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Nutter Butter Cookies are the homemade version of the peanut butter sandwich cookie you grew up loving, soft, nutty, and stuffed with fluffy peanut butter filling, and I made a double batch on a snowy afternoon and Maddie declared them better than the store kind. If you are a peanut butter fanatic like us, these copycat cookies belong right next to our Reese’s peanut butter cup cookies.
They come together with pantry staples and a fork for that classic crosshatch, no fancy equipment required.
Nutter Butter Cookies Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 13 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 45 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 20 sandwich cookies
- ⚡ Calories: 543kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet, nutty peanut butter with a soft cookie and creamy filling
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our Reese’s peanut butter cup cookies
Quick Answer
Cream peanut butter with butter and sugars, then beat in eggs, vanilla, flour, and baking soda to make a soft dough. Scoop pairs of dough, press a crosshatch with a fork, and bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 13 minutes. Whip a peanut butter filling with powdered sugar and cream, then sandwich it between two cooled cookies.
Jump to:
- Nutter Butter Cookies Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Nutter Butter Cookies
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Nutter Butter Cookies FAQs
- Other Recommended Cookie Recipes
- Homemade Nutter Butter Cookies
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Two kinds of peanut butter flavor. Creamy peanut butter goes into both the cookie and the filling, so every bite is loaded with that nutty taste.
- Brown sugar keeps them soft. The extra moisture in brown sugar gives the cookies a tender, chewy bite instead of a dry snap.
- The crosshatch is not just for looks. Pressing the dough flat with a fork helps the cookies bake evenly and gives them that signature ridged top.
- Whipped filling stays fluffy. Beating the filling for two full minutes whips in air so it pipes smoothly and never tastes heavy or greasy.
- Cooling before filling matters. Letting the cookies cool completely keeps the creamy peanut butter center from sliding or melting out.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They taste just like the iconic store cookie but fresher, softer, and made from scratch.
- The fluffy peanut butter filling is the same crave-worthy combo as our peanut butter Nutella dip, tucked inside a soft cookie.
- One batch makes 20 sandwich cookies, so there is plenty to share or stash for later.
Key Ingredients
Here is what goes into these homemade nutter butter cookies.
- Creamy peanut butter flavors both the cookie and the filling, so reach for a no-stir brand for the best texture.
- Brown sugar brings moisture and a soft, chewy bite to the cookies.
- Butter is split between the dough and the filling for richness throughout.
- Powdered sugar and heavy cream whip into a smooth, fluffy peanut butter filling.
- Vanilla extract rounds out the sweetness, the same warm note we love in our almond cookies.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Mix and match with these easy ideas.
- Use crunchy peanut butter for a little extra texture in the cookie.
- Add a handful of mini chocolate chips to the filling for a peanut butter cup vibe.
- Drizzle the finished sandwiches with melted chocolate, like our Reese’s peanut butter cup cookies.
- Crumble leftovers over ice cream or serve them next to our peanut butter Nutella dip for dunking.
- Make them smaller for bite-size cookies, just shorten the bake time by a couple minutes.
How to Make Nutter Butter Cookies
- Cream the peanut butter and butter together until smooth, then beat in the brown and granulated sugars.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then stir in the vanilla.
- Mix in the flour and baking soda until no dry streaks remain, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Scoop pairs of 1-tablespoon dough dollops side by side, about 3 inches apart, on parchment-lined trays.
- Press a crosshatch pattern into each pair with a fork, gently flattening the dough.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 13 minutes until golden and no longer glossy, then cool on the tray for 5 minutes before moving to a rack.
- Make the filling by beating the peanut butter and butter smooth, add the powdered sugar, then the cream and vanilla, and whip for 2 minutes until fluffy.
- Spread filling on the bottoms of half the cookies and top each with another cookie to form a sandwich.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Do not overbake. Pull them at 12 to 13 minutes when they look set but still soft, they firm up as they cool.
- Scoop in pairs. Placing two dollops side by side gives you the classic oblong nutter butter shape.
- Use room-temperature butter and eggs so everything creams together smoothly.
- Whip the filling for a full 2 minutes to make it light and easy to spread.
- Cool the cookies completely before filling so the peanut butter cream does not melt.
- Store them flat, the same way we stack our Lofthouse cookies, so the filling stays put.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These nutter butter cookies are made for a tall glass of cold milk, just like the dipping shot above. They are a lunchbox favorite and a guaranteed bake-sale sellout.
Build a peanut butter dessert spread with our Reese’s peanut butter cup cookies and a bowl of peanut butter Nutella dip for dunking.
Round out a cookie tray with buttery almond cookies and soft Lofthouse cookies so there is something for everyone.
Nutter Butter Cookies FAQs
You can use crunchy peanut butter in the cookie dough for a little extra texture. For the filling, stick with creamy so it whips up smooth and pipes easily.
Butter that is too soft or warm dough is usually the cause. Chill the dough for 15 minutes if your kitchen is warm, and make sure your butter is softened but not melted.
Yes. Bake the cookies up to two days ahead and store them unfilled, then whip the filling and assemble the day you want to serve them for the freshest texture.
Keep filled cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. Let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving so the filling softens.
Freeze the unfilled cookies in a freezer bag for up to three months. Thaw, then fill with fresh peanut butter cream. Filled cookies can also be frozen, but the texture is best fresh.
The double dose of creamy peanut butter, the soft cookie base, and the fluffy peanut butter filling all add up to that nostalgic store-bought flavor, only fresher.
Craving more cookies? Bake a batch of our chewy almond cookies or soft Lofthouse cookies next.
Homemade Nutter Butter Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 1/4 cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar packed
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
For the filling:
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 1/3 cups powdered sugar
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F—line sheet trays with parchment paper set aside.
- In the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the peanut butter with the butter until smooth.1 1/4 cups creamy peanut butter, 1 cup salted butter
- Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and mix until combined.1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- Add the eggs one at a time, ensuring they’re thoroughly mixed in before adding them to the next.2 large eggs
- Stir in the vanilla.1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Stir in the flour and baking soda until there are no dry patches. Scrape down the sides as needed.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Place 2 dollops, 1 tablespoon of dough each next to each other about 3 inches apart on the prepared sheet trays. Using a fork, make a cross-hatch pattern in the cookie dough, gently pressing down the cookie dough.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes until golden brown, and they no longer appear glossy on the outside. Let cool on the sheet tray for 5 minutes, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cookies are baking, make the frosting by mixing the peanut butter and butter together in a medium-sized bowl with an electric hand mixer or in the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until smooth.1 cup + 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter, 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- Add the powdered sugar a little at a time until mixed in; it will be thick.3 1/3 cups powdered sugar
- Add the heavy cream and vanilla, mix it until combined, then whip on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.6 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add frosting to the bottoms of half of the cookies.
- Top with another cookie to form a sandwich. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Room Temp Rules – Let your butter soften at room temperature so it mixes smooth, not lumpy!
- Fork It Up – Press that cross-hatch gently with a fork to get the peanut shape without flattening your dough balls.
- Cool Off – Let the cookies chill on a wire rack before adding the filling, or it’ll melt everywhere!
- Whip Fast – Use your stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed to make the creamy filling fluffy.
- Even Scoops – Use a cookie cutter or spoon to keep your dough balls the perfect size for sandwiching.
- Taste the Magic – Sneak a nibble of the filling—it’s the best part, and you deserve it!
Nutrition
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