Let Me Tell You About These Nutter Butter Cookies...

Okay, so here’s the deal: I never thought I’d be the kind of person who craves a homemade Nutter Butter cookie, but, well, here we are. I blame my cousin, honestly—she used to keep the store-bought ones hidden on the top shelf, and whenever I'd visit, I’d have to climb (literally) to snag a few. Now, I make a batch at home and, yeah, sometimes hide the last two for myself. Don’t judge, you’d do the same after tasting these. Oh, and one time, I mistook salt for sugar in this recipe—let’s just say, not my finest hour. It’s all part of the journey, right?

Why You’ll Love This (Besides Obvious Peanut Butter Reasons)

I make this when I’m feeling nostalgic, or when my kitchen feels too clean for comfort (because, let’s face it, flour everywhere is more fun). My family goes bonkers for these—with lots of peanut butter on their faces to prove it! Actually, I have a friend who swears these cookies taste even better the next day. I, uh, wouldn’t really know, since they rarely last that long here. And, honestly, if you’ve ever been frustrated by store-bought cookies that taste a bit too factory-made, these will fix that real quick. Plus, even when I’ve botched a step, they still turn out pretty great. So, low pressure!

What Goes In (And What I Swap When I’m Lazy)

1 cup creamy peanut butter (Sometimes I use crunchy; texture is fun. My grandma used to swear by Jif, but Skippy works fine. Store brands? Go for it.)
½ cup unsalted butter, softened (I’ve microwaved it too long and ended up with a puddle—still works, just maybe chill it a bit if you do this!)
½ cup brown sugar (light or dark; I grab whatever’s in the cupboard)
½ cup white sugar
1 large egg (If you’re out, a flax egg works in a pinch. Not quite the same, but hey, sometimes needs must.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Imitation is fine, but real is, you know, real.)
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (I once swapped in oat flour… interesting, but a bit crumbly.)
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
For the filling:
¾ cup peanut butter
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 to 1.5 cups powdered sugar—depends how sweet you like it
Pinch of salt (I sometimes forget this, but it’s better with!)

How I Actually Make Them (Messy Hands & All)

Preheat your oven to 350°F (that’s 175°C for my UK pals). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Or don’t—just grease the trays if you’re feeling old school.
In a big bowl, beat together peanut butter and butter. I use a hand mixer, but a wooden spoon works if you’re feeling strong. Add both sugars and beat till fluffy, which usually means about 2 minutes, unless you get distracted, like me.
Crack in the egg, toss in the vanilla, and mix again. If it looks weird at this point, don’t panic—it comes together with the flour.
Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in another bowl (or just dump them in, honestly, I sometimes do).
Stir the dry stuff into the peanut butter mix until it forms a dough. It’s sticky, that’s normal.
Pinch off little pieces (like, walnut-sized) and roll into balls. Flatten each into an oval-ish shape—supposed to resemble the classic cookie, but mine usually look... unique. Use a fork to make that crisscross pattern, or use the back of a knife for lines if you want them extra “Nutter Butter-y.”
Bake 8-10 minutes. They’ll puff up, but don’t overbake; they set as they cool. This is where I usually sneak a taste of the dough—shh.
Let them cool fully before filling. I know, waiting stinks.
For the filling: Beat peanut butter and butter together, then slowly add powdered sugar and salt until you get a thick, spreadable stuff. Too thick? Add a splash of milk. Too thin? More sugar, easy fix.
Spread a generous blob of filling on the bottom of one cookie, sandwich with another. Repeat till you run out (or eat them straight away, I won’t tell).

Random Notes From My Many Attempts

I once tried to use natural peanut butter, but it made everything a bit oily and sad. So now I just stick to the regular stuff.
Don’t overbake—seriously, they turn into hockey pucks if you do (learned that the hard way).
Sometimes they spread more than expected. Chill the dough for 20 minutes if you want them neater. Or just embrace the chaos.

Variations I’ve Tried (And One That Flopped)

Chocolate drizzle: Melt a handful of chocolate chips and zigzag over the tops. Looks fancy, tastes even better.
Gluten-free: I once used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 flour (their website has lots of tips!)—surprisingly good.
Almond butter swap: Works, but the flavor’s a bit more subtle. Maybe add a splash more vanilla.
Epic fail: Tried to add bacon bits once (don’t ask)—just, no. Not every experiment is a winner.

Equipment: Use What You’ve Got

A hand mixer is nice for creaming, but I’ve used a wooden spoon and a strong arm. No parchment paper? Just grease the pans with a dab of butter. I even used a wine bottle as a rolling pin in a pinch—worked just fine, though the cookies were a bit... eccentric in shape.

Storing These Beauties (Good Luck With That)

They’ll keep in an airtight tin for up to 4 days, but honestly, in my house, they never last more than a day! If you somehow end up with leftovers (unlikely), you can freeze them, filling and all, for up to a month. Microwave a frozen cookie for 10 seconds and it’s like it’s fresh from the oven.

How to Serve? Here’s What We Do

I love them with a cold glass of milk—classic. My niece dips hers in hot cocoa (she’s onto something). Sometimes, if I’m feeling extra, I crumble them over vanilla ice cream. At Christmas, we’ve even sandwiched a bit of raspberry jam in there for a twist. Not traditional, but who cares?

Pro Tips (Lessons From My Cookie Goofs)

I once tried rushing the cooling step and the filling melted everywhere. So, actually, just wait. It’s worth it.
Don’t be stingy with the filling. More is more, trust me on this one.
If you want that perfect bakery look, a cookie scoop makes things neater. But uneven cookies are more charming, in my humble opinion.

You Asked, I’m Answering (Nutter Butter FAQ)

Can I use natural peanut butter? You can, but I’ve found the texture gets a little weird. It’s possible though! Just stir well and maybe add a tad more flour if it’s super runny.
Do they freeze well? Yep, filling and all. Just wrap them up tight so they don’t pick up freezer weirdness.
Why did my cookies come out flat? Oh, I’ve been there! Probably the butter was too melty or the dough too warm. Next time, chill the dough for a bit beforehand.
Can I make them vegan? Probably! Swap in vegan butter and use a flax egg. Actually, I find it works better if you go for a little less filling so it doesn't squish out the sides.
What’s the best peanut butter? Honestly, whatever’s on sale. But Skippy is my go-to, unless I’m feeling fancy and grab the organic kind. There’s a good taste test at Serious Eats if you’re fussy.

Oh, and before I forget—if you’ve ever had one of those days when your kitchen is just a bit too hot and nothing seems to go right, take heart. These cookies have survived whiny toddlers, power outages, and a dog (almost) stealing the cooling tray, and they still turned out edible. Give ‘em a go and let me know if you find a way to make them even better. Or just come by for coffee and cookies—we’ll call it research.

Homemade Nutter Butter Cookies: My Go-To (and Goof-Proof) Recipe

Let Me Tell You About These Nutter Butter Cookies...

Why You’ll Love This (Besides Obvious Peanut Butter Reasons)

What Goes In (And What I Swap When I’m Lazy)

How I Actually Make Them (Messy Hands & All)

Random Notes From My Many Attempts

Variations I’ve Tried (And One That Flopped)

Equipment: Use What You’ve Got

Storing These Beauties (Good Luck With That)

How to Serve? Here’s What We Do

Pro Tips (Lessons From My Cookie Goofs)

You Asked, I’m Answering (Nutter Butter FAQ)

Homemade Nutter Butter Cookies

Ingredients

Instructions

Approximate Information for One Serving

Nutrition Disclaimers

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