Peanut butter miso cookies are chewy peanut butter cookies with a hint of savory flavor from miso paste. These unique cookies strike the perfect balance of rich, salty, and sweet; everyone will love them!

peanut butter miso cookies drizzled with peanut butter.

After my chocolate chip miso cookies and miso brownies were big hits amongst readers, I knew a peanut butter flavor was needed! These peanut butter miso cookies strike the perfect balance of rich peanut butter and savory miso flavor.

The miso paste, while undetectable, brings a delectable umami flavor to the cookies, making them super addicting!

If you love peanut butter recipes, you must try my super popular Nutter Butter Cookie Bars and Peanut Butter Marbled Cookies.

why you’ll love these peanut butter miso cookies

  • These are chewy peanut butter cookies with a chewy texture and crispy edges with crackled sugar tops for a subtle crunch, similar to my marshmallow cookies.
  • If you are a peanut butter lover, you will love this recipe! I’ve been told by many people that these are the BEST peanut butter cookies. I know it sounds weird, but the miso paste is the best flavor enhancer to balance out the richness.

ingredient notes & substitutions

ingredients needed to make peanut butter cookies in bowls with labels.

Miso paste: You can find miso in the refrigerated section near the tofu at the grocery store. You may notice red miso or yellow miso, which have their own unique flavors. I recommend using white miso paste

Peanut butter: This recipe calls for creamy peanut butter, but you could substitute crunchy peanut butter if you prefer more texture in your cookies. I recommend buying no-stir peanut butter, this will prevent too much oil from getting into the dough.

Brown sugar: While this recipe calls for light brown sugar, dark brown sugar can be substituted.

Cane sugar: I recommend using coarse cane sugar instead of granulated sugar for perfect crackled tops.

Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card below!

recipe instructions

a mixing bowl with peanut butter, miso, and butter creamed together.

Step 1: Cream the butter. In a stand mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, cream the unsalted butter, peanut butter, and miso paste together until combined. You can also use a large bowl and hand mixer. 

a mixing bowl with the creamed butter and sugar.

Step 2: Mix in the sugars. Mix in the light brown sugar and granulated sugar. Cream for 2-3 minutes until it looks light and fluffy. 

a mixing bowl with the creamed butter with egg and vanilla on top.

Step 3: Mix in the wet ingredients. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

peanut butter cookie dough in a mixing bowl.

Step 4: Fold in the dry ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until just combined.

Cover and chill the dough in the fridge until firm, at least 1 hour.

cookie dough balls rolled in sugar on a baking tray.

Step 5: Scoop! Scoop two tablespoons of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roll each one in cane sugar.

Then chill the tray of cookie dough balls in the freezer overnight. This chill time gives them the best flavor!

peanut butter dough ball covered in sugar on a baking tray.

Step 6: Bake! Roll the cookies in sugar again, leaving a pile of it on top. There must be enough sugar on top or they won’t crack!

Bake the cookies in the oven until the middles are puffy and crackled. 

Let them cool on a wire cooling rack until set. If desired, you can drizzle them with melted peanut butter or enjoy them as is!

expert baking tips

  • Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is much more accurate than cup measurements. To convert this recipe, click the “metric” button next to the ingredients title on the recipe card. If you do not have a scale, use a spoon to fluff the flour first, then spoon it into your measuring cup.
  • Use room temperature ingredients. Using room temperature ingredients creates a smooth, fully blended dough that will result in a uniform texture and even baking.
  • Additions: Feel free to add in some chopped chocolate bars or peanut butter chips for more flavor.
  • Use a cookie scoop. For ease of scooping and perfect-sized portions, use a cookie scoop!

storage & freezing

Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Once scooped, keep the frozen dough balls in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to three months. You can bake them straight from the freezer, just don’t forget to roll them in sugar before you do!

recipe faqs

Can I leave out the miso paste?

Definitely! If you don’t care for the miso, you can make them as regular peanut butter cookies.

Why are my cookies hard and not soft in the center?

Overbaking the cookies can result in a hard and crisp texture. Because every oven is different, baking times may vary. I recommend looking for the centers to be puffy and crackled, with light brown edges. The cookies will continue to bake on the hot tray out of the oven so don’t worry if they are slightly underbaked.

Where can I buy miso paste?

You can find it near the tofu in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Most stores carry it, but if you can’t find any, you can also order it online.

Can I skip the chilling time if I’m in a hurry?

For the best flavor, the cookies should chill overnight. If needed, you can bake them the same day after they have been chilled in the freezer for at least 1-2 hours. This will prevent them from spreading too much.

peanut butter cookie with a bite taken out of it on parchment paper.

If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments below, I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!

peanut butter miso cookies drizzled with peanut butter.

Peanut Butter Miso Cookies

5 from 27 votes
– by Cambrea Gordon

These peanut butter miso cookies are chewy peanut butter cookies with a hint of savory flavor from miso paste. These unique cookies strike the perfect balance of rich, salty, and sweet; everyone will love them!
Print Recipe Save Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 23 servings
Need Metric Measurements?Use the button options below to toggle between US cups and Metric grams!

Ingredients 
 

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup no-stir unsalted peanut butter, room temperature
  • 3 tbsp white miso paste, room temperature
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/8 cupt granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/3 cup cane sugar, for rolling

Instructions

  • In a stand mixing bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, and miso until smooth and combined, about 1 minute.
    1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, 1/2 cup (115 grams) no-stir unsalted peanut butter, 3 tbsp (60 grams) white miso paste
  • Mix in the sugars for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
    1 cup (150 grams) light brown sugar, 1/8 cupt (35 grams) granulated sugar
  • Mix in the egg and vanilla.
    1 large (55 grams) egg, 1 tsp (4 grams) vanilla extract
  • Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.
    1 1/4 cup (150 grams) all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • Cover and chill the dough in the fridge for 1 hour, or until firm.
  • Then scoop the dough into 2 tablespoon-sized balls, roll them in cane sugar, and place them onto a parchment-lined baking tray.
    1/3 cup cane sugar
  • Chill the tray in the freezer overnight. This chill time gives the cookies the best flavor! If you need to bake them the same day, chill them for at least 2-3 hours in the freezer before baking.
  • Then preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C.
  • Roll the cookies in cane sugar again, leaving a pile of sugar on top of each dough ball. This is crucial for achieving the crackled tops!
  • Bake the cookies spaced 2-3 inches apart for 10-11 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are soft, puffed, and crackled.
  • Let the tray cool on a wire rack. If desired, you can drizzle them with extra melted peanut butter or enjoy them as is!

Video

Notes

Step-by-step process photos are provided above, in the body of this post
*Measure your flour properly. This is my #1 baking tip! Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour as this always leads to using too much flour. Instead, use the spoon-level method. This means fluffing the flour first, then spooning it into your measuring cup/spoon. For the BEST results, use a kitchen scale!*
 
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 279mg | Potassium: 53mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 261IU | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg

The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.

The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.

5 from 27 votes (12 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




30 Comments

  1. I would love a gluten-free less sugar version of this recipe! My local bakery makes them this way, but of course they’re not giving up the recipe!5 stars

  2. What’s the drizzle for this? I just made these cookies and wanna try that amazing looking drizzle with them! 😍❤️5 stars

  3. Some of the best peanut nut butter cookies ever. Got raving compliments from them. 🙌🏻5 stars

  4. I found some white miso paste at trader joe’s and always wanted to know what the hype was around putting it in dessert. These were really simple to make and really good!5 stars