Everyone’s favorite peanut butter cookie gets a made-from-scratch makeover! You’ll love how easy it is to make soft, crumbly Homemade Nutter Butter Cookies with fluffy peanut butter filling and a topping of chocolate and sea salt.
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Oh, Nutter Butters. These fun, peanut-shaped peanut butter cookies with soft, creamy filling are an iconic American cookie! But did you know you can make them at home? And I would argue that homemade Nutter Butters, made with real ingredients are even better than store-bought. Especially when they’re dipped in chocolate, like these!
If you’re looking for a special treat for the peanut-butter-cookie lover in your life, this is it. Anyone who likes peanut butter, even just a little bit, is sure to love these! The adorable shape, soft and crumbly texture, and sweet maple-scented filling are just so good! Homemade Nutter Butter cookies are special enough to serve as Christmas cookies, but they’re equally perfect for an after-school snack.
What You’ll Need
The dough and filling for these cookies are made with just a few ingredients, mainly peanut butter. And it’s easy to make them gluten-free by using a tablespoon of gluten-free flour instead of the all-purpose flour!
For the Cookies
- Peanut Butter: I use creamy peanut butter, but crunchy would also work just fine.
- Sugar: You can use regular sugar, brown sugar, or even raw sugar.
- Egg: You’ll need one large, whole egg, preferably at room temperature.
- Flour: To make the criss-cross marks on the cookies, you’ll need a tiny bit of flour and a fork.
For the Filling
- Peanut Butter: Creamy peanut butter is best for making a smooth, light filling.
- Confectioners Sugar: Also known as powdered sugar, this makes the filling light and fluffy.
- Maple Syrup: Pure maple syrup will give the best flavor.
For the Toppings
- Chocolate: You’ll need about four ounces of dark chocolate or chocolate chips to melt for dipping.
- Sea Salt: A sprinkle of flaky sea salt enhances both the peanut butter and the chocolate.
You’ll notice that each step of the way includes a little chill time in the freezer. That helps keep the cookies from breaking apart and losing the peanut shape. It’s not necessary, but it is recommended!
Make the Cookies
- Prep the Oven and Cookie Sheet. Before you start baking, preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the Cookie Dough Balls. Beat together the peanut butter, granulated sugar, and egg until well combined. Roll the dough into small, even-sized balls about ½ teaspoon in size.
- Make the Peanut Shaped Cookies. Place two cookie dough balls side by side on the cookie sheet. Using something flat, such as the bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass, flatten the cookies to about ⅛ inch thick. Dip a fork in the flour, and use it to make one long fork mark from one end to the other, and then across to make a criss-cross shape.
- Bake. Place the cookies in the preheated oven, and bake them for 9 to 11 minutes. They will be soft but beginning to set around the edges. Cool the cookies completely on a rack, and for best results, freeze the cookies for 10 minutes to keep them from breaking apart.
Fill the Cookies
- Make the Filling. While the cookies are cooling, make the filling by combining the peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, and maple syrup. Stir well to thoroughly incorporate the ingredients. If the mixture is too thin, add a little extra confectioner’s sugar. If the mixture is too thick, add more maple syrup.
- Fill the Cookies. Flip the cookies over, and spread the filling on one cookie. Top with another cookie and sandwich them together. Repeat with the remaining cookies and filling.
- Chill. Place the filled, sandwiched cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes to set.
Dip the Cookies
- Melt the Chocolate. While the cookies are chilling, place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 45 seconds, and then stir until smooth. If the chocolate isn’t melted enough, microwave it for 10 more seconds and stir again. Repeat once more if necessary.
- Dip the Cookies. Dip the cookies into the melted chocolate, and then place them on a parchment-lined tray or cookie sheet. Sprinkle them as you go with a small amount of flaky sea salt, before the chocolate hardens.
- Cool and Serve or Store. Let the cookies cool, and then serve immediately, or store them (see the section on storage below).
Tips for Success
And that’s it! A simple, cute cookie recipe that’s made with real, wholesome ingredients. You’re gonna love these! But before you start baking, let me share a couple of helpful tips:
- Shape Them Your Way: You can shape the cookies into simple circles, ovals, squares, or rectangles, whatever you like!
- Change Up the Filling: These are awesome filled with a thick frosting (canned frosting is easy and tasty, or make your own), marshmallow fluff, or to make mini ice cream sandwiches!
- Skip the Chocolate: For simple, “original” Nutter Butters, skip the chocolate and bask in the peanut buttery glory!
I recommend storing these homemade Nutter Butters in the fridge, to keep them firm. Place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Can I Freeze These?
Yes, you can! First, freeze the cookies on a cookie sheet, and then transfer them to a freezer bag. They will keep, frozen, for 3 months. It’s best to freeze them without the chocolate dip, since the chocolate doesn’t freeze and thaw well.
Homemade Nutter Butters
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon flour
For the Filling
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- ⅓ cup confetioner’s sugar
- 2 – 3 tablespoons maple syrup
For the Toppings
- 4 ounces dark chocolate
- Flaky sea salt, optional
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Instructions
- Make the Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat 1 cup peanut butter, granulated sugar and egg together until well combined.
- Roll dough into small even-sized balls about ½ teaspoon in size. Place two balls side by side on prepared cookie sheet.
- Using something flat, such as a measuring cup or drinking glass, flatten the cookies to about ⅛ inch thick. (Check the images in the post above to see exactly what your cookie dough should look like.)
- Dip a fork in the flour and make one long fork mark from one end the other the cookies, then go across each end to get the criss-cross look.
- Place in the oven and bake for 9-11 minutes. Cool the cookies completely on a cooling rack. (Cookies can be frozen for 10 minutes at this time to keep them from breaking apart.)
Fill The Cookies- While the cookies are cooling, make the filling by mixing the peanut butter, confectioners sugar and maple syrup together. If it is too thin, you can add a little extra confectioner's sugar. Too thick? Add a little extra maple syrup.
- Flip the cookies over and spread the filling on one cookie. Top with another cookie to sandwich together.
- Dip and Top the Cookies
- Place the filled cookies into the freezer for 10 minutes. While cookies are chilling, melt the chocolate in the microwave, in a microwave-safe bowl, for 45 seconds. Stir till smooth. If it isn’t melted enough, place it back in the microwave for 10 seconds. Repeat until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Dip the cookies into the chocolate and place on a parchment-lined tray. Quickly sprinkle it with a couple pieces of flaked sea salt.
- Let chocolate cool and then serve immediately or store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- These cookies can be frozen on a cookies sheet, then place in a ziplock bag and kept frozen for up to 3 months. They are best frozen without chocolate, as the chocolate usually does not thaw well.
Nutrition
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Easy Cake Mix Cookie Bars
- The Best Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
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