Paula Deen Magical Peanut Butter Cookies

Paula Deen magical peanut butter cookies turn peanut butter, sugar and one egg into a soft, crackly-topped cookie in 22 minutes. This easy four-ingredient cookie recipe fits potluck tables, cookouts and holiday cookie boxes, and it needs no flour or butter at all, just a spoon.

Press the crisscross into each ball with a fork dipped in sugar, because the sugar stops sticking and the flat shape helps the middle bake through. Skip it and you get thick domes that stay raw in the center.

Paula keeps the dough to just four ingredients and stirs it together with a spoon, so there is no mixer, no creaming and no chilling. She also sprinkles the cookies with sugar the moment they come out of the oven, which gives them a sparkly, crunchy top.

Paula Deen Magical Peanut Butter Cookies

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Course: DessertCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

12

minutes

Calories

150

kcal

Four pantry ingredients stir together by hand into a dough that bakes into cookies with crisp edges and a tender, peanutty middle. A sprinkle of sugar right out of the oven gives the tops a light crunch.

Ingredients

• 1 egg
  

• 1 cup sugar or equivalent amount sugar replacement
  

• 1 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
  

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

Directions

• Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a large baking sheet. That way the oven is ready by the time the dough is rolled.
• Mix the dough: Combine 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Stir well with a spoon until the dough comes together and no streaks of egg remain.
• Roll the balls: Roll the dough into balls about the size of walnuts. Then set them on the prepared baking sheet with a little space between each one.
• Press the crisscross: Dip a fork in sugar so it won't stick, then press a crisscross design into each ball. Press down firmly enough to flatten them a bit, since that helps the centers cook through.
• Bake and sugar: Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, then take them out of the oven. While they are still hot, sprinkle some of the remaining sugar over the tops.
• Cool and serve: Let the cookies cool slightly on the pan before you move them. They are soft right out of the oven, so a few minutes of rest keeps them from breaking.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, OXO medium cookie scoop, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy?

Yes, the recipe works with either one. Crunchy gives you little bits of peanut in every bite, while creamy makes a smoother, more even cookie.

Do these cookies really need no flour?

That's right, the peanut butter and egg hold the dough together on their own. It also means these cookies are naturally made without wheat flour. Still, check your peanut butter label if you are cooking for someone with a gluten allergy.

How do I store leftover peanut butter cookies?

Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature, where they stay good for several days. Layer wax paper between them if you stack them, since the sugar on top can stick.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

You can stir the dough together a few hours early and keep it covered in the fridge. Let it sit out for a few minutes before rolling, because cold peanut butter dough is stiff and hard to shape.

Why did my cookies come out dry and crumbly?

Overbaking is the usual cause, since these cookies firm up a lot as they cool. Pull them at 12 minutes even if they look a little soft, and let them finish setting on the pan.