These 2 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies are so delicious and easy! They take less than 30 minutes and are made with no eggs. With just the right amount of peanut butter and sweetness, you'll want to make these again and again!
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Here's a little secret - just two ingredients make the best peanut butter cookies! My family was looking for more cookie options with simple ingredients, and these quickly became a favorite. Made with just natural peanut butter and pure maple syrup, they're soft and lightly sweet, perfect for when you want something simple yet satisfying.
What makes this recipe unique is a quick guide for choosing the right maple syrup. Since these cookies only have 2 ingredients, the grade of syrup really impacts the flavor. My easy guide will help you pick the one that makes the cookies taste just the way you like them!
If you're looking for more easy cookie recipes, check out these popular 3 ingredient brown sugar cookies that readers are loving! Italian wedding cookies and rice crispy treats with marshmallow fluff are also really easy to make. And if you have any peanut butter left over, you'll love making my chocolate peanut butter rice crispy treats!
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Ingredients
Ingredient Notes:
- Peanut butter: it's important to use natural peanut butter or the cookies will not bake properly. Natural peanut butter has only 1 to 2 ingredients - "peanuts" and sometimes "salt." I love using the Santa Cruz or Kirkland brands and either creamy or crunchy versions will work.
- Maple syrup: this recipe uses 100% pure maple syrup, not the maple-flavored pancake syrups with added ingredients. The flavor of the cookies will vary based on the grade of maple syrup you choose. Here's a helpful guide:
- Golden - light color with subtle vanilla notes
- Amber - medium color with classic maple sweetness
- Dark - rich color with robust maple flavor (my favorite!)
- Very Dark - darkest color with a bold, molasses-like flavor
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Nut butter: a different type of nut butter can substitute the peanut butter. It's important that you use the natural version, without added oils. Natural almond butter would be a great option.
- Powdered sugar: you can use ¾ cup of powdered sugar instead of maple syrup. The cookies will be a bit softer and sweeter.
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (image 1).
Step 2: Add the peanut butter and maple syrup to a medium sized mixing bowl. Use a spatula to stir the ingredients together. The mixture will be very thin at first, but will thicken as you stir. When done, it will be the consistency of a thin cookie dough (image 2). It should be thick enough to form into balls.
Step 3: Use a 1½ tablespoon cookie scooper to portion evenly sized balls of cookie dough (image 3a). Place them on the baking sheet at least 2 inches apart (image 3b). Flatten each ball of dough into a ¼-inch thick disk, using the bottom of a glass or the palm of your hand (image 3c). Then use a fork to make a crisscross pattern on the top of each cookie (image 3d).
Step 4: Bake for 11 to 12 minutes, until the tops are dry and lightly golden (image 4). The cookies will be soft, but will firm up as they cool. Let them cool completely on a baking sheet to finish setting. Do not remove while warm, as they may fall apart. Enjoy!
Equipment
- 1½ tablespoon cookie scooper
- Baking sheet
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups or food scale
- Airtight container for storage
Storage
- Room temperature: the cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. I recommend storing them in a cool place away from direct sunlight so they don't become too soft. Placing parchment between the layers prevents them from sticking together.
- Refrigerator: for longer storage, you can refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 1 week. The texture will firm up, so let them sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before eating if you enjoy a softer cookie.
- Freezer: you can freeze these cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Separate the layers with parchment to prevent sticking. Since the cookies are soft, I recommend storing them in a hard container instead of a plastic storage bag.
For more helpful tips on how to store cookies, check out this USDA Leftovers and Food Safety guide.
Expert tips
- Be sure to use natural peanut butter or the cookies will not bake properly. Natural peanut butter has only "peanuts" and occasionally "salt" as the ingredients. There should be no added oils.
- Let the cookies cool entirely on the baking sheet before removing them. Since these cookies do not contain eggs, they will be a bit softer and more crumbly than standard cookies. They may break apart if removed from the baking sheet too soon.
FAQ
Yes, peanut butter and other nut butters can substitute eggs in some cookie recipes. No eggs are needed in this recipe. The natural peanut butter binds well with the pure maple syrup to make a delicious, soft cookie that holds it's shape well.
