.
- Cool. Let the snickerdoodles cool on the cookie sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Baker’s tips
I just know you’ll fall fast in love with these peanut butter snickerdoodle cookies! Here are some tips and tricks so that yours turn out perfect.
- Correctly measure the flour: I mention this in every recipe, but you should always correctly measure your flour if you want soft and chewy snickerdoodles. The most accurate way to measure flour is by using kitchen scales. If not, use the scoop and level method.
- Bake one cookie sheet at a time and rotate it halfway through for even baking. If you only have 1 cookie sheet, let it cool before adding more cookie dough balls. You shouldn’t add dough balls to warm baking sheets. Otherwise, the dough will spread, and the cookies will melt into each other.
- Don’t overbake: This is the make-or-break factor in whether your cookies are soft and chewy. They may look undercooked, but they will continue to bake on the hot cookie sheets after you remove them from the oven.
- Rest snickerdoodles: The cookies will be pretty soft fresh out of the oven, so let them rest on the baking sheets before transferring to a cooling rack. Once cooled, they will be firm enough to handle.
Variations & mix-ins
Peanut butter cinnamon cookies are fun to load with different add-ins and endless flavor combinations. Here are a few ideas for you:
- Crunchy peanut butter: Tiny bits of peanuts add a wonderful crunch to these soft snickerdoodles.
- Pumpkin pie spice is an excellent alternative to ground cinnamon.
- Vanilla extract: A teaspoon vanilla extracts add sweetness and depth of flavor.
- Chocolate chips: For chocolate chip peanut butter snickerdoodles, fold 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips into the dough. White, milk, semisweet, and dark chocolate taste delicious.
- M&M’s: Turn the cookies into monster snickerdoodles by adding 1 cup M&M’s to the dough.
- Butterscotch: Butterscotch and peanut butter are a match made in heaven. Try adding 1 cup butterscotch chips.
FAQ
How do I know if my peanut butter snickerdoodles are done?
The edges and center of the cookies should look set. They shouldn’t look golden brown, or they might be overbaked.
They take 9 to 10 minutes in my oven. But since oven temperatures vary, you can bake a single cookie first to get an idea of how long it takes.
Why did my peanut butter snickerdoodles not flatten?
Peanut butter cookies will not spread very much in the oven. Flatten the dough balls slightly with your palm to ensure they bake evenly.
Adding too much flour is another reason why your cookies may not spread and turn out cakey.
Do I need to chill the cookie dough?
Nope, there’s no need to refrigerate the dough. But feel free to chill the dough if your kitchen is on the warmer side or if you want to prepare the snickerdoodle recipe ahead of time.
What is the best peanut butter for this recipe?
Any brand that you enjoy plain will be great for this recipe. Smooth, salted peanut butter is my top choice here. If you have sweetened peanut butter, you may want to decrease the sugar by 3 tablespoons.
Can I use natural peanut butter?
No, I don’t recommend natural peanut butter. They don’t contain stabilizers and are oilier, which will completely change the texture of these snickerdoodles.
Can I make peanut butter snickerdoodles without cream of tartar?
Yes, you can substitute cream of tartar and baking soda with 2 teaspoons baking powder. Baking powder is a great substitute for cream of tartar in snickerdoodles.
To replicate the signature tangy taste of classic snickerdoodles, add 2 teaspoons lemon juice to the cookie dough.
For more information, check out our recipe for snickerdoodles without cream of tartar.
Storage & freezing
Store peanut butter snickerdoodles
Keep your snickerdoodles in an airtight container. They will stay good for 3 to 4 days.
Freeze peanut butter cinnamon cookies
- Baked cookies: Freeze baked snickerdoodles in a zip-lock bag or freezer-friendly container for 2 to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Cookie dough: To freeze the unbaked dough, place the dough balls on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then place the dough balls into a freezer bag and freeze. When it’s time to bake, remove them from the bag, let thaw on a cookie sheet, and bake.
Peanut Butter Snickerdoodles Recipe
Peanut butter snickerdoodles are a peanut lover’s dream. Soft, chewy, and rolled in cinnamon sugar, these irresistible cookies have the perfect balance of sweet and salty. With just 20 minutes prep, the easy snickerdoodle recipe is the perfect holiday treat!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups / 250 g / 8.8 oz white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup / 1 stick / 115 g / 4 oz salted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup / 125 g / 4.4 oz smooth peanut butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1 /2 cups / 300 g / 10.5 oz all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp baking soda
Cinnamon Sugar
- 1/4 cup / 50 g / 1.7 oz granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare for baking. Preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C / gas mark 4. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat butters and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, around 1 to 2 minutes.
- Make dough. Beat in the eggs until combined. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour, cream of tartar, and baking soda until just combined.
- Mix cinnamon sugar. Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl to make the cinnamon sugar coating.
- Scoop and roll dough. Scoop the dough with a medium cookie scoop and roll into balls. Roll each dough ball generously in the cinnamon sugar until well coated.
- Bake. Arrange the cookies 2 inches / 5 cm apart on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to overbake the cookies. The key to soft and chewy snickerdoodles is to take the cookies out when they look set but slightly underbaked.
- Cool. Let the snickerdoodles cool on the cookie sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 40 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 99Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 68mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 0gSugar: 8gProtein: 2g
Reasons to love peanut butter cinnamon cookies
- Perfect flavor + texture: Peanut butter gives these snickerdoodle cookies a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture and superb nutty flavor. The cinnamon sugar makes the cookies extra cozy.
- Pantry staples: Peanut butter snickerdoodle cookies use basic ingredients you most likely already have in your kitchen.
- No chill dough: The cookie dough doesn’t need to be chilled, meaning this treat will be ready in around 30 minutes.
- Make-ahead: You can freeze the baked cookies or the cookie dough, making this recipe perfect for preparing ahead of holiday baking.
Looking for more cookies?
I got you covered! Homemade cookies are the best. All of these recipes are easy to whip up and filled with the best flavor. Your family will love them!
Michael
Thursday 5th of October 2023
In the directions it never says anything about the vanilla. I forgot to add it in. Still good tho.