The easiest high altitude recipe for peanut butter cookies that you’ll ever try! These 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies come together in minutes, with no mixer needed and no chill time. They stay moist for days, with a rich, buttery flavor that’s totally addictive.
You might also love this no churn peanut butter mocha chip ice cream, no churn peanut butter vanilla fudge ripple ice cream, and chocolate peanut butter cake.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Only 3 Ingredients. I mean, what could be simpler? And I guarantee you have peanut butter, sugar and eggs on hand, so you can whip up these cookies with no planning ahead. There’s a reason these are also known as “impossible peanut butter cookies”, because they’re impossibly delicious for being so simple.
Quick and Easy. I’ve honestly never made an easier cookie recipe. Just 5 minutes to make the dough with a bowl and spoon, coat the dough balls in sugar, and flatten them with a fork. Then the cookies get baked, with no waiting for the dough to chill.
Adjusted for High Altitude. Three ingredient peanut butter cookie recipes typically call for peanut butter, granulated sugar and an egg. But while I was testing batches of these for high altitude, I found that it works so much better to use two egg yolks instead of a whole egg. This simple adjustment prevents the cookies from puffing up and losing the pretty fork impressions in the dough.
Soft for Days. The texture of these cookies is really incredible. They stay really moist, so you can enjoy them for days after baking. They’re a mixture of soft, chewy, crumbly and buttery, and I love everything about them.
Gluten Free. These cookies are naturally gluten free, since they’re made without any type of flour in the dough.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
- Sugar. You’ll need granulated sugar for the cookie dough, as well as for coating the dough balls.
- Egg Yolks. The egg yolks help to bind the cookie dough together and keep the cookies soft. Save the egg whites for another recipe, as you won’t be needing them for these cookies.
- Peanut Butter. I prefer to use creamy peanut butter, but you can certainly use crunchy for more texture.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with non-stick parchment or baking paper.
- In a bowl, stir together 1 cup of the sugar with the egg yolks, until moist and crumbly. Stir in the peanut butter to make a dough.
- Divide the cookie dough into 12 equal portions. Roll each portion of dough into a ball with your hands, and coat the dough balls in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar.
- Use a fork to flatten the dough balls and to make a criss-cross impression on top. Note that since the cookies barely spread while baking, you should flatten them to the thickness that you want the baked cookies to be.
TIP: To make different patterns on 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies, you could also use other objects and utensils from your kitchen to flatten the cookie dough. Instead of a fork, try using a pastry blender, a potato masher, a meat tenderizer, a cocktail muddler, or a cookie stamp.
- Place the cookies on the baking sheet. They don’t spread much at all, so they only need about 1 1/2 inches in between. Bake for 9 minutes. The cookies should look set around the edges, but still slightly underdone.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. If desired, sprinkle the tops of the cookies with flaky finishing salt, such as Maldon.
Recipe Variations
Other Nut Butters
3 ingredient peanut butter cookies don’t have to be limited to just peanut butter. Try almond butter, cashew butter or sun butter for your own delicious spin on these cookies.
Salt
If your peanut butter is unsalted, you’ll probably also want to add a pinch of salt to the cookie dough, or sprinkle some on top of the baked cookies.
Spices
While these cookies are great as is, you can experiment with adding a pinch of cardamom or vanilla extract.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use natural peanut butter in this recipe?
Yes, this cookie recipe works well with any type of peanut butter. When using a no stir peanut butter that’s thick and stabilized, including “natural no stir” varieties, follow the recipe as is. If using a natural creamy peanut butter that’s thin, runny and needs to be stirred (such as Adams 100% natural), reduce the peanut butter by 2 tablespoons.
What kind of peanut butter did you use?
I tested today’s recipe with a regular creamy Jif peanut butter, as well as Adams 100% natural creamy peanut butter.
How long do these cookies stay fresh?
Honestly, for days and days. They stay moist for a long time, if you keep them stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Can I freeze these cookies?
Yes, you can freeze the cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3-6 months.
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High Altitude 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies (GF)
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, divided
- 2 large egg yolks (save the whites for another use)
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (see note)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with non-stick parchment or baking paper.
- In a bowl, stir together 1 cup of the sugar with the egg yolks, until moist and crumbly. Stir in the peanut butter to make a dough.
- Divide the cookie dough into 12 equal portions. Roll each portion of dough into a ball with your hands, and coat the dough balls in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar.
- Use a fork to flatten the dough balls and to make a criss-cross impression on top. Note that since the cookies barely spread while baking, you should flatten them to the thickness that you want the baked cookies to be.To make different patterns on the cookies, you could also use other objects or utensils from your kitchen to flatten the cookie dough. Instead of a fork, try a pastry blender, potato masher, meat tenderizer, cocktail muddler, or a cookie stamp.
- Place the cookies on the baking sheet. They don't spread much at all, so they only need about 1 1/2 inches in between. Bake for 9 minutes. The cookies should look set around the edges, but still slightly underdone.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. If desired, sprinkle the tops of the cookies with flaky finishing salt, such as Maldon.
Can you substitute half the sugar for Stevie?
I’m really not sure. Stevia is much sweeter than sugar, and I don’t know how the texture would affect the cookies.
Absolutely perfect. Whole family loved them and want me to bake more! Very easy recipe. I added vanilla and a dash of salt just for fun. Thank you.