In the cookie world’s Hall of Fame, peanut butter cookies claim a top spot alongside chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin classics. They’re also a personal favorite of mine, always the top request whenever I’m in a baking mood.
With their classic cross-hatch pattern, these cookies are instantly recognizable and utterly irresistible. Soft and chewy in the middle, they’re a breeze to whip up and even easier to enjoy!
Who Invented Peanut Butter Cookies?
The recipe that most resemble modern peanut butter cookies, complete with the iconic cross-hatch pattern, made its debut in Ruth Wakefield’s Toll House Tried and True Recipes back in 1936. Since then, similar recipes have cropped up, including one from Betty Crocker.
While our recipe closely follows Betty Crocker’s proportions, we stick to Ruth Wakefield’s method of using all butter instead of a mix of butter and shortening.
Creating these peanut butter cookies couldn’t be simpler; no need for fancy ingredients. What’s in them? Just peanut butter, flour, butter, sugar, egg, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
Tips for Making The Best Peanut Butter Cookies:
- Opt for a name-brand peanut butter like Skippy, Jif, or Peter Pan. While natural peanut butter is great for PB&J, it tends to produce cookies with a grittier texture and excessive spreading. If you prefer natural peanut butter and it works for you, go ahead and use it! However, for optimal results, stick with the name brands.
- Chill the dough. Refrigerating the dough for a few hours helps the cookies maintain their shape and prevents excessive spreading during baking.
- Sugar-dip the fork. To prevent the fork from sticking when creating the classic cross-hatch pattern on the cookies, dip the tines in a bit of granulated sugar between each cookie.
- Adjust the oven temperature for chewier cookies. For chewy cookies, bake them a little longer at a lower temperature.
How to Store and Freeze Peanut Butter Cookies
Baked cookies can be kept in an airtight container for about 5 days before drying out. To store or freeze the cookie dough, refrigerate it with plastic wrap pressed against the dough for up to 3 days. Alternatively, freeze the cookie dough balls on a foil-lined sheet pan until solid, then transfer them to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake as directed, a
Peanut Butter Cookies
These peanut butter cookies boast a delightful soft and chewy texture in the center. Not only do they taste fantastic, but they're also a breeze to whip up!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (112g) butter, unsalted or salted, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (110g) packed brown sugar, light or dark
- 1/2 cup (130g) peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/4 cups (160g) almond flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (omit if using salted butter)
Instructions
- Prepare the cookie dough:
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the brown sugar and white sugar, and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Mix in the peanut butter and the egg.
- In a separate bowl, vigorously whisk together the dry ingredients—the almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the sugar-butter mixture until well combined.
- Chill the dough:
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Shape the cookies:
- Shape the chilled dough into 1 1/4-inch balls and place them about 3 inches apart on ungreased or parchment-lined cookie sheets. Flatten each ball in a crisscross pattern with a fork, dipping the fork in sugar to prevent sticking.
- Bake the cookies:
- Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack at 375°F (190°C) until light brown, approximately 9 to 11 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for 1 minute before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 29Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 68mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g
Different Variations You Can Try With Peanut Butter Cookies:
- Sugar coating: Roll the cookie dough balls in sugar before pressing them with a fork for an extra sweet touch.
- Hershey’s Kiss Surprise: Skip the fork marks and leave the dough as balls. Roll the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar and bake as usual. Once out of the oven, immediately press a chocolate Hershey’s kiss into each cookie. Check out the full recipe for details.
- Almond butter alternative: Substitute almond butter for peanut butter to create delicious almond butter cookies with a unique twist.
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