Ultimate Peanut Butter Cookies
Ultimate Peanut Butter Cookies
Perfectly balanced peanut butter cookies, soft and chewy with crispy edges, are topped with sugar for extra crunch. They’re easy and irresistible!
Ultimate Peanut Butter Cookies
Table of Contents
About these Peanut Butter Cookies
These peanut butter cookies are simply irresistible. They strike the perfect balance between soft and slightly crisp, with edges that have just the right amount of crunch thanks to a sprinkle of granulated sugar. Frequently requested by my boyfriend, these cookies are a beloved classic, right up there with chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies. They embody American comfort food and are incredibly easy to make.
Peanut butter cookies are a hit with everyone—kids and adults alike. Peanut butter is a pantry staple in most homes, making these cookies a convenient treat to whip up at any time. The recipe requires no chilling and no fancy ingredients unless you want to elevate them with additions like candy peanuts or roasted nuts mixed into the dough.
When making peanut butter cookies, I recommend using a conventional grocery store brand like Jif. While natural or homemade peanut butters are great, they tend to have more oils, which can affect the cookie’s texture. If you prefer to use natural peanut butter, be sure to adjust the flour to account for the extra oil, ensuring your cookies maintain their shape and don’t spread too thin.
These cookies are so delicious that they usually disappear within two days in my house. I have to exercise serious self-control, and my boyfriend just can’t get enough of them. I like to use a large cookie scoop, specifically a three-tablespoon scoop, to create big, round cookies. Trust me, you won’t regret trying this recipe. Enjoy!
Ingredients for Peanut Butter Cookies
▪️Peanut butter – creamy or chunky, it’s your call! I would recommend staying away from natural peanut butter.
▪️Flour – Just your regular all-purpose flour will do here
▪️Egg – In a small bowl break an egg and lightly beat it together. Divide the egg in half with either a scale: measuring out 25g or with a measuring spoon: two tablespoons. You can freeze the remaining egg mixture in an ice cube tray transfer it to a freezer bag and store it for up to 2 months.
▪️Butter – Unsalted is always the way to go, this will allow you to have full control over the salt levels in your bake. However, if you only have salted then either reduce or omit the added salt in the recipe.
▪️Vanilla – It makes such a difference to use a good quality vanilla extract in your bakes. I always use vanilla extract or a vanilla paste rather than an artificial essence. Trust me, it might be a few dollars more but definitely worth it 100%.
▪️Salt – Fine sea salt is a recurring ingredient in most of my recipes. You can substitute for other salts – just keep in mind that another brand/type of salt will have a different level of saltiness, so adjust your salt amount accordingly.
▪️Baking Soda/Powder – Baking soda will help the cookies to spread and create crispy edges. The baking powder will help the cookies rise and gain a little height.
Equipment and Oven Prep
▪️ Digital scale –The power of precision in your baking with a digital scale can make a world of difference in the end result. I rely on mine to measure almost all of my ingredients, ensuring the most accurate results. You can easily and affordably purchase one from a supermarket or store like Target or Amazon for around USD 20.
▪️Oven Temp – When baking your cookies (after chilling), preheat your oven to 375°F at least 20 minutes before baking. An oven thermometer is necessary to make sure your oven is heating accurately. Apart from the kitchen scale, it’s probably the best money you can spend on general baking. Home ovens are off by 15°, sometimes 25°, and even more.
▪️Oven Rack Placement – For the most even bake, it’s important to position your oven rack in the middle of the oven. If you’re familiar with any hot spots in your oven, adjust the rack accordingly to avoid underbaked or overbaked cookies in that batch. This simple yet effective step can significantly enhance the quality of your cookies.
▪️Rubber Spatula—A good, sturdy rubber spatula is essential for mixing cookie dough thoroughly; a wooden spoon will also work if that is all you have.
▪️Parchment paper – Cut out a piece of parchment paper that is the size of the 1/2 sheet tray. This will ensure that your cookies don’t stick to the tray, making clean-up a breeze and preserving the shape of your cookies.
▪️ Cookie Scoop – Using a scoop or a digital scale to measure your divided dough evenly is always helpful in providing even baked batches of cookies.
▪️Wire Cooling Rack – Investing in a wire cooling rack is another kitchen tool I highly recommend. Having a wire rack will decrease the cooling time of your bakes, save you from soggy bottoms, and reduce the stress of finding a place to set your piping hot trays and pans straight out of the oven.
PRO TIP/ KITCHEN HACK
Utilizing a convection oven: it is prudent to make a conscious adjustment by reducing the oven temperature by 25°F, accompanied by a corresponding reduction in baking time, as convection ovens tend to hasten the baking process.
How to make Peanut Butter Cookies
1. Dry ingredients – Start by preparing the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to a small bowl and whisk them together. Set this mixture aside for later.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar – Cream the sugar and room-temperature butter in a large bowl. Beat the mixture for 2-3 minutes until it becomes a few shades lighter and develops a fluffy texture.
3. Add the peanut butter – Add the peanut butter to the butter and sugar mixture and continue to beat for another minute.
4. Add the egg and vanilla – Once the peanut butter is fully incorporated, add the egg and vanilla. Beat the mixture until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
5. Sieve the dry ingredients into the wet – Sieve the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and fold them together using a rubber spatula until the last streak of flour has disappeared.
