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Peanut Butter Cookies
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Peanut butter cookies are soft, chewy, and packed full of peanut butter flavor. These easy cookies are a classic for a reason, and with this fool-proof recipe, you’ll have a batch of yummy, homemade cookies ready to eat in no time.
If you love peanut butter cookies you’ll want to make Peanut Butter Lava Cookies, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies, and Peanut Butter Cookie Cups.
Peanut Butter Cookies Ingredients
You will need:
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Substitutions and Additions
CHOCOLATE CHIPS: You could easily add in some chocolate chips to your perfect peanut butter cookies, or even add them just to half the batch to give some extra deliciousness and satisfy the chocolate lovers.
You could also use peanut butter chips if you’d like even more peanut buttery flavor.
PEANUT BUTTER: You can choose creamy peanut butter or crunchy peanut butter for an extra little crunch.
If you prefer, you could also use almond butter in place of the peanut butter in this recipe. The texture may be slightly different, but overall the outcome will be the same.
How to Make This Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
PRO TIP: These easy peanut butter cookies are seriously the best. To make them perfectly, we chilled the dough overnight after mixing then the next day let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before forming it into balls and baking.
This step is optional but you are welcome to give it a try if you have any trouble with the cookies spreading too much.
STEP ONE: Preheat oven to 375°F.
STEP TWO: Cream butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla.
STEP THREE: In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Then, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix them together well.
STEP FOUR: Shape into 1-inch balls and roll in granulated sugar.
PRO TIP: Use a small cookie scoop to create uniform-size dough balls.
STEP FIVE: Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
STEP SIX: Crisscross with a fork to flatten the cookie dough.
STEP SEVEN: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes.
PRO TIP: After cookies have cooled, add a dollop of your favorite jam to make a PB&J thumbprint cookie.
How to Serve
Super delicious dunked in milk, peanut butter cookies have a delightful melt in your mouth texture. The perfect balance of salty and sweet, these yummy cookies can be enjoyed on a cookie tray at a potluck or as a highly anticipated afternoon snack reminiscent of childhood. You could even serve them warm with a cold chocolate milkshake or iced mocha.
Storage
ON THE COUNTER: To maximize the freshness of your leftover peanut butter cookies, I recommend storing them in a Ziploc bag or airtight container at room temperature. To keep them nice and chewy, place a small piece of bread inside the Ziploc bag.
IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze your classic peanut butter cookies as baked cookies or as cookie dough. If freezing the already baked cookies, place them in a freezer-safe container with a sheet of parchment paper between each layer. When ready to enjoy, let the cookies thaw completely before serving.
If freezing the cookie dough, you will want to roll the dough into balls and place them on a cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer until the balls are frozen (1 to 2 hours).
Then, place the balls in a freezer-safe container with a sheet of parchment paper between each layer. When ready to bake, the frozen dough balls can go straight into the oven.
Peanut butter cookies are perfectly soft and chewy, and easily made with ingredients you probably already have on hand. It doesn’t get easier than this classic peanut butter cookies recipe. Soon you’ll have four dozen cookies that you can share with friends and family, but they’re so scrumptious don’t expect them to last long.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze these cookies?
This great recipe makes an extra-large batch of cookies. If you have more than you can eat in a couple of days, you can freeze these cookies in an airtight container for up to three months.
Can I use crunchy peanut butter?
This delicious cookie would be delicious using either crunchy or smooth peanut butter depending on your preference and what you have on hand.
Can I add nuts or chocolate chips to my cookies?
Chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or nuts would all be tasty additions to these classic cookies.
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Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Cream butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Then, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix them together well.
- Shape into 1-inch balls and roll in granulated sugar.
- Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Crisscross with a fork to flatten the cookie dough.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes.
Notes
- These easy peanut butter cookies are seriously the best. To make them perfectly, we chilled the dough overnight after mixing then the next day let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before forming it into balls and baking.
- Use a small cookie scoop to create uniform-size dough balls.
- After cookies have cooled, add a dollop of your favorite jam to make a PB&J thumbprint cookie.
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