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    Home > Cookies

    Published: Jun 24, 2024 · Modified: May 16, 2025 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

    Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies are loaded with peanuts used three ways for the most peanuty cookie ever! A peanut butter cookie is rolled in peanut sugar and filled with a Reeses type peanut butter filling. These are the perfect end to any meal or as a snack.

    Four Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies on a white plate with a brown rim.

    This easy to make cookie dough makes great cookies by themselves also. The peanut sugar adds a crunch not usually found in peanut butter cookies. In any case, these are a not-to-be-missed cookie.

    Another not to be missed sweet treat is the Mexican Chocolate Brownies.

    Jump to:
    • What Kind of Peanut Butter to Use
    • Why use Bread Flour in the Cookies
    • Butter, Shortening or Both
    • Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • Recipe Ingredients
    • Step by Step Instructions
    • Recipe FAQS
    • Expert Tips
    • Cookies You're Sure to Like
    • Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
    how to bake better custard
    Baking gets better when you subscribe

    Baking gets better when you subscribe to receive this PDF on getting the most out of baking including information on equipment, ingredients and baking equipment.

    What Kind of Peanut Butter to Use

    While chunky can be used, a better choice is smooth, commercial peanut butter for both the filling and the cookie. Regular or low fat can be used. Natural or homemade is not the preferred choice here.

    Why use Bread Flour in the Cookies

    Bread flour is a stronger flour than all purpose. As, such is makes a chewier cookie. The other thing that helps a lot is to put the prepared dough in the fridge overnight. That allows the cookies to more evenly absorb the liquid. All purpose can be used but bread flour is my preferred choice. To learn more about flours see my post Flour as Used in Baking and The Frustrating Facts about Measuring Flour.

    Butter, Shortening or Both

    Unsalted butter is used for flavor. Shortening (think crisco) is used to stop the cookies from spreading too much which is what will happen when all butter is used. There is some controversy over using shortening.

    Historically Crisco was used as a replacement for. It used partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil which was high in trans fats. Trans fats — also called trans-fatty acids raises bad cholesterol and lowers good cholesterol.

    From January 24, 2007, all Crisco shortening products were reformulated to contain less than one gram of trans fat per serving.  It no longer uses partially hydrogenated oils which were the problem and now uses only hydrogenated oils which are what gives shortening its semisolid consistency and high performance cooking attributes without the trans fats.

    While the company touts no trans fats, there is actually .05 grams per serving which allows it to claim there is none.  But it is a much better product than was the original.

    Used judiciously and in small amounts, I think the benefit is great and use it where no other product is suitable. 

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    • This recipe is really easy. Basically the dry ingredients are combined with the wet ingredients, then shaped.
    • These sandwich cookies are the most peanut laden cookies around.
    • The ingredients are probably in your pantry now.
    • Chocolate is added to the filling to intensify the flavor.
    • If there are children around, let them help roll the dough into balls.

    Recipe Ingredients

    Peanut Butter Cookie Dough

    Ingredients for the peanut butter cookie are bread flour, baking soda, salt, peanut butter, butter, shortening, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and eggs.

    FRONT ROW: Salt, unsalted butter, vanilla, baking soda

    MIDDLE ROW: Eggs, peanut butter, shortening

    BACK ROW: Brown sugar, bread flour, granulated sugar

    Peanut Sugar

    The ingredients for the peanut sugar are peanuts and granulated sugar.

    LEFT TO RIGHT: Salted peanuts, granulated sugar.

    Chocolate Peanut Butter Filling

    Filling ingredients powdered sugar, chocolate peanut butter, butter, vanilla, milk.

    FRONT ROW: Milk, unsalted butter, vanilla

    MIDDLE ROW: Peanut butter

    BACK ROW: Powdered sugar, semisweet chocolate

    Be sure to see the recipe card below for the exact ingredients and instructions.

    Step by Step Instructions

    The first collages shows a bowl holds the dry ingredients, the sugar, butter, shorting and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer.

