Homemade Nutter Butters
Smooth honey buttercream sandwiched between two crisp peanut wafers—they’re salty, sweet, and so much better than the store-bought variety!
For the next installment of my series “Elevated Nostalgia,” we’re recreating one of my all-time favorites: Nutter Butters!
What are Nutter Butters?
If you’ve somehow gone throughout life without enjoying one of these delicious sandwich cookies, then let me enlighten you. Produced by the Nabisco brand, Nutter Butters are an iconic American snack made from two peanut butter wafers and a smooth peanut butter creme filling. Aside from Oreos, they were always my go-to snack on road trips and are one of the only childhood treats I still enjoy!
Ingredients for Homemade Nutter Butters
You can skip the crazy ingredient list of traditional Nutter Butters—to make your own, here’s what you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter.
- Granulated sugar.
- Light brown sugar.
- Vanilla extract.
- Creamy peanut butter.
- Egg white.
- All-purpose flour.
- Whole wheat flour.
- Baking powder.
- Baking soda.
- Kosher salt.
- Honey, powdered sugar, and milk (for the frosting)
Recipe FAQs
- Can I use natural peanut butter? For this recipe, it’s best to use a commercial brand of peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. The oil separation in natural peanut butter will alter the cookie dough texture and make it too greasy or crumbly.
- What if I don’t have whole wheat flour? Like the original Nutter Butter, this recipe includes whole wheat flour for an added nutty flavor. If you don’t have it, just substitute the whole wheat flour with all-purpose flour in a 1:1 ratio. However, since whole wheat absorbs more water compared to all-purpose, you may need to add a couple more tablespoons of flour if the dough seems too sticky.
- How do I shape the cookies like Nutter Butters? To get that iconic Nutter Butter shape, I used this cookie stamp from Amazon. However, if you don’t have a peanut-shaped cutter, just use a classic circle cookie cutter!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Let the cookies cool completely before filling. If the cookies are even slightly warm, the peanut butter filling will melt and ooze out the sides.
- Don’t skip on chilling the cookies. It can be annoying, but chilling the cookie dough is essential for this recipe. By doing so, you let the ingredients fully hydrate and harden, making it so much easier to roll out and shape.
- Don’t overbake. While the wafers are meant to be crisp, no one wants a tough or burned cookie—you’ll know when the Nutter Butters are done once the cookies are dry on top and golden brown on the edges.
Storage Instructions
To store homemade Nutter Butters, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. For longer storage, keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months and thaw before serving.
still hungry? Check out these other peanut butter recipes!
- Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies.
- Homemade Peanut Butter Granola.
- Chocolate Great Depression Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting.
Hope you guys love this recipe as much as I do—happy baking!
Homemade Nutter Butters
Smooth honey buttercream sandwiched between two crisp peanut wafers—they're salty, sweet, and so much better than the store-bought variety!
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Servings: 14 cookies
Ingredients
For the peanut butter wafer cookies
- ½ cup softened butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter (such as JIF or Skippy)
- 1 large egg white, at room temperature
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the buttercream filling
- ½ cup softened butter
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter (such as JIF or Skippy)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Milk, if needed to thin
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together the softened butter, sugar, and light brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, around 3 minutes.
- Mix in the peanut butter, followed by the egg white and vanilla extract. Once evenly combined, stir in the dry ingredients until a dough forms.
- Wrap the dough in a square of plastic wrap and flatten to an approximate ¾'' thickness, then chill for at least 1 hour.
- After an hour, unwrap the cookie dough and allow it to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, then roll to ¼ to ⅛'' thickness. If desired, use a cookie stamp to emboss the surface of the dough with a Nutter Butter design, then use a cookie cutter to stamp out individual cookies.
- Arrange the stamped cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving about ¼ inch gap between each one. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the surface of the wafers are firm, dry, and lightly golden around the edges.
- Let the cookies cool to room temperature before assembling. In the meantime, prepare the frosting.
- To make the peanut butter filling, beat the softened butter, peanut butter, and honey in a bowl until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar a little at a time, followed by the vanilla and salt.
- Mix at a medium-high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy. If the buttercream is too thick, add milk one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a nozzle attachment.
- When ready to assemble, flip half of the cookies over. Pipe a layer of peanut frosting in the center of each wafer, then sandwich with the remaining cookies. Allow the filling to set completely before serving.
- Leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for 3 months. Serve at room temperature.
