Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookies
These Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookies couldn’t be easier to make. With just half a cake mix and a few pantry staples, you’ll be snacking on freshly baked cookies in no time!
Cake mix cookies are such a fun dessert hack. They come together quickly (in one bowl) and you can customize them using different mixes and add-ins.
Right now, these easy peanut butter cookies are our go-to flavor. They’re thick and rich, and slightly chewy. Toss in a handful of chocolate chips or Reese’s Pieces and they’re practically irresistible.
Best of all, our little half-batch recipe makes around 12 to 15 cookies. It’s the perfect small amount for baking in any oven including a toaster oven or air fryer!
Ingredient Notes
- Half a Boxed Cake Mix: For the most peanut-flavored cookies, grab a butter cake mix (we used Duncan Hine’s Butter Golden). Yellow cake mix works too but the peanut flavor is more subtle.
- Creamy Peanut Butter: We tried this recipe using two brands of no-stir natural peanut butter. The Trader Joe’s PB cookies (they’re the ones pictured in this post) had crispier edges, the Skippy PB cookies were softer and chewier.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted, melted and cooled.
- Large Egg: At room temperature, so it can easily combine with the other ingredients.
- Sugar (optional): For rolling the dough in before baking. It gives the cookies a fun crunchy bite!
Looking for more yummy cake mix recipes? Don’t miss our popular blueberry coffee cake and 3-ingredient chocolate muffins.
How To Make Cake Mix Peanut Butter Cookies
Step 1: Mix The Dough. Beat all of the ingredients together until they combine into a thick dough.
Step 2: Scoop and Roll in Sugar. Scoop the dough into 1½ Tablespoon-sized balls and roll each one in granulated sugar. I like to use a cookie scoop. That way all of the cookies are the same size and finish baking at the same time.
Step 3: Flatten. Use the tines of a fork to gently press a crisscross pattern into the dough balls to flatten them slightly.
Step 4: Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes. Just until they are set and barely starting to brown around the edges. At this point, the cookies will be very soft – don’t worry they will finish setting up as they cool.
Step 5: Cool on the pan. The cookies will be super delicate straight from the oven. To keep them from crumbling and falling apart, let them cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.
Can you bake the cookies in an air fryer?
Yes! Similar to the toaster oven, you will probably need to bake them in batches. We were able to comfortably fit 4 cookies at a time in our 5.8-quart air fryer.
- Line the air fryer basket. (we used a small silicone mat)
- Place rolled dough balls about 1-inch apart. Press with a fork to flatten.
- Air Fry at 325°F until the edges are golden brown, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the basket from the air fryer. Leave the cookies to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then remove them and bake your next batch.
Recipe Tips
- Stir the PB really well: Despite being no-stir our natural peanut butter still required a few good stirs to ensure any oil on top was well incorporated.
- Space them out: Leave about 1½-inches of space between the cookies as they will puff and spread a little as they bake.
- Make sure to flatten: Using a fork or by gently pressing with your fingertips. The cookies won’t spread otherwise and you’ll end up with odd half-baked dough balls.
- Amp up the flavor: Throw in a handful or two of roasted peanuts, Reese’s Pieces, or chocolate chips!
More Easy Cookie Recipes
- Toaster Oven Chocolate Cookies
- Cake Mix Cookie Bars
- Toaster Oven Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Almond Butter Banana Cookies
Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookies
Thick and rich, these easy Peanut Butter Cake Mix cookies are such a fun treat. To make them extra-special mix in roasted peanuts or Reese’s Pieces!
Ingredients
- Half a 15.25 oz Boxed Butter Cake Mix or Yellow Cake Mix (216 grams or 7.62 Ounces or 1⅔ cups spooned and leveled)
- 1 Large Egg (50 grams without shell)
- ½ cup (128 grams) No-Stir Creamy Peanut Butter
- 3 tablespoons (42 grams) Butter, melted and cooled
- 2 to 3 tablespoons Granulated Sugar, for rolling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. If using a toaster oven adjust the cooking rack to the middle or bottom position and select the BAKE setting.
- In a large bowl, beat the 7.62 ounces of cake mix, egg, peanut butter, and butter until the ingredients are combined and a soft dough forms. To avoid over-mixing, beat just until the dough comes together.
- Pour the sugar into a small bowl.
- Scoop the dough into 1½ tablespoon portions and roll into balls. Add the balls to the sugar and roll to coat. Place on an ungreased baking sheet, with the cookies spaced about 1½-inches apart.
- Use the tines of a fork to gently press a crisscross pattern into the dough balls to flatten them.
- Bake until the cookies are set and barely beginning to brown around the edges, about 8 to 10 minutes. Leave them on the pan to cool for 10 minutes then use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the sheet pan is cool to the touch, scoop and bake the remaining dough.
Notes
Air Fryer Directions: Line the air fryer basket. Place rolled dough onto the liner spacing them about 1 inch apart. Press with a fork to make the crisscross pattern. Air Fry at 325°F until the edges are golden brown, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the basket from the air fryer. Leave the cookies inside the basket to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before removing them.
Mixins: Skip rolling the dough in sugar and fold in ⅓ to ½ cup of roasted peanuts, Reese’s pieces, or chocolate chips. Remember to gently press down the dough balls, otherwise, the cookies will not bake evenly.
Storage: The cookies will last about 3 days in a sealed container at room temperature. Or you can freeze them for up to 3 months. To thaw, leave on the counter for 30 minutes or pop in the microwave for about 20 seconds.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1 CookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 136Total Fat: 7.8gSaturated Fat: 2.8gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 138mgCarbohydrates: 13.7gFiber: 0.5gSugar: 7.5gProtein: 3g