    Step 1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Set aside. Step 2. Add the peanut butter, shortening, butter, both sugars and vanilla to the bowl of a mixer. Step 3. Beat until well combined. Step 4. Add the eggs and beat until blended. It may curdle at this point. If it does, raise the speed of the mixer and continue beating. If that doesn't take care of it, the next step will.

    The second collage shows the flour added to the wet ingredients, the completed batter, peanuts and sugar in the processor bowl, then processed.

    Step 5. Add the dry ingredients and mix completely . Step 6. Beat on low until the dough is completely mixed. If resting in the fridge overnight, transfer to a storage container. Step 7. Place the peanuts and granulated sugar in the bowl of a processor. Step 8. Process until the peanuts are finely chopped. Do not over process and turn it to a paste.

    A cookie is rolled in the peanut sugar, the cookies on a sheet tray, double panned and sorted into pairs.

    Step 9. Place the peanut sugar in a bowl. Add a rounded cookie, scoop up some of the peanut sugar and a peanut butter cookie and roll them around in your hands so the sugar attaches. Step 10. Here are the steps to the final shaping of the cookie. From left to right, the cookie dropped from a #40 disher/scooper (about 1 ½ tablespoons each). The cookies rolled into balls between your hands. The balls covered in the peanut sugar and finally placed on the parchment then flatted to about ½ " thick or about 1 ½" in diameter. Bake as called for. Step 11. Place the cookies, 3 apart and 4 down on a half sheet pan. Double pan the cookies to prevent the bottoms from over browning. Step 12. Pair the cookies and arrange them bottom side up.

    The fina collage shows
the ingrediets for the filling in the mixing bowl, the filling mixed, the filling piped on and the cookies sandwiched.

    Step 13. Place all of the filling ingredients except the milk in the bowl of a mixer. Step 14. Beat until smooth, adding the milk a bit at a time until the filling pipeable. Step 15. With a 3 5 open star, pipe or spoon the filling onto the bottom of the cookies to within about ¼"of the edge. Step 16. Place the top cookie on the filling and press down lightly to bring the filling to the edge of the cookies.

    Recipe FAQS

    What peanut butter should I use?

    Commercial creamy works best for these cookies. Natural or homemade not so much.

    What if I don't have bread flour?

    All purpose flour can be substituted.

    Do I have to use the peanut sugar?

    No, but the cookies will lack the texture of the crunchy peanut sugar.

    Expert Tips

    • The bread flour is important, but all-purpose can be subbed if necessary.
    • Chilling the dough overnight makes a better cookie.
    • The shortening is important to keep the cookies from spreading excessively when baked.
    • Make sure to pair the cookies before filling for the best looking sandwich cookies.
    • Use salted peanuts for the peanut sugar to give an extra flavor boost.
    • These keep well for days in a covered tin.
    This picture features several Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies on a plate with one of them half eaten.

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    If you love these Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, It would be hugely helpful and so appreciated it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you.

    Four Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies on a white plate with a brown rim.

    Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

    Helen S Fletcher
    These Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies are loaded with peanuts used three ways for the most peanuty cookie ever and are the perfect end to an all American barbecue.
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 55 minutes mins
    Baking time 16 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 11 minutes mins
    Course Cookies
    Cuisine American
    Servings 20 sandwiched cookies
    Calories 507 kcal

    Ingredients

    Peanut Butter Cookies

    • 2 ½ cups bread flour (350 grams)
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup peanut butter (225 grams)
    • ½ cup unsalted butter (114 grams)
    • ½ cup shortening (114 grams)
    • ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
    • ¾ cup brown sugar, light or dark (150 grams)
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla
    • 2 large eggs

    Peanut Sugar

    • ¾ cup salted peanuts (100 grams)
    • ⅓ cup granulated sugar (65 grams)

