These perfect peanut butter cookies are soft and chewy with a delicious old fashioned flavor. Classic and timeless, these peanut butter cookies make the perfect mid-afternoon or after-school snack.
Do you know what comes to mind when I think of these peanut butter cookies?
I picture a warm, cozy, old fashioned kitchen in a humble home. With mismatched dishtowels and flowers at the window. Where a beautiful old woman with her arms outstretched in love greets her grandchildren with a cookie jar full of these classic-tasting peanut butter cookies.
If you can picture that, then you are halfway to imagining what these peanut butter cookies taste like. With their old fashioned flavor they are simply delightful.
Here’s why these are perfect peanut butter cookies
The peanut butter flavor is not super strong. It’s subtly there without being overpoweringly peanut buttery. That’s one of the things that makes these peanut butter cookies perfect in my opinion.
The other thing that makes them perfect is their texture. The edges are slightly crispy while the middles are soft and chewy. When they are warm they kind of melt in your mouth.
And watch out! I’m not sure what kind of magical properties they hold but I’ve never walked away eating less than three or four of these cookies after making them. They are so good.
Serve now or freeze for later
And served with a glass of milk they are the perfect mid-afternoon or after-school snack.
If you can show some self restraint and not eat the whole batch, these cookies freeze really well. I usually just let them cool completely and pack them in freezer bags. They are yummy thawed or microwaved for a few seconds. And sometimes if I’m feeling impatient I just eat them while they are still frozen. Have you ever tried a frozen cookie? mmmh.
You can make these cookies with regular peanut butter from the store (think jif or skippy) or natural peanut butter also works. I usually make my own peanut butter that’s just ground from peanuts (nothing added) and it works great in these cookies.
I hope I have you convinced that you need to try these peanut butter cookies. And I bet when you taste them you’ll be able to picture that cute little old grandma with her cookie jar too.
P.S. If you’re wondering if these are any good with a handful of chocolate chips thrown in, the answer is yes. Just don’t ask me how many cookies I had to taste to make sure of that fact.
Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies
These perfect peanut butter cookies are soft and chewy with a delicious old fashioned flavor. Classic and timeless, these peanut butter cookies make the perfect mid-afternoon or after-school snack.
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- ½ cup (5 ounces) creamy peanut butter see note
- ½ cup (3.75 ounces) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (3.75 ounces) brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a half-size baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
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In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer cream together the butter and peanut butter for a few minutes until it is light and fluffy and thoroughly mixed.
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Add the granulated and brown sugars and mix with beaters until creamed together. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
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Sprinkle the baking soda, salt and flour on top and using a wooden spoon stir the dough until no traces of flour appear.
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Scoop half the dough by heaping tablespoon and roll into balls (I like to use a #40 cookie scoop). Place on prepared cookie sheet leaving 1 1/2 inches between (4 rows of 3 cookies across is perfect). Using a wet fork, press balls flat making a # sign on each.
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Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 13 minutes or until edges are lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.
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Repeat steps 5 and 6 with remaining dough.
Recipe Notes
1. I’ve made this recipe both with regular peanut butter from the store (like skippy or Jif) and natural peanut butter. I usually make my own peanut butter from just peanuts and it works great in this recipe.
2. These cookies freeze great. Just cool completely and place in freezer bags and freeze up to 3 months.
3. Variation: If you like the combo of chocolate and peanut butter, throw in handful of chocolate chips after you mix in the flour. YUM.
Recipe Source: Heather @ The Cook’s Treat
All images and text ©The Cook’s Treat
Disclaimer: post contains affiliate links for items on Amazon.
Just what I was looking for. Making these tonight!
YUM! Save me some! 🙂