These chewy fluffernutter cookies are the best peanut butter cookies, stuffed with marshmallows and even more peanut butter. The dough gently cracks open to expose the melted marshmallows and gooey peanut butter and taste like a cookie version of a classic fluffernutter sandwich!
This unique recipe is straightforward to assemble and is perfect for peanut butter lovers. The cookies keep for days, get even softer as time goes on, and can even be stored in the freezer and baked directly from frozen.
If you love peanut butter, you've come to the right place. These marshmallow filled cookies are my absolute favorite cookie recipe and truly can't be beaten.
The combination of peanut butter and marshmallow is a classic for a reason, so you should also try this fluffernutter fudge! And, if you love a PBJ (another classic), maybe these peanut butter and jelly cookies are more your style.
This is the original fluffernutter cookie recipe, and with over 40 five-star reviews, we know this will become your go-to peanut butter cookie recipe!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Texture - They're soft like a classic peanut butter cookie, but just firm enough to hold the marshmallow filling in. Each cookie cracks open slightly differently, and the tops get slightly crispy. Once fully cooled, the cookies get super chewy, and get softer as the days go on from the moisture in the filling!
Flavor - Rich, major peanut butter flavor, and the sweet vanilla flavor from the melted marshmallows. I like to add peanut butter chips to bring home the flavor.
Nostalgia - If you grew up eating fluffernutter sandwiches as a kid, you're going to love these. It's that ooey gooey peanut butter and marshmallow filling that you loved stuffed into a peanut butter cookie!
Marshmallows vs. Marshmallow Fluff vs. Marshmallow Creme
All of these contain the same base ingredients but have different methods and the additions of a few different ingredients to change the textures of the base recipe.
Marshmallows contain gelatin, marshmallow creme contains xanthan gum or cream of tartar, and marshmallow fluff doesn't contain either. Fluff and creme are a spreadable consistency, while marshmallows are stabilized to stay much more springy in form.
These stuffed peanut butter cookies use standard marshmallows, which hold up best to the stuffing process, and also allow for a slower melt for that exposed crack! The marshmallows melt into a gooey texture that taste just like marshmallow fluff.
Ingredients
- Sugar. A mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar creates the perfect peanut butter cookie dough.
- Peanut butter. Creamy, non-natural peanut butter needs to be used. This means Jif, Skippy, or Peter Pan-type brands. Natural peanut butter doesn't contain the necessary structure and adds too much oil to the dough and centers.
- Marshmallows. Whole, normal-sized marshmallows are used. I've found that Aldi-brand marshmallows work best for this recipe!
- Peanut butter chips. These are totally optional, but I love how they make the cookies look, plus, who doesn't want a bit of extra peanut butter?
See recipe card for full ingredients list and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Mini marshmallows - use about 4-5 mini marshmallows in the centers if you don't have normal marshmallows.
- Smaller cookies - cut the marshmallows in half, peanut butter filling amount in half, and the dough balls in half to make smaller cookies.
- Chocolate chips - stud the cookies with chocolate chips rather than peanut butter chips to make chocolate fluffernutter cookies!
- Use crunchy peanut butter in place of creamy.
How to Make This Recipe
One: Add 12 teaspoon dollops of peanut butter to parchment paper and freeze.
Two: Cream together the butter and peanut butter until smooth.
Three: Add the sugar and eggs and beat until fluffy.
Four: Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Five: Scoop out 12 even balls of dough and add to a parchment lined baking sheet.
Six: Squeeze the a ball of dough in your hands to bring it together.
Hot tip! The dough should feel soft play-doh and be very easy to work with and assemble.
Seven: Flatten out a piece of dough to the side of your palm.
Eight: Add a dollop of frozen peanut butter to the center.
Nine: Add a marshmallow on top (horizontally).
Ten: Close the dough over the marshmallow and press to seal.
Eleven: Add the dough marshmallow side down and stud with peanut butter chips.
Twelve: Bake according to instructions, then smack the pan on the counter a few times. Cool completely on the pan before removing.
Hot tip! The cookies spread a lot during the baking process. Spray a rubber spatula with cooking spray and use it to push the cookies back together into a circle. The non-stick spray prevents the marshmallow from sticking!
Expert Tips
- Use a digital scale or the fluff, scoop, and level method to measure the flour. Too much flour will result in cookies that don't spread correctly.
- Work in batches of 3-4 when assembling the cookies, leaving the peanut butter dollops in the freezer. Keeping them frozen is key to easy assembly.
- Bake on parchment paper. The marshmallow seeps out in some places and can get stuck to an unlined pan.
- Only bake 6 cookies on a large cookie sheet. Do not over crowd the pan.
- It's difficult to tell when these cookies are done. Bake only for the amount listed. Overcooking can cause the marshmallows to disintegrate.
- If the cookies haven't quite flattened the whole way, smack the pan on the counter a few times straight out of the oven to help them fall.
Recipe FAQs
Aldi brand marshmallows have given me the best results for this recipe! Stay away from homemade marshmallows or any organic or natural marshmallows. For this recipe, we need marshmallows with additives for a bit of structure.
Not in this recipe. The cookie dough needs the structure of the marshmallow to completely wrap around - the fluff is too soft. The marshmallow takes longer to melt which gives the cookie time to cook before cracking open to show the gooey marshmallow.
This likely means the cookie was over-baked. Some brands of marshmallows also melt more quickly than others. Try Aldi brand or store-brand marshmallows for best results.
If the cookies remain in a mounded form and don't spread, this is likely because too much flour was used. Measure with a digital scale, or the fluff, scoop and level method.
Storage
Store the cookies flat in a sealed container for up to 5 days. If you need to stack them, place a piece of wax paper in between so the marshmallow sticks to the paper instead of other cookies.
Freeze the baked cookies in an airtight container for one month. Remove individual cookies from the freezer and thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Baking Fluffernutter Cookies from Frozen
Once the dough ball are assembled, place them on a cookie sheet and flash freeze them for 30 minutes, then transfer to a zip-top bag or sealed container.
Bake the cookies from frozen in a preheated 350℉/177℃ oven for 13-15 minutes.
Store the frozen dough balls for up to 2 months.
More Peanut Butter Recipes You'll Love
What to Know When Cooking with The Cozy Plum
- All recipes are created with Diamond Crystal kosher salt, the least salty variety of kosher salt. If using Morton's, you'll need to cut the amount of salt in half as it's 2x as salty. This will be the same for sea salt. Please do not use table salt.
- Switch between Cups vs Metric using the toggle on the recipe card. Baking by weight using a digital scale will always produce the most accurate results.
- Scale the recipe using the '1X' '2X' '3X' buttons on the recipe card. Note that this does not make an adjustment for baking times, only quantities.
- If you'd like to make the recipe in a different pan, use the pan size converter.
📖Recipe
Fluffernutter Cookies
Equipment
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment, or handheld mixer
- Two full-sized cookie sheets
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter divided, Jif/Skippy/Peter Pan (not natural)
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- 12 marshmallows standard sized
- peanut butter chips optional
Instructions
- Lay a piece of parchment paper over a standard sized plate. Measure out ¼ cup (~67g) of peanut butter, then use a teaspoon measure to scoop heaping scoops onto the plate. You will need 12 dollops. Use more peanut butter to get to 12, if needed. Place the peanut butter in the freezer while preparing the dough.1 cup creamy peanut butter
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and ¾ cup (202g) peanut butter, then add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup light brown sugar, ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix to combine, then scrape down the sides. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and mix until just incorporated.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- Prepare two full sized cookie sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350℉/180℃.
Assembly
- Measure out three even tablespoons (~60g) of dough then flatten it out in between your palms. Place one dollop of the frozen peanut butter in the center, then add a marshmallow (on its long side) on top and gently press down.12 marshmallows
- Work the dough upwards and around the top of the marshmallow until it’s completely sealed. The dough may crack in some places - just gently push it together with your thumbs as best as possible. Place the dough seam side/marshmallow side down on the cookie sheet.
- Repeat this until there are 12 cookie dough balls. It's best to work in batches of 3 or 4, leaving the extra peanut butter in the freezer. Arrange the cookies, 6 on each pan, and stud each top with 4-5 peanut butter chips, if desired.peanut butter chips
- Bake one pan at a time for 9-11 minutes on the middle rack, then remove the pan and smack it on the counter a few times.
- Spray cooking spray on a rubber spatula and press in the sides to re-shape the cookies.
- Let cool completely on the pan before transferring to a serving platter or storage container. You may need to use a spatula to lift off some of the sticky marshmallow pieces.
Video
Notes
Did you make this recipe? Share it with us! Tag @thecozyplum on Instagram & Facebook and leave a star rating ⭐️ below!
Allison
I've been dying to make these cookies since you first posted the recipe, and oh man they are DELICIOUS! They're easy and fun to make (my toddler helped!), so pretty, and they taste amazing! I saw Aubrey's comment above about making the cookies smaller and I liked that idea, so I tried it and it worked out great. I used 1/2 tsp. scoops of peanut butter, cut the marshmallows in half, and used a 1.5 oz. cookie scoop and got 22 cookies. I also accidentally bought crunchy peanut butter so I used that instead of creamy and it worked just fine. I will definitely be making these cookies again! Thank you for the awesome recipe!
The Cozy Plum
Allison! Awesome comments and details here - I'm sure this will help lots of others to make a smaller cookie, and so glad they came out great. Also good news on the crunchy variety! Thanks so much for making these!
Lisa
I.love.these.cookies!
They taste so good and aren‘t too sweet and the dollop of peanut butter with the marshmallow inside...perfection.
I couldn’t add any peanut butter chips,because we don’t have them here in Germany. I‘m going to make some myself next time or add chocolate chips. But even without any of them they were amazing. Thank you for this tasty recipe!