    Chocolate Peanut Butter Filling

    • 1 cup peanut butter (225 grams)
    • ⅓ cup unsalted butter (75 grams)
    • 2 cups powdered sugar (260 grams)
    • 5 ounces semisweet chocolate (150 grams)
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla
    • 4 to 5 tablespoons milk as needed

    Instructions
     

    Peanut Butter Cookies

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F if baking immediately.  Line several baking sheets with parchment.  Set aside.
    • Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.  Set aside.  
    • Beat the peanut butter, butter, shortening, sugars, and vanilla in a mixing bowl until well combined.  
    • Add the eggs and beat well.  It may curdle at some point.  If it does, raise the speed of the mixer and continue beating.  
    • Add the flour and beat until everything is completely combined.
    • Place in a container and refrigerate overnight.
    • When ready to bake, remove from the refrigerator and room temp for about 20 minutes to make the cookies easier to shape.
    • Drop the cookies with a #40 disher/scooper (about 1 ½ tablespoons). Roll the cookie between your hands into a smooth ball. Roll in the peanut sugar by scooping some of the sugar and the ball and roll between your hands so the sugar adheres to the cookie.
    • Place the balls 3 across and 4 down on a parchment lined baking sheet. These will spread quite a bit. Press the balls down lightly with the palm of your hand to about ½" thick or 1 ½" in diameter.
    • Bake for 13 minutes, turn the sheet and bake for 3 to 4minutes more. They will be puffy but will fall as they cool. Don't over bake them. They will be crisp after cooling but will soften after filling.

    Peanut Sugar

    • Combine the peanuts and sugar in the bowl of a processor. Process until the peanuts are finely chopped. Remove to a bowl.

    Chocolate Peanut Butter Filling

    • Combine all but the milk in the bowl of a mixer. Mix until it come together. If too stiff to pipe, add the milk a little at a time.
    • Pair the cookies for size and shape. Place the cookies, bottom side up, keeping the pairs together. With a #5 open star tip, pipe the filling onto the bottom cookie to within about ¼" of the edge. Place the top cookie on the filling and gently press down to take the filling to the edge.
    • Let the cookies set up and dry for several hours then place them in an airtight tin where they will last for days.

    Notes

    There is always an abundance of photos to guide you in the post above.
    As always, I recommend using a scale for accuracy and consistency.  Flour, in particular, is difficult to measure by volume.  For my recipes, I use 140 grams per cup of unsifted  all-purpose, bread or whole wheat flour and 125 grams of cake flour. Others may use different weights so use whatever they suggest.
    _________________________________________________
    The bread flour is important, but all-purpose can be subbed if necessary.
    Chilling the dough overnight makes a better cookie.
    The shortening is important to keep the cookies from spreading excessively when baked.
    Make sure to pair the cookies before filling for the best looking sandwich cookies.
    Use salted peanuts for the peanut sugar to give an extra flavor boost.
    These keep well for days in a covered tin.
    These can be made smaller by using a smaller disher/scooper.  Reduce the baking time.
    The cookies can be made without filling and stored in an airtight container for a week before filling.
    The peanut butter cookies great by themselves.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 20cookiesCalories: 507kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 11gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 289mgPotassium: 296mgFiber: 3gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 271IUCalcium: 36mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @helensfletcher or tag #pastrieslikeapro!
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    1. Linda S Barr-Tiemann says

      June 30, 2024 at 11:05 am

      Looks delicious, thank you for the recipe. Please note: instructions state: press the cookies to a thickness of 1 1/2" and 1/2" in different places in the article.

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        June 30, 2024 at 11:17 am

        Hi Linda, thanks for this comment. It now says 1/2" thick or 1 1/2" in diameter. Both numbers are valid but in different ways.

        Reply
    2. PaTricia says

      June 24, 2024 at 11:50 am

      I think these cookies would be great with an ice cream filling. I'm going to give it a go, this weekend. I'll let you know how they turn out. Love all your recipes!

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        June 24, 2024 at 11:51 am

        Hi PaTricia, Do let me know. Great idea!

        Reply

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