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Peanut Butter Cookies

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5.0 / 5 ·
baked goods•american•vegetarian, contains nuts, contains dairy, contains gluten
40 minutes•24 cookies•

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180g)
  • 1 tsp baking soda (4.6g)
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter – softened
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar – packed
  • 1 large large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar – for rolling (50g)
peanut butter cookies

Instructions

  1. 1.

    Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

  2. 2.

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and fine salt until evenly combined; set aside.

  3. 3.

    In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and creamy peanut butter with a hand mixer on medium speed until smooth and well combined, about 2 minutes.

  4. 4.

    Add the granulated sugar (0.5 cup) and the packed light brown sugar; beat until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes, scraping the bowl once.

  5. 5.

    Beat in the large egg and vanilla extract just until incorporated, about 30 seconds.

  6. 6.

    Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on low just until a soft dough forms and no dry streaks remain, 20–30 seconds.

  7. 7.

    Scoop level 1-tablespoon portions of dough, roll into balls, then roll each ball in the granulated sugar for rolling to coat lightly. Place on the prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.

  8. 8.

    Press each ball gently with a fork in a crisscross pattern to about 1/2 inch thick, wiping or dipping the fork in sugar as needed to prevent sticking.

  9. 9.

    Bake one sheet at a time until edges are set and tops look dry with faint cracks, 10–12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway. Cookies will firm up as they cool; do not overbake.

  10. 10.

    Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool until just warm, 10–15 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough.

Peanut butter cookies are a beloved American treat with a rich, nutty aroma, crisp edges, and a tender, slightly chewy center. Their signature crisscross fork marks give each cookie a charming, homey look while helping them bake evenly. The flavor is deeply peanut-forward, balanced by caramel notes from brown sugar and a buttery backdrop that keeps the texture soft inside.

The cookie’s roots trace to early 20th-century American home baking, when peanuts became a promoted crop and peanut butter entered pantries nationwide. Recipes featuring the crisscross pattern appeared in mid-1930s newspaper and pamphlet publications, where the fork marks were recommended to flatten the dense dough for proper baking. Over decades, the cookie earned a permanent place in bake sales and lunch boxes, evolving slightly but remaining a nostalgic staple.