Peanut Butter Cookies – Jimmy Carter’s Grandma’s Recipe

Family recipes have a way of holding memories in every bite, and Jimmy Carter’s Grandmother’s Peanut Butter Cookies are a perfect example of that. These cookies aren’t just about flavor—they carry the warmth of tradition and the comfort of home. With their rich peanut butter taste, soft centers, and lightly crisp edges, they’ve remained a classic for good reason.

Whether you bake them for an afternoon snack, a holiday tray, or to share with friends, they’re the kind of cookie that makes people smile. Made with simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, these cookies are as easy to whip up as they are delightful to eat. And once you make them, don’t be surprised if they become your go-to cookie recipe.

Why You’ll Love These Peanut Butter Cookies

A recipe with history – Unlike many modern versions, this recipe carries the legacy of being passed down through generations, which makes every cookie taste like a little piece of heritage. Knowing that it came from Jimmy Carter’s grandmother gives it an extra sense of nostalgia and charm.
Simple and reliable – Some cookie recipes require specialty flours, chilling overnight, or complicated techniques. This one uses everyday pantry ingredients and comes together with basic steps, so even beginner bakers can make them with ease and confidence.
Perfectly chewy and crisp – The texture balance is what makes these cookies shine. The middle stays soft and tender for that melt-in-your-mouth bite, while the edges bake to a slight crispness that gives a satisfying contrast.
Always a crowd favorite – No matter who you serve them to, peanut butter cookies have a way of disappearing quickly from the plate. They appeal to kids for their sweetness, to adults for their nostalgia, and to just about anyone who appreciates a classic homemade treat.
Easy to customize – This recipe is a flexible base that can be dressed up with chocolate chips, drizzled with melted chocolate, or turned into sandwich cookies with frosting. It’s a dependable recipe that you can make plain or reinvent depending on the occasion.

Tools and Equipment You’ll Need

Mixing bowls – You’ll need one large bowl for the wet ingredients and another for the dry, which makes it easier to combine them without clumps or uneven mixing.
Hand mixer or stand mixer – While you could mix by hand, using a mixer ensures that the butter and sugars cream together into a light, fluffy texture, which is key for cookies that bake evenly.
Measuring cups and spoons – Baking is precise, so accurate measurements of flour, sugar, and leavening agents are important to keep the cookies from being too dense or too dry.
Baking sheets – Choose sturdy sheets that heat evenly, and line them with parchment paper to prevent sticking and to make cleanup much easier.
Cookie scoop – Not required, but it helps portion out dough balls of the same size so that every cookie bakes at the same rate and comes out consistent in appearance.
Fork – Essential for creating the traditional crisscross pattern on top of each cookie, which is not only iconic but also helps flatten the dough for even baking.
Cooling rack – Moving the cookies off the hot tray and onto a rack allows air to circulate underneath, preventing soggy bottoms and helping them cool evenly.

Ingredient Notes

Peanut butter – Smooth and creamy peanut butter provides the classic texture most people expect, but if you prefer more crunch, you can use chunky. Just keep in mind that natural peanut butter (the kind that separates) may make the dough oily unless stirred well.
Butter – Adds richness and depth to the dough while helping create that golden crispness on the outside of each cookie. Room-temperature butter mixes more smoothly than cold.
Granulated sugar – Provides sweetness and also contributes to the cookie’s slight crunch at the edges when it caramelizes during baking.
Brown sugar – Adds a deeper, almost caramel-like sweetness and helps the centers stay soft and chewy instead of drying out.
Egg – Works as the binder that holds all the ingredients together, while also giving the dough structure so the cookies don’t fall apart after baking.
All-purpose flour – Forms the main body of the cookies, giving them stability without being too heavy.
Baking soda and baking powder – These leavening agents provide a gentle lift so the cookies spread and puff just the right amount in the oven.
Salt – Balances out the sweetness and enhances the natural nuttiness of the peanut butter.
Vanilla extract – A small amount goes a long way in warming up the flavor and tying everything together.

How To Make Jimmy Carter’s Grandmother’s Peanut Butter Cookies

Preheat the oven – Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) so that it’s ready when the dough is finished. This ensures the cookies bake evenly.
Cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars – In a large bowl, use a mixer to beat the butter, peanut butter, white sugar, and brown sugar together until the mixture is fluffy and lighter in color. This step traps air, which helps with texture.
Add egg and vanilla – Crack in the egg and pour in the vanilla extract, then continue mixing until everything is smooth and fully blended.
Combine dry ingredients – In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mixing them first keeps the leavening agents from clumping in the dough.
Mix wet and dry – Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until the dough just comes together. Overmixing can make cookies tough, so stop once you no longer see streaks of flour.
Shape the dough – Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and space them apart on your prepared baking sheets to leave room for spreading.
Create the crisscross pattern – Use a fork to press lightly down on each ball, first in one direction and then in the other, making the iconic peanut butter cookie pattern.
Bake – Place the tray in the oven and bake for 10–12 minutes. The edges should look golden brown, while the centers may still appear a little soft—that’s perfect.
Cool – Let the cookies rest on the sheet for 2 minutes before carefully moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Expert Tips for Success

