Description
These Soft Peanut Butter Cookies are delightfully tender and packed with rich peanut butter flavor. With a perfect balance of sweetness and a slightly crisp sugar coating, they are easy to make and perfect for sharing or enjoying with a glass of milk. The recipe yields about 26 cookies that stay soft and delicious whether fresh or straight from the freezer.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons peanut butter (preferably Jif, not natural, crunchy optional)
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Sweeteners
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for dough)
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for rolling dough)
Instructions
- Cream Butter: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the 1/2 cup softened butter until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Add Sugars: Add the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed brown sugar to the creamed butter. Beat the mixture until fluffy with no chunks of butter visible.
- Mix in Peanut Butter: Add 1 cup peanut butter plus an additional 2 tablespoons. Beat well until fully combined, incorporating the peanut butter evenly into the butter-sugar mix.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Add the large egg and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat until the mixture is smooth and homogenous.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: Add 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour into the bowl but do not stir immediately. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt over the flour. Stir these dry ingredients together with a teaspoon lightly.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Turn the mixer on low to incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet dough. Stop mixing as soon as the dough just comes together and no flour streaks remain, scraping the bowl sides and bottom to ensure even mixing. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
- Chill Dough: Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to an hour. The dough can be chilled for up to 2 days for convenience.
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Place 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a separate bowl for rolling.
- Shape Cookies: Using a cookie scoop (1 1/2 inch size), shape the dough into balls. Leave the balls textured and do not smooth them with your hands.
- Coat with Sugar: Roll each dough ball in the granulated sugar to coat evenly, then place them on the prepared baking sheets spaced about 15 cookies per 11×17 inch pan.
- Press with Fork: Dip a fork into the sugar bowl and press it gently down on each cookie twice in a crisscross pattern to flatten. Keep cookies about 1/2 inch thick. Redip fork in sugar if it sticks.
- Bake: Bake the cookies at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. Cookies are done when edges are set and centers are no longer shiny. Slight browning on edges is preferred for a hint of crispness.
- Sugar Sprinkle: Remove cookies from oven and immediately sprinkle additional granulated sugar over the tops for extra sweetness and texture.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve: Enjoy at least one warm cookie with a tall glass of milk for the best experience.
- Storage: Store any leftover cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
- Freezing Dough: To freeze, shape dough into balls, roll in sugar, press with a fork, then freeze in a ziplock bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1-3 minutes to baking time. No thawing needed.
Notes
- Do not use natural peanut butter as it changes texture and flavor.
- Overmixing dough leads to tougher cookies; mix only until ingredients just combine.
- Press fork down on cookies twice to get the classic peanut butter cookie pattern.
- Cookies do not spread much, so you can place them close together on the baking sheet.
- Chilling dough improves flavor and texture but can be skipped for immediate baking.
- For softer cookies, slightly underbake and avoid browning in the center.
- The dough can be frozen shaped and ready to bake for convenient fresh cookies anytime.
