Peanut Butter Cookies
These peanut butter cookies bake into substantial golden-tan rounds with deep criss-cross tops, set edges, and tender centers. Pressing the dough to about ½ inch thick helps it bake evenly without turning the cookies into thin disks. This butter-and-flour dough does not need routine chilling; chill the portions briefly only if they slump or lose their fork marks.
Ingredients for Peanut Butter Cookies
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (115g)
- ½ cup creamy shelf-stable peanut butter (130g)
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar (100g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (190g)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
Yield: About 24 cookies. Prep: 15 minutes. Bake: 9–11 minutes per sheet, or about 20–25 minutes for two sheets baked separately. Total: About 40–45 minutes, including the initial pan cooling; add 20–30 minutes if the dough needs chilling.
How to Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
- Preheat the oven: Place a rack in the center and fully preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line two standard baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the fats and sugars: Beat the softened butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy and evenly combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Mix into the peanut butter mixture just until no dry flour remains. Weigh the flour or spoon and level it; too much can make the cookies dry.
- Portion and press: Divide the dough into about 24 rounded, 1½-tablespoon portions. Arrange about 12 per sheet, at least 2 inches apart. Press each ball with a fork, then press across the first marks at a right angle, leaving the cookies about ½ inch thick. If the portions slump or the marks collapse, chill the portioned dough for 20–30 minutes, then press it.
- Bake one sheet at a time: Bake uncovered for 9–11 minutes, starting to check at 9 minutes. Remove the cookies when the edges look set and only faintly golden and the tops look mostly set; the centers may still appear slightly soft. Do not wait for deep browning. Rotate the sheet only if your oven browns unevenly.
- Let the cookies set: Leave them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. They can break if moved straight from the oven.
How to Keep the Fork Marks Distinct
The two fork presses flatten the dense dough for more even baking and make its familiar crosshatch. Press firmly enough to leave deep lines without flattening the cookies below about ½ inch. If dough sticks to the fork, clean the tines or dip them lightly in flour.
Choosing Peanut Butter
Creamy, shelf-stable peanut butter gives the dough a cohesive texture and a smooth surface for clear fork marks. Crunchy peanut butter can make the tops less even and the cookies more crumbly. If using natural peanut butter, stir it thoroughly first; differences in oil content may change how much the cookies spread.
For flourless peanut butter cookies, use a separate recipe. Simply omitting the flour from this dough will not produce the same result.
Storage and Freezing
Cool the cookies completely, then store them airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week; their texture may be best sooner. Fully cooled baked cookies can be frozen airtight for 1–2 months.
For another familiar bake, try these classic chocolate chip cookies.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per cookie, based on 24 cookies: 130 calories, 2g protein, 7g fat, and 15g carbohydrates. Per 100g of baked cookies: approximately 500 calories, 9g protein, 26g fat, and 59g carbohydrates. Values are estimates; cookie size and moisture lost during baking will affect them.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer
- Whisk
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Fork
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (115 g)
- 1/2 cup creamy shelf-stable peanut butter (130 g)
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (100 g)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (190 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy and evenly combined.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Mix the dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture just until no dry flour remains.
- Divide the dough into about 24 rounded 1 1/2-tablespoon portions. Arrange about 12 portions per baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart.
- Press each dough ball with a fork, then press across the first marks at a right angle, leaving the cookies about 1/2 inch thick. If the portions slump or the marks collapse, chill them for 20–30 minutes before pressing.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 9–11 minutes, checking at 9 minutes. Remove the cookies when the edges are set and faintly golden and the tops are mostly set; the centers may still look slightly soft.
- Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips
- Spoon and level the flour or weigh it to help prevent dry cookies.
- Press the dough firmly enough to leave deep fork marks while keeping the cookies about 1/2 inch thick.
- If dough sticks to the fork, clean the tines or dip them lightly in flour.
- Chill the portioned dough for 20–30 minutes only if it slumps or loses its fork marks.
- Use creamy, shelf-stable peanut butter for cohesive dough and distinct fork marks.