Description
These chewy peanut butter cookies are soft, flavorful, and easy to make. With a perfect balance of sweetness and rich peanut butter taste, they provide a classic American dessert that’s perfect for any occasion. The cookies stay soft and slightly underbaked for an irresistible chewy texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- Cream Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the creamy peanut butter, softened unsalted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat them together until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the large egg and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture until smooth and homogenous.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt evenly to distribute the leavening and seasoning throughout the flour.
- Combine Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet peanut butter mixture, stirring gently until just combined to avoid overmixing which could toughen the cookies.
- Form Cookie Dough Balls: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll them into balls. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Shape Cookies: Use a fork to gently press down on each dough ball in a crisscross pattern, which creates the iconic peanut butter cookie texture and helps with even baking.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes until the edges are set but the centers still appear slightly underdone, ensuring a chewy interior. Avoid overbaking.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely for the best texture.
Notes
- For extra chewiness, slightly underbake the cookies and allow them to finish setting on the baking sheet as they cool.
- Feel free to add chocolate chips or chopped peanuts to the dough for variations in flavor and texture.
