Description
Indulgent Peanut Butter Cookies bring classic comfort with rich, crumbly textures that melt in your mouth. Homemade goodness combines simple ingredients for a memorable sweet treat you’ll want to share with friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Proteins and Fats:
- ½ cup (115 g / 4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (120 g / 4 ounces) creamy peanut butter (natural or processed)
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (75 g) chopped peanuts or peanut butter chips (optional)
Sweeteners:
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110 g) brown sugar, packed
Dry Ingredients and Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 ¼ cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the oven environment by heating to 350F (175C) and arranging parchment-lined baking sheets to ensure optimal cookie performance.
- Create a creamy foundation by vigorously blending softened butter, peanut butter, granulated and brown sugars until the mixture becomes voluminous and pale, developing a smooth, airy texture.
- Integrate egg and vanilla extract, whisking thoroughly to establish a cohesive, rich liquid base that will bind the cookie dough.
- Construct the dry ingredient matrix by gently combining flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate vessel, then delicately incorporate into the wet mixture, maintaining a careful mixing technique to prevent toughness.
- Enhance the dough’s complexity by folding in chopped peanuts or peanut butter chips, distributing them evenly throughout the mixture.
- Mold the dough into uniform spheres, approximately two tablespoons in volume, strategically positioning them on prepared sheets with sufficient spacing to allow expansion during baking.
- Imprint a classic crosshatch pattern using a fork, gently pressing each dough ball to create signature peanut butter cookie texture.
- Transition cookies into the preheated oven, monitoring for 10-12 minutes until edges firm up while maintaining a slightly tender center.
- Allow cookies to rest on baking sheets for five minutes, facilitating initial stabilization before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Preserve freshness by storing in an airtight container, enjoying within a week for maximum flavor and texture integrity.
Notes
- Swap traditional peanut butter with natural or low-fat versions to create healthier cookie alternatives without compromising rich, nutty flavor.
- Experiment with gluten-free flour blends to make these cookies celiac-friendly and equally delectable, ensuring everyone can enjoy this classic treat.
- Create variation by adding dark chocolate chips or sea salt sprinkle for sophisticated flavor complexity that elevates standard peanut butter cookies.
- Control cookie texture by chilling dough for 30 minutes before baking, which prevents excessive spreading and maintains thick, chewy consistency.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg