Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Peanut butter cookies entered the American repertoire around 1916, shortly after peanut butter became a pantry staple. That iconic crosshatch pattern? It started as a practical solution. The dense dough needed help flattening in the oven, and pressing with fork tines did the job while creating a signature look. Function became tradition.

Sandwiching two of these cookies around a peanut butter filling is gilding the lily in the best possible way. The cookie itself is tender, just slightly crumbly, with that roasted nuttiness that comes only from real peanut butter. The filling adds richness and structure, transforming a humble cookie into something that feels like a proper confection.

I've tested this recipe with every style of peanut butter available. Natural peanut butter, the kind with oil pooling on top, produces a more delicate cookie with pure peanut flavor. Commercial peanut butter with stabilizers gives you a sturdier cookie that holds its shape better. Both work. Use what you have, and use what you love.

These cookies freeze beautifully, which makes them ideal for baking ahead. The assembled sandwiches actually improve after a day, as the filling softens the cookies slightly and the flavors meld together. Make a double batch. You'll need it.