Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

4.89 from 9 votes

These peanut butter oat cookies are super chewy and so delicious. This recipe requires little prep time, and I walk you through the process with step-by-step photos and a video. It's an easy cookie recipe that feeds a crowd.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Chill1

Total Time1 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cookies

Calories: 250kcal

Author: Sabine Venier

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup creamy peanut butter
¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
(optional) 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix for about 1 minute, until well combined and creamy. Mix in the peanut butter for about 30-60 seconds until combined. Then add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until incorporated, about 30-60 seconds. Stir in the oats just until combined. Then add the chocolate chips, if used, and mix just until well distributed. Cover and chill for 1 hour.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Scoop 16 equal-sized balls (about 2 tablespoons [50g]) of cookie dough, roll into even balls, and place them 3 inches (7.5 cm) apart, on the prepared baking sheets and flatten with your fingers that they are about ¾ inch (1.9cm) thick. Bake one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are set and lightly browned and the centers look undone, pale, puffy, and dry.
Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, or until firm enough to move. They will continue baking on the baking sheets. Then, transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. The cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Video

Notes

Cooking Time and Temperature

Bake one sheet at a time at 350°F (175°C) for 10-12 minutes.

Taste & Texture

These cookies have plenty of peanut butter flavor, with brown sugar adding a little caramel-like sweetness. The rolled oats make them chewy, and if you add the chocolate chips, you get pockets of semi-sweet chocolate throughout without losing the peanut butter flavor.

Storage, Freezing & Reheating

Room temperature: Keep the baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: Prepared dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Let it sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before portioning and baking.
Freezer: Chill the dough for 1 hour, portion it, roll and flatten the cookies, then freeze them in freezer bags or containers for up to 3 months.
Baked cookies: Wrap each cookie separately in plastic wrap and place them in freezer bags for up to 3 months.
Thawing: Let frozen cookie dough or baked cookies thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours as appropriate before baking or serving.

Serving Recommendations

I like these once they've had enough time to cool and the centers have settled into that chewy texture. A glass of cold milk is the obvious choice with peanut butter and chocolate, but they're also good with coffee. If I'm serving them as dessert rather than just grabbing one from the container, I'd warm one slightly and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

Without chocolate: Leave out the semi-sweet chocolate chips for plain Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies.
Peanut butter chips: Swap the chocolate chips for peanut butter chips if you want more peanut butter flavor.
Extra chocolate: For Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, keep the full 1 cup (170g) of semi-sweet chocolate chips in the dough.
Vegan option: For replacing the butter and egg, use the substitutions from my Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.
Peanut butter: I wouldn't substitute all-natural peanut butter here because it can make the cookies dry and crumbly.
Oats: Stick with old-fashioned rolled oats rather than changing the type of oats.

Proper Storage Tips

Let the cookies cool completely before putting them into an airtight container.
Don't leave them uncovered on the counter longer than necessary. They'll start losing that chewy texture as they sit exposed to the air.
If you're making the dough ahead, keep it tightly covered in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days.
Let refrigerated dough sit out for 20-30 minutes before trying to scoop it if it has become too firm.
If you're freezing unbaked cookies, shape and flatten them first. That way, they're already in the correct shape once thawed.
Wrap baked cookies individually before freezing rather than putting them loose into a freezer bag.

Pro Tips

Bring the butter to room temperature before you start so it creams properly with the sugars.
Cream the butter and sugars for the full 2-3 minutes rather than stopping as soon as they're mixed.
Once the flour goes in, switch to low speed and mix only until you can't see dry flour anymore.
Stir the oats in just until they're distributed through the dough.
Chill the dough for the full hour before shaping.
If you want 16 evenly sized cookies, weigh each portion to about 50g.
Leave 3 inches (7.5cm) between the cookies so they have enough room on the baking sheet.
Remember to flatten each ball to roughly ¾ inch (1.9cm) thick before it goes into the oven.
Don't use a browned center as your sign that they're done. I take them out while the middle still looks pale and underdone.
Leave them alone on the baking sheet for those first 5 minutes after baking. They're still setting, and moving them immediately makes them much easier to break.

Nutrition