Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut butter cookies are one of those desserts I'm always in the mood for. They're salty, sweet, and a touch more rich than the classic chocolate chip cookie. I wasn’t shy with the peanut butter here—if you're someone who likes to eat peanut butter by the spoonful, these are the cookies for you. Ready to make this perfect PB dessert? Keep reading for all of my top tips on how to make these classic cookies the best they can be:

What People Are Saying:
“The perfect peanut butter cookie! I can't wait to make it over and over again.” - ale6276

“I didn't get to eat them until 2 days after they were baked but they were still so soft and peanut buttery and so goood!! Not super sweet, just right.” - Wenj

How To Make Peanut Butter Cookies

INGREDIENTS

• Baking Soda & Baking Powder: These classic pantry staples are heroes in the world of baking and for good reason.The two each play their own respective roles, but when used in tandem, create a perfectly spread and fluffed cookie with a beautiful golden brown exterior. While the two may seem similar, using the right one at the right time is crucial to baking mastery. Check out our article all about the subject to learn even more about the difference between baking soda and baking powder.
• Light Brown Sugar: For this recipe I am calling for light brown sugar as opposed to dark. While light and dark brown sugar are generally interchangeable, and definitely are so in this instance, I just don’t feel the extra molasses flavor is necessary here. Some peanut butter brands, like Jif, already use molasses in their peanut butters for extra sweetness and color, so we really don’t need any extra in this recipe.
• Eggs: Eggs are going to add structure and moisture to the batter, making sure that your end result is a moist cookie that doesn't fall apart in your hands.
• Peanut Butter: I recommend reaching for a smooth and creamy peanut butter for the best cookie texture possible. Although I love eating natural peanut butter, for baking, I reach for the processed stuff. Unlike the natural brands, the fats in processed peanut butter remain homogenous while baking, resulting in tender cookies that spread just the right amount and aren't at all greasy. Look for processed brands without added sugar or salt if you'd like to stay as close to the natural stuff as possible.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Start your batter off by whisking together your dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Then, in a large bowl, use a handheld mixer to beat together the butter and sugars on medium speed, until the mixture is light and fluffy. This process should take about 2 minutes. Add your eggs one at a time, beating the blend in between—this makes sure that your batter doesn't become too wet—until they are mixed together thoroughly and there are no streaks. Then add in the peanut butter and beat once more until a smooth, airy dough has formed. This should take another 2 to 3 minutes.

To avoid clumping or streaking, add in your dry ingredients in batches, beating as you and scraping down the slides between each addition. Once all of the dry ingredients have been added, continue to beat the batter until no dry streaks remain. To ensure that your cookies don’t spread too thin when baked, pop the batter into the refrigerator for about 1 hour, until it is very cold and considerably firmer.

Turn your oven on to 350° and allow it to come up to temperature. As you do so, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and remove the dough from the fridge. Using a scoop or spoon, dollop tablespoon portions of dough on each of the prepared baking sheets, taking care to space each dollop about 2” apart. Then, use a fork to create the crosshatch pattern on top of each cookie.

Pop both baking sheets into the heated oven and bake your cookies for about 15 to 18 minutes, until the cookies are golden but still slightly soft. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and transfer the cookies onto a wire rack to allow them to cool.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• Nail the crosshatch pattern. We’re suckers for the classic fork crosshatch look, but you can totally skip it if you’re not feeling it. If you do go the fork route, we recommend using a little water and slightly wetting your fork before pressing into the cookies to help the fork release more easily from the sticky dough.

Storage

If you manage to have any leftover cookies, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days. Alternatively, you can also freeze the baked cookies: Once cooled, store in a freezer-safe bag for around 3 months. If you’re not big on the frozen cookie straight from the freezer thing, you can also wrap a cookie in a slightly damp paper towel and microwave for just 5 to 10 seconds. If you’re freezing your cookie dough, scoop directly into a freezer-safe bag, and store for around 3 months.