National Peanut Butter Cookie Day – June 12

June 12 brings sweet and nutty cheer in the form of National Peanut Butter Cookie Day. This food holiday celebrates one of America’s classic homemade treats: the humble peanut butter cookie. With their crisscross fork marks and melt-in-your-mouth peanutty goodness, peanut butter cookies evoke nostalgia for bake sales, grandma’s kitchen, and after-school snacks.

On this day, cookie lovers across the U.S. preheat their ovens to pay tribute to a cookie that’s equal parts simple and satisfying. Whether you prefer them soft and chewy or crunchy and dunked in milk, peanut butter cookies are a comforting symbol of American baking. National Peanut Butter Cookie Day invites us to learn about the cookie’s origin, bake up a fresh batch, and maybe share a few fun facts (along with a plate of cookies) with friends and family.

Celebration Ideas for Peanut Butter Cookie Day

• Host a Cookie Baking Party: Gather friends or family in the kitchen and bake a batch (or three) of peanut butter cookies together. It’s a fun group activity, especially if kids are involved – they love using the fork to make the crisscross design on the dough. You can keep it classic or experiment with mix-ins (chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, chopped peanuts for extra crunch).
• Cookie Swap: If you know fellow bakers, organize a small cookie swap. Each person bakes their own twist on peanut butter cookies and then you exchange, so everyone goes home with an assortment. One friend might make gluten-free peanut butter cookies (which are remarkably easy – peanut butter, sugar, and egg can make a flourless cookie), another could do a deluxe version drizzled in chocolate.
• Enjoy with a Cold Beverage: There’s something about a peanut butter cookie that begs for a glass of cold milk. Take a moment to savor that classic pairing. Not into dairy? A cold oat milk or almond milk works beautifully too (especially since nutty flavors complement peanut butter). For adults feeling indulgent, a peanut butter cookie stout beer or a latte with a peanut butter cookie on the side could be a treat in the evening.
• Share the Joy: Peanut butter cookies travel well, so consider whipping up a batch to share beyond your home. Drop some off for neighbors, bring a plate to work (you’ll be very popular around the office coffee machine), or donate a batch to a local bake sale or charity event. These cookies, with their homespun appeal, tend to bring smiles to faces of all ages.

Don’t forget to snap a few photos of your peanut butter cookie creations. Social media on June 12 will be filled with golden, crisscrossed cookies under the hashtag #PeanutButterCookieDay. Join the fun and maybe pick up some new recipe ideas or decorating tips from others in the online baking community.

History of Peanut Butter Cookies

The peanut butter cookie’s roots are intertwined with the rise of peanut cultivation and peanut butter in American cuisine. Peanuts themselves have a long history – they were a key crop for centuries in South America before making their way to North America. But it wasn’t until the late 19th century that peanut butter as we know it was invented (early versions were developed by a Canadian pharmacist in 1884 and Dr. John Kellogg in 1895). Once peanut butter hit the market in the early 1900s, it naturally found its way into baking. One of the first known peanut cookie recipes was published by George Washington Carver in 1916. Carver, the famed agricultural scientist, included three recipes for ground peanut cookies (though not exactly the peanut butter cookies of today) in his bulletin “How to Grow the Peanut and 105 Ways of Preparing it for Human Consumption.”

The truly distinct peanut butter cookie – using creamy peanut butter as a main component – appears to have emerged in the 1920s and 1930s. By 1932, an important innovation came along: the fork-cross hatch pattern. The idea of pressing the cookie dough balls with fork tines, first one way and then the other, was printed in a July 1, 1932 newspaper (the Schenectady Gazette) recipe. The fork marks helped flatten the dense peanut butter dough for even baking, and they quickly became the signature look of the peanut butter cookie. In 1933, Pillsbury’s popular cookbook instructed home bakers to use the fork crisscross on their “Peanut Butter Balls” cookies, cementing the practice.

As peanut butter’s popularity soared in the mid-20th century (fueled by brands like Skippy and Jif), peanut butter cookies became a household standard. They were easy to make, required few ingredients, and offered a pleasant sweet-salty flavor. It’s unclear who founded National Peanut Butter Cookie Day as a holiday – like many food days, it likely began as a grassroots celebration among baking enthusiasts or was promoted by peanut industry folks. The date of June 12 has been used for at least a couple of decades. Notably, June is Peanut Month in some circles, so a cookie tie-in makes sense. Today, peanut butter cookies continue to be cherished. They even have variations – from adding chocolate chips or sandwiching them with jam (for a “PB&J” cookie) – but the classic crisscross version remains king. On National Peanut Butter Cookie Day, we honor this cookie’s heritage and deliciousness.

Recipes and Variations

• Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies: After baking and cooling your cookies, dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate. Lay them on wax paper to set. This adds a touch of decadence – like a Reese’s cup in cookie form.
• Peanut Butter Blossoms: Roll your dough into balls and bake as usual. As soon as they come out of the oven, press an unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each cookie. The chocolate softens and adheres as the cookie cools – peanut butter and chocolate, a perfect match.
• PB&J Thumbprints: Roll dough into balls and use your thumb to press an indentation in each ball before baking. Spoon a bit of your favorite jam or jelly into the indentation while the cookies are still warm. The fruity sweetness adds a lovely contrast to the rich peanut butter.
• Gluten-Free 3-Ingredient Cookies: Mix 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup sugar, and 1 large egg. Drop spoonfuls, fork press them, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes. Moist, rich, and naturally gluten-free.

For a fun serving idea, make ice cream sandwiches with peanut butter cookies and vanilla ice cream. Freeze for an hour for a delightful summertime treat. If desired, roll the edges in chopped peanuts or mini chocolate chips.

When it comes to peanut butter, commercial brands like Jif or Skippy work well. Natural or crunchy peanut butter can be used for extra texture – just stir natural butter before baking. Specialty flavored peanut butters (like honey-roasted) can add a unique twist to your dough.

Future National Peanut Butter Cookie Day Dates

Year	Date	Day of the Week
2025	June 12, 2025	Thursday
2026	June 12, 2026	Friday
2027	June 12, 2027	Saturday
2028	June 12, 2028	Monday
2029	June 12, 2029	Tuesday

Fun Facts about Peanut Butter Cookies

• Fork marks tradition: The iconic crisscross pattern started as a practical method to flatten dense dough for even baking. The first printed reference appeared in the Schenectady Gazette in 1932, and Pillsbury popularized it in 1933.
• A Carver creation? George Washington Carver included peanut cookie recipes in a 1916 peanut bulletin, though they used chopped peanuts rather than smooth peanut butter.
• Crunchy vs. creamy: Surveys show about 60% of Americans prefer creamy peanut butter, while 40% prefer crunchy. Both textures are equally beloved in peanut butter cookies.
• Modern mashups: Peanut butter cookie dough is often used as a crust for pies, mixed into ice cream, or turned into a dip – showcasing the cookie’s evolving versatility.