Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies
Classic peanut butter cookies are soft, chewy, and topped with a trademark criss cross pattern! Using a whole cup of creamy peanut butter ensures that they have plenty of peanut butter flavor. And brown sugar helps them stay moist and chewy. So you can store peanut butter cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup (227g) creamy peanut butter room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups (319g) light brown sugar packed
- 3/4 cup (149g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 and 1/2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (kosher or table salt)
Optional: Chocolate Coating
- 8 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate coarsely chopped
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons refined coconut oil
- 1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts coarsely chopped
- flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add in the peanut butter and vanilla and beat until smooth; about 2 minutes. Add in both sugars and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed, about 2 minutes.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Turn mixer off.
- Add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk the ingredients together lightly before turning the mixer back on low and mixing in the dry ingredients until just combined. Be sure not to over mix here.
- Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 1 hour, or up to 2 days. If you refrigerate the cookie dough for more than an hour, you may need to let it thaw a little before scooping.
When ready to bake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop two tablespoon sized mounds of dough onto the prepared cookie sheet, leaving a few inches between each cookies for spreading.
- Use a fork to make crosshatch marks on the top of each cookie, if desired. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers have set. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Optional: Chocolate Coating
- In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and coconut oil. Stir until smooth and evenly combined.
- Carefully pour the melted chocolate into a small but deep bowl.
- Dunk the cookies halfway into the melted chocolate, then place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Sprinkle the wet chocolate with peanuts and sea salt. Set aside - or refrigerate - until the chocolate has set.
Notes
The total time above includes chill time. For best results, follow this recipe exactly as written. To freeze the cookie dough: Prepare the cookie dough as directed above. Shape the cookie dough into balls, then place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Freeze for about an hour, or until solid, then transfer into a freezer safe zip-top bag, squeeze out any excess air, and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake the frozen dough: Place frozen cookie dough balls on a lined baking sheet, leaving a few inches in between for spreading, and bake as directed above, adding a couple of extra minutes to the bake time to make up for their frozen start.
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