The Cozy Plum
Lisa, thank you for this awesome review! Seems like many have really enjoyed the addition of chocolate chips, so can't go wrong there 🙂 Very glad you enjoyed them!
Barbara
These cookies are phenomenal! The cookie dough itself is amazing, then adding more peanut butter and marshmallow and they are mind blowing! Recipe is easy to follow and comes together quick. Highly recommend this one! It’s going in my regular rotation. Planning on using them instead of graham crackers for s'mores this weekend!!
The Cozy Plum
Yay!! Thanks for this review, Barbara. I also love the dough and think it's so nice to work with. Perfect idea on the new s'mores version 😉
Bree Hester
These were incredible! These are so delicious and easy to make but seem really labor intensive. They are not at all!
The Cozy Plum
Thanks so much, Bree! Any I've heard this many times now - much more simple than they appear!
Aly
I tried some fluffernutter cookies from the grocery store a few months ago, that left me wanting. They weren't very peanut-y or marshmallow-y despite their appearance. These are everything you could want and hit all the nostalgic notes. We ate them slightly warm with a glass of milk. I might try making smaller ones next time with half a marshmallow or some mini marshmallows. I also wonder how well homemade marshmallows will hold up since they melt faster than store bought ?
The Cozy Plum
Thank you Aly!! Glad these hit those nostalgic notes, haha. My sister made smaller ones by halving the marshmallows and she said they turned out great (with less baking time). She mentioned it took way more time to make that many, but you could definitely half this recipe without issues. As far as the homemade marshmallows, my assumption is that they would disintegrate (no additives), but if you try and they work, I would love to know!
Susan
Ah-mazing. These looked like they came straight from the bakery and tasted even better. I used chocolate chips instead of peanut butter chips and they were delicious. I usually leave a baked treat for my mailman and he praised these cookies saying “it was like 3 cookies in one - peanut butter, marshmallow, and chocolate chip.” Definitely adding these to my go-to list.
The Cozy Plum
Susan, this is the best review!! Thanks so much, and ver nice about your mailman, haha!
Amanda
These were very good! I substituted earth balance butter, bobs red mill egg replacer, and used 4 Trader Joe’s mini marshmallows per cookie and it worked!
The Cozy Plum
Amanda thank you for providing this feedback on the plant based substitutions! So great to know, and very glad you enjoyed them.
Courtney
These are seriously SO delicious! As soon as I saw this post I knew I had to make them, and they turned out every bit as delicious as they look! I followed the recipe and directions as written and they turned out perfect. This will be a new favorite go-to cookie recipe for sure!
The Cozy Plum
Thank you Courtney!! Glad they turned out so perfectly for you. Thank you for making them 🙂
Cassidy
These cookies are so amazing and will for sure please that sweet tooth of yours!! 😉 I added chocolate chips instead of pb chips and they were super good too! Thank you for the recipe! Highly recommend these! ???
The Cozy Plum
Thanks so much Cassidy! Love the chocolate chip addition 😉
Alli P.
These were hands down one of the best cookies I’ve ever made. The process was very easy and to be completely honest we had most of the ingredients on hand. Super simple to make yet look like a million bucks! My kids devoured them! Will definitely be making again in the near future. Great Recipe, Callan!!
The Cozy Plum
Ahh Alli this is the best news! Thanks so much for making them, and glad the family enjoyed 🙂
Lisa
Delightful, nostalgic, and a heck of a lot of fun to make! And eat, of course!
The Cozy Plum
Thanks so much for this review, Lisa! Totally agree on the nostalgia!
Elizabeth Richwine
THESE! COOKIES! Where have they been all my life?! Perfectly balanced in texture and flavor, and so fun to make. My family nearly passed out with the marshmallowy goo in the center. Followed the recipe to a tee - but instead of PB chips, we studded with semi-sweet chocolate bits before baking.
I’ll put this recipe on repeat, for sure. Waaay more than your average cookie experience!
The Cozy Plum
THANK YOU, Elizabeth! Any sort of chip that feels right definitely works here. The center is the best part!! Thanks for making 🙂
Aubrey
These cookies were FANTASTIC!! So peanut buttery and the marshmallow added to such a nice salty sweet moment. I made mini versions (cut the marshmallows in half) and it still worked so well! Definitely important to follow the notes about over baking...I disintegrated a few marshmallows (but they still tasted amazing). 10/10!
The Cozy Plum
So great you were able to cut them in half and still find success! Also, good tip on the over baking - it's a fine line!
Stef
these are amazing! and, if you follow all the instructions they are very easy to make (and I’m no baker!). everyone in the family loved them and I’m sure you will too. way to go, Callan! Another home run recipe.
The Cozy Plum
Stef, thanks so much for making these and for your feedback! So glad you all enjoyed them 🙂
Genifer Ring
The recipe is perfect as written! My son added some Chocolate chunks to the center for fun, and it was tasty.
The Cozy Plum
Ahh I love that you added chocolate chunks to the center! More gooey-ness. Thanks so much for trying these!