I've made these small-batch peanut butter cookies because a full batch of cookies can feel overwhelming when you're baking for one. These cookies are soft inside and crisp on the outside, peanut buttery, and chocolatey making them a great dessert.
[This small-batch peanut butter cookies recipe was originally posted in May 2020. It has been updated with cooking instructions, expert tips, FAQ, related recipes, and ways to repurpose/use up ingredients]
Table of contents
How will these cookies make your life easier?
The thought of baking is overwhelming because 2 dozen cookies or a large pan of dessert is a lot for one person. That's why I'm all about small batch cookies, like these small-batch peanut butter cookies and small batch double chocolate cookies.
You get just enough to enjoy, but not too many that you're left hating them, letting them go bad, or with a stomach ache. You can also make this easy no-bake yogurt tart with apples or skillet peach crumble if you're needing a dessert for one.
What makes peanut butter cookies so good?
- Butter
- Peanut butter
- Sugar
- Brown sugar
- Egg
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Chocolate chips
How do I make these peanut butter chocolate cookies?
To start making these small-batch peanut butter cookies, Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl (using a hand mixer) cream together salted butter, peanut butter, sugar, packed brown sugar.
Once butters and sugars are creamed, add egg. Beat until just incorporated. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of salt to the mixture. Beat at a low speed until just incorporated. Turn up speed if needed.
Using a scoop or your hands, take about ¼ c dough and roll into a ball. Place on a baking mat OR parchment paper on a baking sheet. Repeat with remainder of the dough. Make sure there is at least 1.5-2 in between cookie dough balls.
Bake your small-batch peanut butter cookies at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Or until your small-batch peanut butter cookies are just golden brown on the outside, but still soft to the touch.
While cookies are baking, prepare chocolate by pouring chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 30-45 seconds. Remove when almost all chips are melted and chocolate is glossy. Stir until smooth.
Remove cookies from oven, let cool for 3-5 minutes on the pan. Using a spoon or rubber spatula, spoon a dollop of chocolate on each cookie and spread out to cover the top of the cookie. Transfer to a cooling rack with a spatula.
Enjoy these small-batch peanut butter cookies with a glass of milk. Cover remaining cookies on the counter or freeze for later.
Substitutions/Tips
- Add an extra pinch of salt to dry ingredients if using unsalted butter.
- Swap peanut butter with another nut butter that you have. Use creamy, crunchy, or natural peanut or other nut butter for your small-batch peanut butter cookies.
- Use ¼ c all purpose flour and ¼ c whole wheat flour for extra nutty flavor.
- Use your favorite type of chocolate chips.
- If your cookies spread, you can use a spatula or cookie cutter to press in the edges (place a cookie cutter around the cookie and move in circular direction to press edges back in.
- You can also dip ½ of the cookie into the chocolate. Make sure they're cooled before dipping. They'll look nicer this way, but won't cover the whole cookie.
- You should be able to double or triple this small-batch peanut butter cookies recipe, or make smaller cookies to get more.
- Other great add-ins: chocolate chips
FAQ
You'll make your cookies the same way as a regular sized batch, but just cut down on the ingredients. These small-batch peanut butter cookies and double chocolate cookies are examples.
Lots of cookie recipes make 24+ cookies in a batch. If you're cooking for one or two, a smaller batch of cookies may be better so you don't get sick of them or have to toss them. OR you could give away extra cookies!
You can refrigerate your cookie dough for an hour before baking them so they don't spread out as much. You can make larger cookies. You can do this with this small-batch peanut butter cookies recipe.
When baking in Salt Lake City, at about 4200ft, I've found that I can still get fluffy round cookies without refrigerating them. But my kitchen is usually pretty cool. Play around with it, and refrigerate if nothing else works.
What can I make with leftover ingredients?
- Peanut butter: PB yogurt dip, peanut butter granola, PB overnight oats, PB banana chia pudding.
- Chocolate chips: double chocolate chip cookies, chocolate dipped oreos, crunchy holiday chocolate bark
Did you make these small-batch peanut butter cookies? Leave me a comment & rating to share how they turned out!
Small-Batch Peanut Butter Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl AND Hand Mixer
- OR Stand Mixer
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Spoon or Scoop
- baking sheet
- Baking Mat or Parchment Paper
- Small Glass Bowl
- spoon
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
- ¼ cup salted butter softened
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup sugar table sugar or turbinado
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ cup flour either all purpose (AP) or ¼ c AP, ¼ c whole wheat)
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt or two pinches if using unsalted butter
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or your favorite chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl (using a hand mixer) cream together ¼ c salted butter, ¼ c peanut butter, ¼ c sugar, ¼ c packed brown sugar. (beat butter and sugars at medium speed for 3-5 minutes, or until butters and sugars are starting to get fluffy and all mixed together)
- Once butters and sugars are creamed, add one egg. Beat until just incorporated. Add ½ c flour, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and a pinch of salt to the mixture. Beat at a low speed until just incorporated. Turn up speed if needed.
- Using a scoop or your hands, take about ¼ c dough and roll into a ball. Place on a baking mat OR parchment paper on a baking sheet. Repeat with remainder of the dough. Make sure there is at least 1.5-2 in between cookie dough balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Or until cookies are just golden brown on the outside, but still soft to the touch.
- While cookies are baking, prepare chocolate by pouring 1 c chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 30-45 seconds. Remove when almost all chips are melted and chocolate is glossy. Stir again and it should be smooth.
- Remove cookies from oven, let cool for 3-5 minutes on the pan. Using a spoon or rubber spatula, spoon a dollop of chocolate on each cookie and spread out to cover the top of the cookie. Transfer to a cooling rack with a spatula.
- Enjoy with a glass of milk. Cover remaining cookies on the counter or freeze for later.
Video
Notes
- Add an extra pinch of salt to dry ingredients if using unsalted butter.
- Swap peanut butter with another nut butter that you have. Use creamy or crunchy nut butter.
- Use ¼ c all purpose flour and ¼ c whole wheat flour if you have both!
- Use your favorite type of chocolate chips. I like using semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, but use milk chocolate if you like those better.
- You can also dip ½ of the cookie into the chocolate. Make sure they're cooled before dipping. They'll look nicer this way, but won't cover the whole cookie.
Want to get more single serving recipes and others like these small-batch peanut butter cookies delivered to your inbox? Click here to download my Single Serving Cookbook.
Recipes are great, but you’ll need a simple 3 step process to create a meal plan that make cooking easy & helps you stop wasting food. Check out this expertly developed meal planning guide to get started.
Gail Montero says
I love that I don't need to make a ton of cookies every time with this small-batch! The cookies not only look tasty but they present so beautifully!
Rebecca says
100% thanks!
Lisa | Garlic & Zest says
OMG - my face is pressed against the screen and I can't tear my eyes away from these cookies. They are mouthwatering!
Rebecca says
they really are!
Liz Cleland says
My spouse loves anything with peanut in it. I have saved the recipe to try this weekend!
Rebecca says
great to hear! they'll love the cookies!
Leslie says
This is EXACTLY how I like my cookies, soft on the inside and hard on the outside! That chocolate topping is the perfect addition as well!
Rebecca says
right?! cookie perfection!
Jessica Formicola says
These cookies are perfection! I topped mine with Nutella and they were SO so good!
Rebecca says
ohhh great addition! I need to try that next time