Chill the dough if it feels too soft – Warm dough can spread too much in the oven, so a short rest in the fridge helps hold its shape and gives thicker cookies.
Use a cookie scoop for uniformity – This ensures every cookie is the same size, which means they bake evenly and look neat when served.
Remove cookies before they look done – Peanut butter cookies firm up as they cool, so don’t wait until they’re fully browned or they’ll end up dry.
Stick to room-temperature ingredients – Softened butter and a room-temperature egg mix together more smoothly, leading to a consistent dough texture.
Taste your peanut butter first – Since it’s the star ingredient, the flavor of your peanut butter will directly affect the cookies. Choose one you love eating on its own.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Packing the flour too tightly – Scooping flour directly from the bag can compress it, adding more than the recipe intends. This results in dry, crumbly cookies. Always spoon flour into the cup and level it off.
Overmixing the dough – Mixing past the point of combining can develop too much gluten, which makes cookies dense instead of tender.
Forgetting the salt – Skipping the salt may seem minor, but it makes the cookies taste flat because the flavor balance is lost.
Skipping the fork press – Without pressing the cookies down, they’ll bake thicker and may not cook evenly in the center.
Leaving cookies on the hot sheet too long – The residual heat from the tray can continue baking the bottoms, leading to overdone cookies. Transfer them to a rack after a couple of minutes.

Variations and Add-Ins

Chocolate chip peanut butter cookies – Stir a generous handful of chocolate chips into the dough for a classic chocolate-and-peanut butter combination.
Chocolate drizzle topping – Once the cookies cool, drizzle them with melted chocolate to make them look bakery-style and extra indulgent.
Peanut butter sandwich cookies – Spread frosting or more peanut butter between two cookies for a fun twist.
Chunky style – Use crunchy peanut butter or stir in chopped peanuts to give the cookies extra bite and texture.
Holiday version – Press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie right after baking for a festive touch that looks great on cookie platters.

What to Serve with Peanut Butter Cookies

A cold glass of milk – Nothing pairs better with cookies than milk, especially with peanut butter’s richness.
Coffee or tea – These cookies make a cozy companion to your morning or afternoon hot drink.
Fresh fruit slices – Pair with apple wedges or banana slices for a balanced snack that feels wholesome.
Homemade ice cream sandwiches – Place a scoop of ice cream between two cookies for a nostalgic and fun dessert.
Cookie trays for gatherings – Add these alongside sugar cookies, chocolate chip, or oatmeal cookies to round out a party platter.

Storage and Freezing

Room temperature storage – Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. They’ll stay soft if you add a slice of bread inside.
Refrigeration option – If you want to extend their shelf life to about 10 days, store them in the fridge, but note they may firm up a little.
Freezing cookie dough – Roll the dough into balls, freeze them on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag. You can bake them straight from frozen, adding just a couple of extra minutes.
Freezing baked cookies – Once completely cooled, stack cookies with parchment paper between layers in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh for up to two months.

Nutritional Information (per cookie, approx.)

Calories	210
Protein	3g
Fat	6g
Saturated Fat	3g
Carbohydrates	14g
Sugar	8g
Cholesterol	50g
Sodium	380g

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, but it can sometimes separate and make the dough oily. If you use natural peanut butter, stir it thoroughly before adding, and consider chilling the dough before shaping.

Yes, you can use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Just make sure the blend contains xanthan gum so the cookies hold together properly.

Not always, but if your dough feels too sticky or your kitchen is warm, a short chill in the fridge helps keep the cookies from spreading too much.

Definitely! Crunchy peanut butter will add bits of peanuts for extra texture in every bite.

The best trick is to store them in an airtight container with a slice of bread. The cookies will absorb moisture from the bread and stay soft for days.

Yes! These cookies are versatile, so you can stir in chocolate chips, white chocolate chunks, or even chopped peanuts.

Yes. Smaller cookies will bake more quickly, while oversized ones may need an extra minute or two in the oven. Just keep an eye on the edges.

If stored properly in airtight containers with parchment between layers, they’ll keep for up to two months without losing flavor or texture.

Conclusion

Jimmy Carter’s Grandmother’s Peanut Butter Cookies are proof that the simplest recipes often stand the test of time. With their perfect balance of chewiness and crispness, combined with the nostalgic flavor of peanut butter, they’re a treat worth making again and again.

Whether you enjoy them warm out of the oven, serve them with a cold glass of milk, or tuck them into lunchboxes, these cookies are guaranteed to bring comfort and joy. Bake a batch today and experience a cookie recipe that has been loved for generations.