Love peanut butter cookies? Who doesn’t? They’re salty, sweet, and crunchy! I could literally sit down and eat 6 of them with a glass of milk and call it a meal. Okay, I actually did that. I don’t even feel guilty that it was also the first thing in the morning. Bake up this peanut butter cookie recipe and you will definitely come back for another.
Crunchy vs Creamy Peanut Butter
When it comes to baking peanut butter cookies, people usually fall into two camps: one that prefers using creamy peanut butter and one that prefers crunchy. I personally prefer using crunchy peanut butter. It tastes the exactly the same except you get more crunch and a burst of flavor when you chomp into a peanut. I love this texture change which is why I think crunchy peanut butter is the way to go. The recipe is the same either way. It’s just personal preference.
What About Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies?
Okay, let’s say you want your peanut butter cookies a little chewier. That’s fine. Prepare the recipe the same way, but when you go to bake them, lower the temperature to 300℉ and cook them for 10-12 minutes. Pull them off of the baking pan right after baking. Do not use a rack to cool them. Instead, lay them out on a piece of brown paper (like the inside of a paper bag). This will help them retain moisture which will keep them chewy.
Freeze Some Dough For Later
The dough can be frozen for up to two weeks. This is great if you wanted to prepare the dough in advance or make small batches over time. I recommend putting in the effort and preparing the recipe up until the step just before baking. Then, place the cookie dough disks on a flat surface and freeze them for about an hour. After an hour, you can stack them into a freezer bag or a container for better storage.
By freezing them flat, you’re giving the dough the chance to set. This will prevent them from sticking to each other when you want to bake them later. Thaw for about an hour on the counter before separating and baking them up.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup milk (optional if needed)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350℉
- Cream together softened butter and peanut butter.
- Add the sugar and brown sugar. Mix well.
- Add the egg. Beat into the butter mixture until it is light and fluffy.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. If the dough is very dry, you can add no more than an extra 1/4 cup of milk.
- Shape the dough into balls about 3/4-inch in diameter. Flatten with a fork to create a criss-cross pattern.
- Bake for 6-10 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Let stand on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
Notes
Baking These Peanut Butter Cookies
This recipe calls for the use of a mixing bowl, large spoon, fork, and a few measuring tools. Once the dough comes together, it will basically clean the bowl for you. There is typically very little residue left behind—making washing dishes an easy task.
You will need access to an oven that can bake at 350℉. Even a toaster oven will do but you will only be able to make between 4-6 cookies at a time depending on the size of your toaster and baking tray. You will also need some counter space to cool your cookies. You could use a rack, but I prefer using a the inside of a brown paper bag. I think the paper bag which away more of the grease from the butter and it helps make the cookies slightly chewy.
These cookies keep well for up to two weeks in an airtight container. Don’t forget, the dough can be frozen for up to two weeks without a problem. Now go get some baking done!
