Copycat Nutter Butter Cookies
A childhood staple in a delicious homemade version.
Copycat Nutter Butters are here to stay in your rotation of home-baked goods. A simple cookie dough gets a whimsical peanut-shaped makeover, baking up in the oven to a perfect tender, firm, and chewy texture. Sandwiched with a lusciously smooth peanut butter frosting will blow the store-bought versions out of the water.
Peanut butter is the condiment of the US, quite literally. First used as a vegetarian supplement by wealthy elites at medical spas during the Victorian era as well as mixed with alcohol as a fancy adult appetizer; this humble legume partnered up with industrial innovations becoming a staple in the kitchen not just for the classic PB&J sandwich, but for desserts as well. While peanut butter cookies date back as far as 1910, the Nabisco Nutter Butter didn’t hit the supermarket shelves until the late 1960s. Who decided to make the distinct dual-sided waffle pattern on the cookie is hard to say, but its peanut shape and double peanut cookie-cream combination definitely distinguish the Nutter Butter from the competitive store-bought cookie market.
A package of these cookies while absolutely delicious can always have a fancy upgrade — enter Copycat Nutter Butter Cookies. A simple dough and filling made into that classic peanut shape without a lot of fuss.
The dough is like any peanut butter cookie dough out there, using a mix of granulated and light brown sugar to not just provide structure, but also a great caramel tone of flavor to the dough.
Once the dough chills for a while in the fridge, it’s time to form the peanut shapes. While there are several techniques, this version requires the least amount of dough rolling and gives that classic peanut silhouette.
Divide the dough into three to four-inch long logs. Flatten the logs and set these round oval cookies onto the prepared parchment line trays.
Use the tines of a fork to give the cookies that cross-hatched appearance.
Use your fingers to pinch the center of the oval, giving it a figure-eight shape. Don’t be afraid to give the cookies a deep pinch, as the shape will soften and spread in the oven.
These cookies only need a short stint in the oven before being set onto a wire rack to cool completely.
The frosting, a rich ratio of butter and peanut butter, is blended with powdered sugar and milk creating a silky smooth texture.
Sandwiched with ample frosting between the two cookies and these Copycat Nutter Butter Cookies are ready to serve!
The cookies have a satisfying bite to them that the store-bought version lacks. It’s a chew of a bakery’s jumbo peanut butter cookie mixed with the melt-and-your-mouth texture of a holiday snicker doodle.
Salty sweet elements in the cookies and the frosting make for an addicting bite you want to go back to again and again.
The tenderness of the cookies makes for an easy bite, yet they are firm enough to be able to dunk into a glass of cold milk.
Copycat Nutter Butter Cookies
For the cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
For the frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoon milk or cream, room temperature
To make the cookies:
- Beat butter and peanut butter for 30 seconds to incorporate. Add in granulated sugar followed by the light brown sugar beating until smooth and lump free, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in the vanilla, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Gradually add in the flour until a dough forms, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
- Preheat heat to 375°F and line two baking pans with parchment paper, set aside.
- Form the dough into small 3 to 4-inch cylindrical log-like shapes.
- Flatten the logs and place them on the parchment-lined trays with 2-inches of space on each side.
- Press the tines of a fork down on the cookie, pressing in one direction and then the other direction.
- Use your fingers to squeeze the center to create the peanut shape.
- Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden but not too dark. Let the cookies cool on the pans for 2 to 3 minutes before transferring them onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
To make the frosting:
- In a clean bowl beat butter until smooth, light, and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes on a medium speed. Add in peanut butter, beating to combine it with the butter.
- Gradually add in the powdered sugar followed by the vanilla. If the frosting looks too thick, add in a bit of milk or cream a tablespoon at a time.
- Spread a tablespoon of frosting onto the backside of one cookie and then top it with another cookie, creating a sandwich. Repeat this process with the remaining cookies.
Recipe adapted from Cookies And Cups.