6. Rest the dough – Allow the dough to rest for at least 15 minutes to create a firmer dough. After resting, use a cookie scoop to divide the dough evenly and roll it into balls.
7. Use a fork – Use a fork to press down on the cookie vertically and horizontally, resembling a cross.
8. Sprinkle sugar and bake – For an extra special touch, sprinkle granulated sugar over the cookies before baking.
9. Bake time – Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes, but keep an eye on them, as all ovens are different. The outer edge of the cookie should start to get a nice golden color. Be careful not to overbake these cookies.
10. Cooling time – Allow the cookies to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.
Storing Peanut Butter Cookies
Baked Cookies – In general code cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 5 days depending on the recipe cookie cutter recipes tend to keep longer to keep the cookies soft add an apple wedge tortilla or a piece of bread to the container to reheat them placed an oven heated to 350 Fahrenheit for 3 to 5 minutes or until warmed through I prefer to refrigerate or freeze my Joe and bake cookies as I want them because nothing beats fresh still warm cookies.
Cookie Dough – can be stored in the fridge covered for up to three days let’s set a room temperature until warm enough to scoop both of cookie dough can also be placed on a cookie sheet and frozen ones frozen transfer the balls to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to six weeks back from frozen dropping the oven temperature by 25 Fahrenheit and adding an additional few minutes to the cooking time or bring the Joe to defrost at room temperature and baked as directed by the recipe.
FAQ on Peanut Butter Cookies
Can I make these gluten-free? Yes, I recommend using a 1:1 blend of gluten-free AP flour since it is designed to act the closest to AP wheat flour.
When should cookies be removed from the oven? Remember, cookies continue to bake for approximately 20 minutes after they leave the oven. So, even if they don’t look entirely done after the cooking time has passed, you can still take them out of the oven. Leave them on the tray until they are sturdy enough to move without bending or breaking (roughly 3-5 minutes).
My dough is super sticky / My cookies spread too much. This is often caused by not using enough flour in the dough. Flour can behave differently based on various factors, such as the type of wheat grain, how it is milled, and its liquid absorption. You may need to increase the amount of flour used. Ensure that all ingredients are at room temperature and mix until just combined. Soften the butter adequately; softer butter will result in more cookie spread. Avoid using melted butter, which may cause the cookies to spread excessively. You can also chill the dough for 2 hours before baking – allowing the butter to harden in the fridge will slow the spread as the cookie bakes.
My dough is dry and cracking / My cookies didn’t spread enough. This is likely due to too much flour in the dough, which prevents the butter and sugar from melting and spreading. Flours don’t absorb liquid equally, so use up to 1/3 of the flour at once and adjust it accordingly. Over-handling the dough can strengthen the gluten, preventing the cookies from spreading, so stop mixing as soon as the last streak of flour disappears when folding the dough. Over-chilling the dough also dries it out, so I recommend leaving it in the fridge for no longer than 48 hours if you are chilling.
Peanut Butter Cookies
Perfectly balanced peanut butter cookies, soft and chewy with crispy edges, are topped with sugar for extra crunch. They're easy and irresistible!
Equipment
- digital scale
- large mixing bowl
- measuring spoons
- balloon whisk
- soft rubber spatula
- large cookie scoop
- baking paper
- sheet pan
- oven thermometer
- wire rack
Ingredients
- 70 g flour
- 56 g unsalted butter room temp
- 2 tbsp egg 1/2 egg – whisked together
- 75 g brown sugar
- 25 g granulated sugar + a tbsp for sprinkling
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- ⅓ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt fine sea salt
- ½ tsp vanilla extract or paste
Instructions
- Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 375℉
- In a small bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and whisk, then set aside for later.
- In a large bowl, add the sugar and room-temperature butter and beat for 2-3 minutes until a few shades lighter and a fluffy texture.
- Scoop in the peanut butter and continue to beat for another minute.
- Once the peanut butter is fully incorporated into the other ingredients add the egg and vanilla and continue to beat until all ingredients are fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula until the last streak of flour has disappeared.
- Allow the dough to rest for at least 15 minutes so that the flour can absorb the liquid and create a firmer dough. After the dough has rested, use a cookie scoop to evenly divide the dough and roll it into balls in the palm of your hands.
- With a fork, press down onto the cookie both vertically and horizontally across the cookie – resembling a cross.
- Sprinkle sugar and bake – (optional) If you would like to give your cookies an extra special touch, sprinkle granulated sugar over the top of the cookies – and then bake!
- Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes. All ovens are different, I would first check the cookies at the 9-minute mark and keep them in the oven if they need a few more minutes. The outer edge of the cookie should start to get a nice golden color. Be careful not to over-bake these peanut butter cookies as they can turn from baked to overdone quite quickly.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.
Tried this recipe? Tag us @Gooddaytobake on instagramLet us know how it was!
you might enjoy these recipes
Good Day To Bake is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for websites to earn advertising revenues by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. See the Privacy Policy for more details.
GOOD DAY TO BAKE
Kia Ora, and welcome to Good Day To Bake. My name is Courteney and here in this corner of the internet, you can find my collection of favorite recipes created in small batches, perfect for singles, couples, and cozy households – all of which can be increased to larger portions. You can learn a little more about me here
This error message is only visible to WordPress admins
Error: Invalid Feed ID.