A lusciously smooth peanut butter buttercream is sandwiched between two chewy peanut butter cookies, for a sweet treat! These Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies are one of my favorite cookies ever and are easy to make.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies - With Piped Buttercream Filling and Hands Holding It Up

This peanut butter sandwich cookies recipe is BONKERS INSANELY GOOD.

I know, I need to find a better way of explaining how amazing these cookies are, but my brain is having a really hard time because it is overwhelmed by the urgency of conveying to you that you need to make these cookies. They’re too good.

These cookies were a long time in the making. Back in May when I first moved to NYC, I instagrammed this cookie photo from a trip to Thomas Keller’s famous Bouchon Bakery.

My husband and I saw that “Homemade Nutter Butter” cookie through the glass and immediately knew it’s what we wanted.

It was good, but honestly, I wanted to make it at home and do it my way. Dare I say my cookie is prettier than the one from Bouchon Bakery?

This dessert is a dream for peanut butter lovers, with each cookie having a simultaneously crispy and chewy texture. The recipe goes beyond the traditional peanut butter cookies that only have 3 ingredients, which would not be strong enough to hold the creamy filling.

Tips for Best Results

Do not overmix – Just as with virtually every other baking recipe involving flour, make sure not to overmix the cookie dough. It’s very easy to overdo it if you’re using an electric mixer. Stop mixing as soon as the flour streaks disappear.

Use great butter – WOW does butter vary in quality from brand to brand. Some don’t have any flavor, while others sing with that sweet cream dairy taste that everyone loves. My favorite brand is Kerrygold, and they are relatively easy to find. Plugra and Vermont Creamery also make great butter.

Do not use natural peanut butter – Natural peanut butter is wonderful for spreading onto toast, but it can make for inconsistent results in baking. While some commenters have said the natural stuff worked for them, I’ve only tested this with the typical jarred peanut butter on the shelf.

Step by Step Overview:

To start, first we need to make the peanut butter cookies.

It’s a very simple cookie dough that is made by:

1) creaming together crunchy peanut butter and butter in a large bowl using a hand mixer over medium high speed.

2) adding brown sugar, granulated white sugar, and vanilla extract.

3) then adding a large egg.

4) then adding the dry ingredients of all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, turning the mixer setting down to medium speed, so you can be careful not to overmix:

Photo Collage Showing Peanut Butter Cookie Batter Made In stages

When the flour mixture is just incorporated, you’ll end up with a cookie dough that looks like this:

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookie Dough In Glass Bowl

Use a cookie scoop to portion out mounds of cookie dough onto a sheet pan.

At 12 scoops per pan, you will need two cookie sheets for the entire recipe.

Scoops of Peanut Butter Cookie Dough on Silicone Mat

I recommend lining your baking sheet with a silicone mat, as I use here, or with parchment paper.

Give them a quick bake in a preheated oven set to 350 degrees F, until they are lightly golden brown on the edge, but still soft. Then they’re ready to cool.

Homemade Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies - Baked on a Silicone Mat until Golden

I let them cool completely on the mat, but you may also transfer them to a wire rack once they’re set enough to move, to speed the process along.

For the peanut butter buttercream, cream together peanut butter and butter in a small bowl, then add confectioner’s sugar (aka powdered sugar):

Confectioner\'s Sugar with Whipped Peanut Butter in Glass Bowl

I also add a touch of heavy whipping cream, which gives it a more airy, fluffy texture:

Adding dairy to the peanut butter buttercream in glass bowl

Whip the heavy cream in until the buttercream is super smooth:

Whipped Peanut Butter Buttercream - In Glass Bowl with Beaters

Put the peanut butter buttercream into a piping bag, and pipe the filling onto half the cookies (make sure the cookies are completely cooled before doing this, otherwise the filling will melt):

Piping the Peanut Butter Buttercream for Filling the Sandwich Cookies

Place the remaining half of the peanut butter cookies on top of the frosted ones, and press each second cookie gently with your fingertips:

Pressing the Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookie Top Down to Make Into a Sandwich

Then, suck the remaining peanut butter buttercream from the piping bag. Just kidding. Although, my husband likes to pretend that’s a step in the recipe.

Peanut Sandwich Cookies - On Silicone Mat with Piping Bag

That right there is a perfect cookie, bursting with peanut butter flavor.

These Peanut Butter Cookies are another favorite recipe. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips and FAQ

How do you freeze peanut butter sandwich cookies?

Complete the recipe start to finish, thens tore in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. To enjoy, thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Can you use natural peanut butter?

I don’t recommend it, as the cookies will turn out with an inferior texture that’s more crumbly and dry. Use a super smooth processed “creamy version.” Brands like Skippy, Jif, etc. prepare their products like this. I personally use the organic Whole Foods Brand.

How do you store peanut butter cookies?

Make sure to store these in an airtight container, or they will dry out. Because of the ingredients used in the creamy peanut butter filling, I do not recommend keeping these at room temperature for more than one day. Store in the fridge or freezer.

Can you make this recipe in a stand mixer?

Yes, use the paddle attachment for mixing.

Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies with Buttercream Filling

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Servings: 12
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
 A lusciously smooth peanut butter buttercream is sandwiched between two chewy peanut butter cookies, for a sweet treat!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
9
reviews
Leave a Review »

Ingredients

For the Peanut Butter Cookies:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

For the Peanut Butter Buttercream:

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 tbsp heavy whipping cream

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • For the peanut butter cookies, cream together the butter and peanut butter for 30 seconds on medium high speed with a hand mixer, until fluffy and light. Add the sugar and brown sugar, and cream for another 30 seconds, until combined. Add the vanilla extract and egg, and mix until combined.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, then add this mixture to the wet ingredients in the other bowl. Mix with medium speed until the flour just barely disappears (do not overmix, or the cookies will be tough).
  • Take a medium cookie scoop and portion mounds of cookie dough onto a silicone mat or parchment paper lined baking sheet (12 scoops per sheet pan, with two sheet pans total), then bake for 13 minutes until the cookies are golden around the edges. Let the cookies cool completely.
  • To make the buttercream filling, cream together the butter and peanut butter until fluffy. Add the confectioner’s sugar and mix with medium high speed for 30 seconds, until airy and light. Add the heavy whipping cream and whip for another 30 seconds.
  • To assemble, place the buttercream filling into a piping bag, then pipe the filling onto half of the cookies. Top the piped cookies off with a plain cookie, then press gently with your fingertips to make a sandwich. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 392kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 58mg, Sodium: 114mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 25g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Joanne Ozug