Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Feb. 28, 2024
Dairy-free, gluten-free, and delicious, these peanut butter oatmeal cookies boast a rich nutty flavor and a soft, chewy texture. Double the batch to enjoy now, and save some for later.

In This Article
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What You’ll Love About These Cookies
- Simple and budget-friendly, they’re made with 6 pantry staple ingredients.
- Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, they meet a variety of dietary needs.
- From start to finish, they’re fully baked and ready to eat in less than 30 minutes.
- One batch makes enough to feed a crowd and is easy to double in case you need even more.
- They’re easy to store and freeze for a make-ahead dessert you can serve in a pinch.
Only 6 Ingredients
You won’t believe how such scrumptious oatmeal peanut butter cookies can be achieved using just 6 ingredients you probably already have on hand. The star of the show is, of course, the peanut butter. However, everything else enhances its rich nutty flavor for an irresistible cookie recipe.
- Creamy peanut butter – Our favorite is Skippy Naturals, but feel free to use any creamy brand you like best. Just make sure it’s not the kind where the oil separates.
- Eggs – These help bind the cookie dough together, allowing it to hold its shape.
- Sugar – A combination of regular granulated sugar and brown sugar is used to sweeten the dough while keeping it soft, chewy, and moist.
- Baking soda – This provides the leavening agents needed to help your peanut butter oatmeal cookies rise. For the best results, make sure it’s fresh.
- Quick oats – These work best to create the chewy texture we’re looking to achieve with this peanut butter oatmeal cookie recipe.
Can’t get enough peanut butter treats? Check out this collection of the best peanut butter recipes!
Pro-Tips
Cookie recipes don’t get much easier than these peanut butter oatmeal cookies. Follow the tips and tricks below, and they’re virtually failproof!
- Cream the Ingredients Before Adding the Oats. Add all of the ingredients except for the oats to a stand mixer, and beat them on medium speed until they’re well combined. This will help create a light, tender texture.
- Adjust the Sugar. We use sweetened peanut butter. However, if yours is unsweetened, feel free to adjust the amount of sugar used as necessary.
- Add More Peanut Butter. Depending on the brand of peanut butter used, your dough may be a bit crumbly. If this happens and it cannot be pressed into a ball, add more peanut butter as needed until it holds together.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients. For easy mixing, let your ingredients sit out at room temperature before combining them all together.
- Create Equal-Sized Cookies. Use a cookie dough scoop to portion out even balls of dough, guaranteeing all your cookies are the same size.
- Don’t Overbake. Don’t worry if your oatmeal peanut butter cookies seem underbaked. They’re supposed to! They’ll continue to cook and set as they cool.
How to Store Cookies
Although they’re guaranteed to disappear almost immediately, these peanut butter oatmeal cookies are great to prepare in advance.
Room Temperature: Once baked and fully cooled, cookies can be transferred to an airtight container or sealable bag and stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Refrigerator: If you plan on making these cookies ahead of time, assemble the dough, and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Then, portion it out, and follow the directions as they’re listed in the recipe card below.
Freezer: For a longer-lasting option, feel free to freeze your cookies either baked or unbaked. Stored in a freezer-safe container, they will stay fresh for up to 3 months. Then, just thaw them out in the fridge. Or, bake them from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to ensure they cook all the way through.
Common Questions and Answers
Oats are naturally gluten-free. However, many are processed in facilities where they may come into contact with gluten-containing ingredients which can lead to cross-contamination. So, to ensure your cookies are gluten-free, use oats that come from a certified gluten-free facility.
Yes, you can easily substitute the peanut butter with any other creamy nut or seed butter. Just note that the flavor will change slightly based on what you use.
Sure, feel free to use a hand mixer instead! You can technically hand mix the dough as well, though it will take a bit more elbow grease.
Did you make this?
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Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cup creamy peanut butter, I use Skippy Naturals, with 3g sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda, Arm & Hammer or other GF brand
- 1 ½ cup quick oats
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F, with rack on lower middle position. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place all ingredients except the oats in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. On medium speed, mix ingredients just until fully incorporated. Turn to low speed, and mix in oats just until incorporated.
- Form heaping 1 tablespoon-sized dough balls and place onto parchment lined baking sheet. Flatten them slightly, but keep them 2 inches apart. Use a fork to gently press the cookies down, creating a criss-cross pattern.
- Bake 8 minutes. They should seem slightly under baked; they’ll set up nicely as they cool.
- Let cool a few minutes on pan, carefully transfer to wire rack, and finish cooling.
Equipment
Notes
- I like Skippy Naturals creamy peanut butter in this recipe, as it’s lightly sweet and extra creamy. If your peanut butter is unsweetened, you may increase sugars: 2/3 cup brown sugar + 2/3 cup granulated sugar.
- Do not use the kind of peanut butter with separation of solid/oil and needs to be hand-stirred.
- The dough may be crumbly depending on the brand of peanut butter. Just press it together into a ball shape, flatten it a bit, and then press with a fork. You can also add a bit more peanut butter as needed.
- If needed, check that baking soda is certified gluten-free.
- If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating ♡
Nutrition (per serving)
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