These Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies are amazingly sweet and delicate and a must-make for any peanut butter lover!
(This recipe for Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies was originally published in June 2011, but was updated with new photos in 2019).
Once upon a time, WANM had the fabulous opportunity to go to New York City and meet Tom Colicchio and Kelly Ripa. The day was a dream come true and I'm pretty sure Kelly Ripa is my spirit animal.
But potentially the best part? Chef Tom brought platters of cookies from his very own restaurant 'wichcraft and I seriously died and went to heaven when I took a bite of the peanut butter sandwich cookie. But then I came back to life in time to eat another one. Thank goodness.
Also, please excuse my bangs.
Anyway, I've been thinking about those cookies every day since. I wouldn't normally purchase an entire cookbook of sandwiches, but it turns out Tom Colicchio's 'wichcraft (affiliate link) is not your typical book of sandwiches. Trust me. I'm always game for a sandwich, but every one of these is blowing my mind. Plus, sandwiches in cookie form? Sign me up!
Once you've experienced heaven, you'll do whatever it takes to get back there. So, the first thing I did when I got home was to make the peanut butter sandwich cookies myself. I've made them countless times since and, yup, heaven every time.
PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH COOKIES RECIPE
Believe it or not, the secret to this cookie recipe is toasted oats. I swear. Since the first time I made these cookies, I've added toasted oats to cookies several times and it's absolutely always a good idea. So please, whatever you do, do not skip that step of the recipe.
Of course, sandwich cookies are a bit more complicated to make than regular old cookies, but I promise these ones are still relatively easy. And worth every little bit.
You'll start by toasting the oats. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the 4 Tbps of butter. When it's melted, pour in the oats and stir for about 5-7 minutes, until they'r nicely toasted and browned.
Lay a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and when the oats are done toasting, pour them on the parchment paper.
Now, for the batter! In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, combine 1 stick butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar, and beat until fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
Add peanut butter and continue mixing until well-combined. And delicious looking.
Now, add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Fold in the oats, too, as gently as you can.
Now, here's a new little trick that I learned and love. Put the dough on a large piece of parchment paper. And put another large piece of parchment paper over the top.
Now roll the dough out with a rolling pin, until it's about ¼ inch thick and even.
Slide the dough onto the back of a cookie sheet and stick in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes.
When the dough is done chilling, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place dough on the counter and take the top sheet of parchment paper off.
Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter (or biscuit cutter), cut 24 cookies out of your dough. If you're so inclined, you can re-roll the dough and get a few more cookies out of it. However, you'll want to chill the dough again before cutting as it will likely be quite warm at that point.
Place cookies about 1 inch apart on sheets. And bake them for 9-11 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until they're just turning golden.
Transfer the cookies to wire racks so they can cool completely.
And while they're cooling, you can make the most amazing cookie filling ever. Also the easiest!
All you have to do is put all of the ingredients (butter, peanut butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt) in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer and beat to combine.
Fill a pastry bag (or ziplock bag with the corner tip cut) with the peanut butter filling. And flip half of the cookies over and fill with peanut butter cream.
Top filled cookies with unfilled cookies and get prepared to die and go to heaven.
These peanut butter sandwich cookies are literally the best cookies I've ever had. If I had to compare them to anything, I guess it would be the Girl Scout's Do-Si-Dos. But these are so much more delicate and peanut buttery. They melt in your mouth and taste fresh-baked even when they've been sitting out for hours.
You'll likely die if you eat one. But don't worry because you'll come back just in time for another one. And it will all be worth it.
The cookies are super delicate and crumbly, but in a good way. They'll basically melt in your mouth.
I've made these peanut butter sandwich cookies many many times over the years and have to say that they're a big hit every time I make them. They're definitely worth the extra steps of chilling the dough, cutting out the cookies, and making a filling.
Oh, and the toasted oats. TOTALLY worth it.
If you're reading this blog and have a 'wichcraft near you, I am insanely jealous. Please go right now and eat every sandwich for me. And then eat every single cookie for me. And tell Tom Colicchio I say hi... Since obviously we're besties now.
Are you up to anything fun this weekend? Besides making these cookies, obviously.
What's the best cookie you've ever had?
If you love peanut butter cookies as much as I do, be sure to also try my XL Peanut Butter Cookies with Sprinkles and my Peanut Butter Toffee Cookies. I also can't wait to try these Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies from El Mundo Eats!
Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick), plus 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 1 batch peanut butter filling (recipe below)
Peanut Butter Filling
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup creamy peanut buter
- ¼ cup confectioners' sugar
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 Tbsp butter. Once melted, add oats and stir for about 5-7 minutes, until browned and toasted. Pour oats onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together 1 stick butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add peanut butter and continue mixing until well-combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the bowl and mix until just combined, taking care not to over-mix. Gently fold in the oats.
- Put the dough on a large sheet of parchment paper. Put another sheet of parchment paper over the top and roll the dough out with a rolling pin, until it’s about ¼ inch thick and even. Place the dough onto the back of a cookie sheet and put in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place dough on the counter and take the top sheet of parchment paper off. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter (or biscuit cutter), cut 24 cookies out of the dough.
