Description
These soft peanut butter cookies are a delightful treat featuring a perfect balance of creamy peanut butter and sweet sugars. They bake up tender and chewy with a subtle crisp around the edges, making them a favorite classic American dessert that’s quick and easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, creamy peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which usually takes a few minutes with an electric mixer.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the large egg and vanilla extract until all ingredients are well combined, producing a smooth and consistent batter.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and salt.
- Mix Dry Ingredients with Wet: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet peanut butter mixture, stirring gently just until combined to avoid overmixing which can toughen the cookies.
- Form Cookie Dough Balls: Using a tablespoon or small ice cream scoop, portion out dough balls, then roll each ball gently between your hands to create smooth spheres. Place them about 2 inches apart on the parchment-lined baking sheet to allow room for spreading.
- Flatten Dough Balls: Gently press each ball down with the back of a fork in a crisscross pattern to create the classic peanut butter cookie appearance and help them bake evenly.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 11 minutes until the edges are lightly golden but the centers remain soft. This timing ensures a tender cookie texture.
- Cool Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes so they set properly, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Do not overbake the cookies; they will continue to firm up as they cool, so removing them while centers are soft is key for perfect texture.
- For an extra peanut punch and added crunch, sprinkle chopped peanuts on top of each cookie before baking.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them fresh for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
