Cake Mix Peanut Butter Cookies
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Cake Mix Peanut Butter Cookies are packed with rich peanut butter flavor and are super easy to make with a box of yellow cake mix and creamy peanut butter.
You know I love a good shortcut. That’s why easy cake mix cookies are my go-to when I want to make a batch of delicious cookies as quickly as possible.
I make lemon cake mix cookies in the spring, candy corn cookies for Halloween, and Grinch cake mix cookies for Christmas.
But you don’t need a special occasion to whip up a batch. Chocolate cake mix cookies with M&Ms, funfetti cookie bars, and these peanut butter cake mix cookies are a great choice anytime a craving for something sweet strikes.
Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookies
Get ready, peanut butter lovers! These chewy cake mix cookies are one of our favorite recipes.
Why you will love this recipe
- Perfectly soft and chewy cookies.
- Just the right amount of peanut butter flavor.
- Quick treat, ready in just 20 minutes.
- Easy recipe with just 5 simple ingredients.
Ingredients
This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Yellow cake mix — A box of cake mix contains all the ingredients you need for the perfect peanut butter cookies, like flour, sugar, and leavening agents. Don’t follow the directions on the box, though. Just add the dry mix according to the directions in the recipe card below.
- Eggs — Eggs are the binder for the ingredients, giving structure to the cookies. They also give them that incredible chewy texture.
- Creamy peanut butter — The star ingredient to get soft cookies and that delicious peanut butter flavor!
- Vegetable oil — Oil adds moisture to the dough and keeps the cookies moist and chewy. Canola oil can be used as well.
- Granulated sugar — You’ll roll the cookie dough balls in the sugar, giving them a little extra sweetness, crunch, and sparkle.
Equipment You’ll Need
Head to the kitchen and grab these tools to get started on this easy peanut butter cookie recipe:
- mixing bowls
- wooden spoon
- measuring cups
- baking sheets
- parchment paper
- cooling rack
How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies from Cake Mix
This section shows you how to make the recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions. For the full printable recipe, see the recipe card below.
Step 1: While your oven preheats to 350°F, line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and place the sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
Step 2: Add the cake mix, peanut butter, eggs, and vegetable oil to a large bowl. Mix well, but don’t overmix.
Step 3: Portion the cookie dough using a cookie scoop (#40 or #50) or a tablespoon. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, and then roll them in the sugar. Place the cookie dough balls at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
Step 4: Press down on each cookie with the tines of a fork to create a hatch pattern on the top and flatten the dough into more of a cookie shape.
Step 5: Bake in a preheated oven until lightly golden around the edges.
Step 6: Take the cookies out of the oven, and let them cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy a couple of these cake mix peanut butter cookies with a tall glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee. Hot chocolate isn’t a bad choice, either.
Storage and Freezing
Room Temperature: You can store leftover 5-ingredient peanut butter cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, but I doubt they’ll last that long. They disappear quickly!
Freezer: These cookies freeze beautifully in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
This dough freezes well, too. Just form the dough into balls, roll in sugar, and flash freeze on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a zip-top bag and bake straight from the freezer, adding a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
Tips and Tricks for Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
- To make the peanut butter slide out of your measuring cup easily, spray it with cooking oil before scooping the peanut butter into it.
- Mix just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can result in dense, tough cookies.
- If you don’t have a cookie scoop, a tablespoon will do the trick. Just aim for uniform sizes to ensure even baking.
- Don’t skip flattening the cookies a bit before baking them as the cookies don’t spread very much while baking.
Additions and Variations
Swap out the cake mix. Instead of yellow cake mix, try this easy cookie recipe with white (vanilla) or chocolate cake mixes.
Bring on the chocolate chips: Add a cup of semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips to the dough for a classic peanut butter-chocolate combo. Peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips would also be yummy.
Spice it up. Add a dash of cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg to give the cookies the subtle flavor of warm spices.
FAQ for Making Peanut Butter Cookies with Cake Mix
Yes, that would give these easy peanut butter cookies a nice crunch. However, you may need to add a little milk, oil, or an extra egg to the dough to get it the right consistency.
I don’t generally recommend natural peanut butter for baking because it’s sometimes difficult to mix with the other ingredients due to the separation of the oil and ground peanuts. If you try it, let me know how it turns out.
No, that step is optional, but it gives the cookies a little extra sweetness and texture. I highly recommend it!
For these peanut butter cake mix cookies, you don’t have to chill the dough. Just mix your ingredients, form into balls, roll in sugar, and you’re good to go straight to the oven! But if your dough is a bit too soft or sticky to handle, you can pop it in the fridge for about 15-30 minutes to make it easier to work with.
The cookies are done when they are lightly golden around the edges. They may look a bit soft in the center, but they’ll firm up as they cool on the baking sheet and then on the wire rack.
More Peanut Butter Cookies
Craving more peanut buttery goodness? Try these delicious peanut butter cookies:
- Old Fashioned Homemade Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe — a classic, just like Grandma used to make.
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars — these cookie bars are great for lunchboxes or as a special treat when you want to indulge.
- No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies — no bake cookies made with pantry staples.
- Easy Peanut Butter Cup Cookies — very popular during the holidays and always a hit in cookie exchanges.
Cake Mix Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce yellow cake mix (1 box)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Place the granulated sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix well to combine the cake mix, peanut butter, eggs, and vegetable oil.
- Form dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each dough ball in the granulated sugar and place the coated cookie dough balls at least 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
- Use a fork to press down in a criss-cross pattern on the top of each cookie, flattening them a bit in the process.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden.
- Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Using a medium cookie scoop to portion the dough ensures that all your cookies will be the same size and bake evenly. I recommend a #40 or #50 for this recipe.
- Use parchment paper instead of non-stick cooking spray which can cause cookies to overspread.
- These cookies do not spread too much while baking so be sure to flatten the dough balls by pressing down with a fork before baking.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
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