Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Finally, a foolproof recipe for chewy peanut butter cookies that guarantees soft, melt-in-your-mouth centers and perfectly crisp edges. This recipe explains the simple science behind using the right ingredients and a key baking technique to ensure your cookies are never dry or crumbly again. It's the only peanut butter cookie recipe you'll ever need.
Equipment
- Baking Sheets (Light-colored recommended to prevent over-browning)
- Parchment paper
- electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups/spoons
- Cookie Scoop (Size #40 or 1.5 Tablespoon works best)
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter commercial style like Jif/Skippy recommended
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour spoon & leveled
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt optional: flaky sea salt for topping
Instructions
- Cream: In a large bowl, beat softened butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and white sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (2-3 mins).
- Combine: Beat in egg and vanilla until just combined.
- Mix Dry: In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Make Dough: Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, mixing on low just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes.
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Shape: Scoop 1.5 Tbsp balls of dough, roll smooth, and place 2 inches apart.
- Pattern: Gently press a crisscross pattern with a fork. Optional: sprinkle with flaky salt.
- Bake: Bake 8-10 mins. Pull when edges are barely set and centers look soft/underbaked.
- Cool: Let sit on the hot baking sheet for 10 mins to finish setting, then move to a wire rack.
Notes
Peanut Butter: For the best chewy texture, avoid using "natural" peanut butter that separates. The emulsifiers in commercial-style peanut butter are key to this recipe's success.
Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To keep them extra soft, add a slice of sandwich bread to the container.
Make-Ahead/Freezing: Unbaked dough balls can be frozen for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookieCalories: 174kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 4gFat: 10gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 89mgPotassium: 89mgFiber: 1gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 154IUCalcium: 20mgIron: 0.4mg
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