This peanut butter cookie dough does not need to be refrigerated before baking. Even when making this recipe with room temperature ingredients, the dough is firm enough to easily handle. Since these cookies do not contain eggs or leavening agents, they do not spread much in the oven, making chilling the dough unnecessary.
Related
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Recipe
2 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Save This Recipe! 💌
I'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later! I'll also add you to my newsletter with more recipes and tips.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups peanut butter (natural with no added oils)*
- ¼ cup maple syrup (100% pure)*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare a baking sheet: Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the dough: Add the peanut butter and maple syrup to a medium sized mixing bowl. Use a spatula to stir the ingredients together. The mixture will be very thin at first, but will thicken as you stir. When done, the mixture will be the consistency of a thin cookie dough. It should be thick enough to form into balls.
- Shape the cookies: Use a 1½ tablespoon cookie scooper to portion evenly sized balls of cookie dough. Place them on the baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Flatten each ball of dough into disks about ¼ inch thick, using the bottom of a glass or the palm of your hand. Then use a fork to make a crisscross pattern on the top of each cookie.
- Bake the cookies: Place the cookies in the oven and bake for 11 to 12 minutes, until the tops are dry and lightly golden. The cookies will be soft, but will firm up as they cool. Let the them cool completely on a baking sheet to finish setting. Do not remove while warm, as they may fall apart. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Peanut butter: It's important to use natural peanut butter with no added oils. There should only be 1 to 2 ingredients: "peanuts" and sometimes "salt." Either creamy or crunchy peanut butter will work. The cookies will not bake properly if you use a peanut butter with added oils.Â
- Maple syrup guide: this recipe uses 100% pure maple syrup, not maple-flavored pancake syrup. The grade you choose will affect the flavor: Golden - light color, with subtle hints of vanilla; Amber -Â medium color with classic maple sweetness; Dark -Â deeper color with robust maple flavor; Very Dark -Â darkest color with a bold, molasses-like flavor. Using dark syrup is my favorite!
- Use a different nut butter: You can substitute the peanut butter with the same amount of a natural nut butter. Almond butter would be a great option. Make sure there are no added oils in the nut butter.
- Use powdered sugar instead: You can replace the maple syrup with ¾ cup of powdered sugar. The cookies will be a bit softer and sweeter.
- Equipment: 1½ tablespoon cookie scooper; baking sheet; mixing bowl, measuring cups or food scale; airtight container for storage.
- Storage: these cookies can be stored a variety of ways: Room temperature - in an airtight container for up to 2 days, separating the layers with parchment to prevent sticking. Keep them in a cool place away from direct sunlight so they don't become too soft. Refrigerator - in an airtight container for up to 1 week. The cookies will firm up, so let them sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before eating if you prefer a softer texture. Freezer - in an airtight container for up to 3 months, placing parchment between each layer to prevent sticking. Since they are softer than standard cookies, I recommend storing them in a hard container instead of a plastic storage bag.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition and storage information is estimated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
See our Disclaimer for more information.
Cindy Regalado says
I tried them, I didn't have real maple syrup so I used Mrs. Butter Worth's syrup..
It tasted so bad.. 🤢😞.. I don't know why they tasted so awful. but I did do the three ingredient brown sugar cookies and they were so good loved them.. 😀
Maria D'Errico says
Hi Cindy,
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review! I'm sorry to hear the cookies didn't turn out as expected. I find pure maple syrup has the best flavor. If you try them again with pure maple syrup, I'd love to hear what you think. I'm so happy you loved the 3 ingredient brown sugar cookies though! If you have a moment, I'd really appreciate it if you could leave a review on that post as well!
Anne says
I couldn’t believe you could make such delicious cookies with only two ingredients. Easy to make and so tasty. They go well with your espresso ice cream too.
Maria D'Errico says
Thank you! It's amazing how easy it is to make these cookies.
rd says
These cookies are AMAZING, and I can’t believe they have only two ingredients. They have a rich peanut butter flavor (of course!), and the sweetness is just right. Using maple syrup gives a unique taste that sets these treats above and beyond any other peanut butter cookies I’ve tried. Best of all, they are SO easy to make. You can’t get much simpler than two ingredients. Give these a try. I know you’ll love them!
Maria says
Thank you, I'm so happy you love the recipe. It doesn't get better than cookies with 2 simple ingredients!