Nabisco's 1962 original used peanut flour for shape, not flavor—these copycats fake that snap with a double peanut butter filling trick.
Copycat Nutter Butter Cookies
Get ready to indulge in these delightful homemade Nutter Butter cookies! Bursting with authentic peanut butter goodness, these soft and chewy treats are crafted with creamy peanut butter and a hint of vanilla, making them even more delicious than the originals. Whip up a batch and experience the ultimate cookie comfort that’s sure to satisfy your sweet tooth!
Prep
15
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
Nutter Butter itself launched in 1969 courtesy of Nabisco's New Jersey test kitchens, riding America's post-war peanut obsession after George Washington Carver's agricultural research turned Southern peanut farming into a national industry, but this homemade version strips away the corn syrup and mystery oils, channeling 1930s Depression-era pantry baking when peanut butter sandwiches between two cookies meant getting protein without rationed butter.
Regional Twist
In Savannah, Georgia, bakers swap standard peanut butter for locally-milled Georgia peanut butter and add a tablespoon of bourbon to the filling, turning this Northern cookie-jar staple into something with proper Southern backbone and a boozy kick that would make Nabisco's Jersey executives blush.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 1/4 cup butter, softened (56.8 g)
- 1 egg
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (93.8 g)
- 1 cup peanut butter (227 g)
- 3/4 cup peanut butter (170 g)
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar (50 g)
- 3/4 cup sugar (150 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- Pinch of salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
1044
Protein
32g
Carbs
88g
Fat
69g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2
In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, egg, butter, sugar, flour, and salt. Mix until everything is well combined and the sugar is fully incorporated.
- 3
Roll the dough into small balls and place them a couple of inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- 4
Using a fork, gently press each dough ball twice, making a crisscross (tic-tac-toe) pattern.
- 5
Bake for 13–15 minutes, or slightly longer if you made larger cookies. The edges should be lightly golden.
- 6
Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely.
- 7
While the cookies are cooling, combine the peanut butter and powdered sugar in a small bowl until smooth and creamy.
- 8
Spread the filling onto the flat side of one cookie, then top with another cookie to create a sandwich. Repeat until all of the cookies are filled.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cream the butter and sugar together for 2-3 minutes before adding peanut butter to incorporate 20-30% more air, creating a lighter, less dense cookie structure through mechanical aeration.technique2-3 minutes creaming
- ✓Chill dough for 15-20 minutes before rolling into balls to reduce spreading by 15-25% during baking, since cold fat takes longer to melt and allows starches to set the structure first.timing15-20 minutes
- ✓Reduce flour to 1/2 cup (from 3/4 cup) because peanut butter contains 10% moisture and 50% fat that partially replaces flour's binding function; excess flour will create a cake-like texture instead of the intended crispy-chewy snap.ingredientReduce to 1/2 cup flour
- ✓Press fork tines at 90° angles (parallel first, then perpendicular) rather than diagonal, then immediately flatten by 15% with the fork base—this creates stress points that fracture evenly and ensures filling contacts both cookie halves uniformly.technique90° angle pressing + 15% height reduction
- ✓Bake only 12-13 minutes (edges just golden, centers pale) because residual heat carries cooking 1-2 minutes after removal; overbaking past 14 minutes causes peanut butter's 50% fat content to leach out, darkening edges and creating greasiness.timing12-13 minutes optimal
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Nabisco's 1962 original used peanut flour for shape, not flavor—these copycats fake that snap with a double peanut butter filling trick.
Copycat Nutter Butter Cookies
Get ready to indulge in these delightful homemade Nutter Butter cookies! Bursting with authentic peanut butter goodness, these soft and chewy treats are crafted with creamy peanut butter and a hint of vanilla, making them even more delicious than the originals. Whip up a batch and experience the ultimate cookie comfort that’s sure to satisfy your sweet tooth!
The Story
Nutter Butter itself launched in 1969 courtesy of Nabisco's New Jersey test kitchens, riding America's post-war peanut obsession after George Washington Carver's agricultural research turned Southern peanut farming into a national industry, but this homemade version strips away the corn syrup and mystery oils, channeling 1930s Depression-era pantry baking when peanut butter sandwiches between two cookies meant getting protein without rationed butter.
Regional Twist
In Savannah, Georgia, bakers swap standard peanut butter for locally-milled Georgia peanut butter and add a tablespoon of bourbon to the filling, turning this Northern cookie-jar staple into something with proper Southern backbone and a boozy kick that would make Nabisco's Jersey executives blush.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 1/4 cup butter, softened (56.8 g)
- 1 egg
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (93.8 g)
- 1 cup peanut butter (227 g)
- 3/4 cup peanut butter (170 g)
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar (50 g)
- 3/4 cup sugar (150 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- Pinch of salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
1044
Protein
32g
Carbs
88g
Fat
69g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2
In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, egg, butter, sugar, flour, and salt. Mix until everything is well combined and the sugar is fully incorporated.
- 3
Roll the dough into small balls and place them a couple of inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- 4
Using a fork, gently press each dough ball twice, making a crisscross (tic-tac-toe) pattern.
- 5
Bake for 13–15 minutes, or slightly longer if you made larger cookies. The edges should be lightly golden.
- 6
Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely.
- 7
While the cookies are cooling, combine the peanut butter and powdered sugar in a small bowl until smooth and creamy.
- 8
Spread the filling onto the flat side of one cookie, then top with another cookie to create a sandwich. Repeat until all of the cookies are filled.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cream the butter and sugar together for 2-3 minutes before adding peanut butter to incorporate 20-30% more air, creating a lighter, less dense cookie structure through mechanical aeration.technique2-3 minutes creaming
- ✓Chill dough for 15-20 minutes before rolling into balls to reduce spreading by 15-25% during baking, since cold fat takes longer to melt and allows starches to set the structure first.timing15-20 minutes
- ✓Reduce flour to 1/2 cup (from 3/4 cup) because peanut butter contains 10% moisture and 50% fat that partially replaces flour's binding function; excess flour will create a cake-like texture instead of the intended crispy-chewy snap.ingredientReduce to 1/2 cup flour
- ✓Press fork tines at 90° angles (parallel first, then perpendicular) rather than diagonal, then immediately flatten by 15% with the fork base—this creates stress points that fracture evenly and ensures filling contacts both cookie halves uniformly.technique90° angle pressing + 15% height reduction
- ✓Bake only 12-13 minutes (edges just golden, centers pale) because residual heat carries cooking 1-2 minutes after removal; overbaking past 14 minutes causes peanut butter's 50% fat content to leach out, darkening edges and creating greasiness.timing12-13 minutes optimal