If you love Nutter Butters, wait until you try the homemade version. These copycat Nutter Butter cookies are soft and chewy where the original is crunchy — same iconic peanut shape, same irresistible peanut butter filling, but made from scratch with simple ingredients and so much better than anything from a bag.
The dough comes together in one bowl, the shaping is easier than it looks, and the whole recipe is done in about 30 minutes. Once you make these, you will have a hard time going back to the store-bought version.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Better than store-bought — cleaner ingredients, more peanut butter flavor, and a texture you just cannot get from a packaged cookie
- Soft and chewy — unlike the crispy store-bought Nutter Butters, the homemade version has a soft, tender texture that peanut butter lovers go crazy for
- That iconic peanut shape — the shaping technique is simple once you know how, and the fork crosshatch makes them look exactly like the real thing
- Creamy peanut butter filling — a simple four-ingredient peanut butter frosting that pipes or spreads beautifully between the cookies
- One bowl, 30 minutes — quick enough for a weeknight treat, impressive enough for a cookie exchange
Ingredients in Homemade Nutter Butter Cookies
Cookie Dough
Salted butter — Three quarters of a cup, softened to room temperature. Salted butter adds a nice balance to the sweetness of the dough and the richness of the peanut butter.
White granulated sugar — Half a cup for sweetness and a slightly crisp edge.
Light brown sugar — Three quarters of a cup for moisture and depth of flavor. Make sure yours is soft and fresh.
Peanut butter — One cup of creamy peanut butter. Creamy gives you the smoothest dough and the best texture. Crunchy peanut butter works too if you want a little extra texture in every bite.
Egg — One large egg to bind the dough and add moisture.
Vanilla extract — One teaspoon to round out the peanut butter flavor.
All-purpose flour — Two cups for structure.
Baking soda — One and a quarter teaspoons to give the cookies a soft, slightly puffy texture.
Peanut Butter Filling
Salted butter — Quarter cup, softened.
Creamy peanut butter — Three quarters of a cup for a rich, intensely peanut buttery filling.
Whole milk — Three tablespoons to thin the filling to the right consistency. Add slowly and adjust as needed.
Powdered sugar — One and a quarter cups for sweetness and structure in the filling.
How to Make Homemade Nutter Butter Cookies
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2. Using a hand mixer, cream together the softened butter, both sugars, and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl for 3 to 4 minutes until smooth and creamy.
Step 3. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on high speed until fully incorporated.
Step 4. Add the flour and baking soda and mix on low to medium speed until the dry ingredients are fully combined and a dough forms.
Step 5 — Shaping the cookies. Divide the dough into 2-tablespoon portions. Roll each portion into a cylinder, then pinch gently in the center to create the classic peanut shape. Use a fork to press a crosshatch pattern into each end. This is what makes them look like real Nutter Butters — do not skip it!
Step 6. Place shaped cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1½ inches between each cookie. Bake for 12 minutes.
Step 7. Let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely — at least 20 minutes — before adding the filling. Do not rush this step. Warm cookies will melt the filling.
Step 8 — Make the filling. In a medium bowl, beat together the softened butter, peanut butter, milk, and powdered sugar with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the milk gradually — if the filling is too thick, add a little more milk. If it is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.
Step 9. Use a spatula or piping bag to spread or pipe the filling onto the flat side of half the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies to form sandwiches. Press gently so the filling reaches the edges.
Tips for the Best Homemade Nutter Butters
- Cool the cookies completely before filling. This is the most important tip. If the cookies are even slightly warm, the peanut butter filling will melt and run out the sides. Give them a full 20 minutes on the wire rack.
- The shaping is easier than it looks. Roll the dough into a cylinder, pinch the middle, and press the fork pattern in. It takes about 10 seconds per cookie once you get the rhythm and they look incredibly impressive.
- Use a piping bag for cleaner results. A zip-top bag with the corner snipped works just as well as a piping bag and gives you much more control over the filling than a spatula, especially around the edges.
- Creamy peanut butter works best. Natural peanut butter tends to be oilier and can make the dough too soft. Stick with a standard creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy for the most consistent results.
- Add the milk to the filling slowly. Start with two tablespoons and add more from there. It is much easier to thin a filling than to thicken one that has gotten too loose.
How to Store Homemade Nutter Butter Cookies
Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The cookies stay soft and the filling holds up well at room temperature.
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let them come to room temperature before eating for the best texture — cold peanut butter filling can be a little firm straight from the fridge.
Freezer: Freeze assembled sandwich cookies in a single layer until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Nutter Butter cookies? Nutter Butters are a classic store-bought peanut butter sandwich cookie made by Nabisco — two peanut-shaped peanut butter cookies with a creamy peanut butter filling in the middle. This homemade version recreates the same iconic shape and filling but with a softer, chewier texture.
What is the difference between homemade and store-bought Nutter Butters? Store-bought Nutter Butters are crispy and crunchy. This homemade version is soft and chewy, with a richer peanut butter flavor and a creamier filling. Most people who try both prefer the homemade version.
Can I use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy? Yes — crunchy peanut butter works well in the cookie dough and adds a little extra texture in every bite. For the filling, creamy peanut butter gives the smoothest result, but crunchy can work there too if you prefer.
Why did my filling melt into the cookies? The cookies were not fully cooled before the filling was added. Make sure the cookies have cooled completely on a wire rack — at least 20 minutes — before assembling.
Can I make the dough ahead of time? Yes. Refrigerate the dough covered for up to 48 hours before shaping and baking. The shaped, unbaked cookies can also be frozen and baked straight from frozen — just add 2 to 3 minutes to the bake time.
How do I get the peanut shape right? Roll the dough into a short cylinder, about 2 inches long, then pinch gently in the center so the two ends are slightly wider than the middle. Press a fork crosshatch pattern into both ends. It looks exactly like a peanut once baked — and it gets easier with every one you shape.
Can I make a larger batch? Absolutely — the recipe doubles easily. Use the same mixing bowl and bake in batches.
More Peanut Butter Cookie Recipes
Reese’s Peanut Butter Pudding Cookies — soft pudding cookies loaded with Reese’s pieces and peanut butter flavor throughout.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Cookies — the classic PB&J combination in sandwich cookie form — a fun twist on a childhood favorite.
No-Bake Peanut Butter Blossoms — all the flavor of a peanut butter blossom with zero oven time required.
Grandma’s Peanut Butter Cookies — a classic, timeless peanut butter cookie recipe that has been a family favorite for generations.
Soft, chewy, and loaded with peanut butter flavor in every bite — these homemade Nutter Butters are the upgrade the classic cookie has always deserved.
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