- Place cookies about 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are just turning golden.
- Let cookies cool in the pan for a couple minutes before moving to wire racks to cool completely.
Peanut Butter Filling
- Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer and beat until well combined.
- Fill a pastry bag (or ziplock bag with the corner tip cut) with the peanut butter filling.
- Flip half of the cookies over and pipe peanut butter filling onto all of the flipped over cookies. Sandwich the other cookies on top of the filled cookies.
Notes
- Recipe adapted from Tom Colicchio's 'wichcraft (affiliate link)
Maris(In Good Taste) says
I cannot begin to tell you how great these look! Love the photo!
Simply Life says
oh that does look amazing and I would definitely eat one for you right now if I could!
Lauren at Keep It Sweet says
I can see why you love these, they look amazing!! I love peanut butter and I love sandwich cookies so I'd pretty much be in heaven:-)
Lauren @ Healthy Food For Living says
How can you possible go wrong with peanut butter cookies and peanut butter filling?! Fantastic.
It would be very difficult for me to choose a favorite cookie... but the best I've ever made would have to be the coconut-oat macaroons I posted a little while back. They disappeared too quickly!
Have fun this weekend! The weather is supposed to be gorgeous, so John and I are headed into the city for an al fresco meal, Pinkberry fro yo, and aimless urban wandering :).
Heather @ Get Healthy With Heather says
Oh me oh my those sound and LOOK amazing! Seriously, anything with PB rocks.
Jen @ BeantownBaker.com says
The best cookie you've ever made. Well that means I'm going to have to add them to my must-bake list! I don't think I could chose just one favorite cookie...
Shannon says
These look great! I love the Girl Scout Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies! But I love Tom too so I'll be making these soon! My favorite cookie is the old standard peanut butter cookie with a hershey kiss. YUM!
Beth @ DiningAndDishing says
oh WOW do these look good. i am a fan of peanut butter anything!! best cookie i ever had is a tough one - i've had a lot! 🙂 anything gooey in the middle gets my vote.
brandi says
These DO look fantastic! I love the toasted oats idea.
Favorite cookie ever? Tie: hot out of the oven chocolate chip cookies and my mom's no bakes 🙂
Erica says
Gosh, those look amazing. Peanut Butter? I'm pretty much in whenever its involved. Droooooool. Have so much fun this weekend! Can't wait to hear about both the Beer Fest and the wedding. This weekend for us? a little up in the air- a couple nice workouts, a date night, otherwise?? Favorite cookie- sugar sugar!
Sara @ Saucy Dipper says
I was having a hard time visualizing what this sandwich would look like until I saw it...obviously. And I think it's a great idea - I would freeze mine before snacking on it. Yum.
It's hard to say what my favorite cooking is. The one that I'm eating at that moment? I guess I enjoy all cookies a little too much.
Daisy says
I still can't get over the fact that you met Collicio and I will forever be jealous.
Sharlene says
Sometimes it's hard for me to imagine that any kind of dessert that's all the same flavor could be delicious. These, however, are making my mouth water as I sit here and I'm determined to have them in my stomach ASAP!
Michelle Collins says
I <3 peanut butter cookies! These look great. I made banana and chocolate chip cookies once and they were deeeeelish. Have a great weekend!
Elizabeth says
'wichcraft has the BEST sandwich cookies. I'm a sucker for any sort of sandwich cookie. I think I had a lemon one there once.
Reeni says
How did you know I have been craving something sweet and peanut buttery all day long? I am SO making these! How delectable. Hope you're having a great time at the Beer Fest!
Barbara says
I'm loving those cookies, but I'm thinking about somethings else. Be honest. Is Tom as cute as I think he is? And as nice?
sophia says
I love biscottis and macarons, the best cookie I've had was a Malaysian-style tea latte macaron.
You know, I have a crush on Tom. He's damn cool. Even if he's bald, somehow he just makes it look dashing! I want his book now!
emily says
thanks for enabling my pb cookie addiction, sues. 🙂
i've been LOVING smitten kitchen's chocolate chip cookies lately. they are really supposed to be oatmeal raisin, but i add chocolate chips instead. deelish.
Lisa @ Sweet as Sugar Cookies says
Mmm, that's peanut buttery goodness right there.
Cara says
I love Peanut Butter cookies so I will definitely be giving these a try. I'm so jealous you met Tom!
Susan says
Even the cookies without the peanut butter filling sound delicious!
linzo says
So I was in Vegas this weekend and saw 'wichcraft at the MGM...couldn't remember why it looked familiar but now as I am catching up on all my blogs today, I realize I think it was somewhere on your blog in the past. Sad I didn't get to go and try a sandwich but I was merely booking it to the nearest ATM and on my way to Wet Republic. Next time I'm in Vegas (in September) I'll have to stop in! 🙂
Vanessa says
Yum!!!!!
Shannon says
i want. now. please? 🙂
Karly says
Amazing! Can't go wrong with peanut butter!