Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

If you love peanut butter cookies, just wait until you try these peanut butter sandwich cookies! They take everything you already love about a classic chewy peanut butter cookie and sandwich a creamy, sweet peanut butter filling right in the middle. One bite and you’ll understand the hype!

I’ve been making this recipe for years, and it’s one of those treats that disappears the second it hits the counter…my kids call dibs before the cookies even finish cooling! They’re rich, a little nostalgic, and feel special without being complicated to pull together.

The best part? You don’t need any special equipment or fancy techniques. Just a mixing bowl, a fork for those classic criss-cross marks, and a little patience while the dough chills. Let’s get baking!

Why You’ll Love This Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies Recipe

• Double the peanut butter, double the flavor — a soft, chewy cookie and a creamy filling
• Freezer-friendly — make a batch ahead and pull cookies (or dough) out whenever the craving hits
• Kid-approved — my own kids beg for these, and they’re a hit at school bake sales and parties too
• Simple ingredients — everything you need is probably already in your pantry
• Make-ahead dough — chill it today, bake tomorrow, no stress
• Big batch — this recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies (so plenty of sandwich cookies to share… or not)
• Easy to make gluten free — simply swap out the cookie for my yummy soft gluten free peanut butter cookies

Ingredients

Okay, let’s get baking! Here’s what you’ll need:

For the cookies:

• Butter – you’ll want it to be softened, so leave it out on the counter ahead of time so it creams easily, or follow my super simple hack for softening butter fast!
• Shortening
• Creamy peanut butter – make sure you don’t use crunchy peanut butter! It will not work well here.
• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract – use the highest quality vanilla you can afford. It makes a big difference!
• Flour – basic all-purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Salt

Psst….want to make your cookies gluten free? If so, follow my gluten free peanut butter cookie recipe! They come out super soft and chewy—you’d never know they were gluten free!

For the peanut butter filling:

• Creamy peanut butter – again, make sure you use creamy not crunchy peanut butter.
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Milk – use whatever you have on-hand. For us, it’s whole milk or 2%.

Instructions

Okay, let’s get to baking! We’ll make these in two parts: first, the cookie, then the filling!

Bake the Cookies

Measure out the peanut butter and shortening first – try my mess-free how to measure shortening tip. Cream the butter and shortening in a large mixing bowl until well mixed and fluffy.

Add the peanut butter and sugars and beat well. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. 

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add the flour to the creamed mixture. Do it slowly or you’ll end up in a cloud of flour! It’s a lot of cookie dough.

Once your cookie dough is mixed, test out how soft it is. Can you roll it into a bowl with your hands? If it’s too sticky, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1-3 hours. I know it’s not fun to wait but it makes a big difference and I do it every single time now!

Once it’s chilled enough to handle, roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten and make criss-crosses with a fork.

My cookie dough was chilled enough and not sticky so I didn’t need to use any flour. But you may need to dip your fork in flour to prevent sticking.

Bake at 375° for 7-8 minutes or until light golden brown. (I use very light-weight cookie sheets and needed to bake my cookies for closer to 11 minutes.) Your time may vary.

Remove to a wire rack and let the cookies cool completely. This recipes makes a lot of cookies. Maybe sneak one or two…I won’t tell. 😉

Create the Filling

First, combine all the filling ingredients and mix well. You can add a little more milk if you need it to be creamier.  This may vary depending on the humidity. You’ll just want the filling to be spreadable.

Now, time to add the filling to the cookies.

Quick tip: I have made this recipe dozens of times and my favorite way to put together these peanut butter cookie sandwich recipe is to line up cookies in rows, then use a cake decorator’s bag to pipe a dollop of filling on half the cookies. Then, all you have to do is put a cookie on top and press down gently to spread! It’s way quicker than spreading out the filling on with a knife, although that works too.

That’s it! You’re done – feel free to sample one or two and see just how yummy they are!

Storage

This recipe makes a good amount of cookies, so chances are you’ll have some left over (if not, no judgement here!). Here’s how to store:

At room temperature: Store filled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. Layer with parchment paper between layers to keep the filling from making a sticky mess.

In the fridge: If your kitchen runs warm, keeping these PB cookie sandwiches in the fridge will help the filling stay firm. They’ll keep well for up to a week — just let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before eating so the filling softens back up.

In the freezer:

• Unfilled baked cookies: Freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before filling.
• Cookie dough: Roll into balls and freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the bake time.
• Filled sandwich cookies: These can be frozen too — just layer with parchment in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before serving.

Tips & Tricks for the Best Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Here’s everything I’ve learned from years of making this recipe!

Don’t skip the chill time

Chilling the dough is a must for best results — it keeps the cookies from spreading too thin in the oven and makes the dough so much easier to roll into balls.

Soften your butter properly

Take the butter out ahead of time so it’s soft but not melted, or try my super simple hack for softening butter fast. This helps it cream evenly with the shortening and sugars for the right texture.

Watch your bake time

Every oven (and every baking sheet) is a little different. Start checking at the 7-minute mark and pull the cookies when they’re just lightly golden — they’ll continue to firm up as they cool.

Let cookies cool completely before filling

This is the one step you really don’t want to rush. Warm cookies will melt the filling and make a mess instead of a clean sandwich.

Adjust the filling consistency as needed

Humidity, the brand of peanut butter, and even the room temperature can all affect how thick or thin your filling turns out. Add milk gradually, a little at a time, until it’s the perfect spreadable consistency.

Piping vs. spreading

A piping bag (or even a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off) makes filling faster and less messy than spreading with a knife — plus it gives you a nice even amount on every cookie.

And there you have it — everything you need to know about making delicious Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies!

More Peanut Butter Desserts

• Peanut Butter Blossoms
• No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
• The Perfect Peanut Butter Cookie Bar (No Bake!)
• Chewy Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Print