If you’re a fan of sweet, nutty, melt-in-your-mouth treats, there’s nothing quite like the best peanut butter cookie recipe from We Try Recipes. These cookies strike the perfect balance between salty and sweet, soft and slightly crispy, making them an enduring favorite in the world of baking. Whether you grew up eating them straight out of the oven or enjoyed them with a glass of cold milk after school, peanut butter cookies carry a sense of nostalgia that’s hard to beat.
Best Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
The best peanut butter cookie recipe starts with a few simple, pantry-staple ingredients, namely both peanut and regular butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking soda, and vanilla extract. While you can certainly find dozens of variations online, with add-ins like chocolate chips, oats, or even a swirl of jelly, this recipe keeps things simple, letting the rich peanut butter flavor take center stage.
In our context, one of the secrets to an excellent cookie is choosing the right kind of peanut butter. While natural butters made from just peanuts and salt are great for toast or smoothies, for baking, it’s best to use a conventional creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. These brands offer consistent texture and flavor, which help give the cookies a uniform structure and taste. Natural varieties can sometimes separate or make the cookies too oily or crumbly.
To make the dough of the best peanut butter cookie recipe, begin by creaming together softened unsalted butter and a mix of granulated regular and brown sugars. The second adds moisture and a subtle molasses flavor that deepens the richness of the cookie. Once the sugars and butter are light and fluffy, you add in the peanut butter, followed by a large egg and a splash of vanilla extract. Each ingredient should be well incorporated before adding the next, ensuring a smooth, cohesive dough.
In a separate bowl, mix together all-purpose flour, baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, being careful not to overmix. Overworking the dough can lead to tough cookies, and nobody wants that. Once the dough comes together, it may be a bit sticky, and that’s perfectly fine. At this stage, it’s helpful to chill the dough for 20–30 minutes. This not only makes it easier to handle but also helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
When you’re ready to bake in this best peanut butter cookie recipe, preheat your oven to 175°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Scoop out heaping tablespoons of dough and roll them into balls. Next is where tradition meets nostalgia. Use a fork to press a crisscross pattern into the top of each cookie. This step isn’t just for aesthetics, as the fork helps flatten the cookies so they bake evenly, and the pattern has become an iconic hallmark of peanut butter cookies.
This best peanut butter cookie recipe requires baking the cookies for about 9 to 11 minutes. The key is to remove them from the oven when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool on the baking sheet. This timing gives you a cookie that’s tender inside with just a hint of chew and crispness on the edges.
After cooling for a few minutes on the baking sheet, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely, if you can wait that long. They’re irresistible when still a bit warm, the peanut butter scent wafting through the air, and the texture just perfect.
Another fact making this the best peanut butter cookie recipe is that these cookies keep well in an airtight container for several days, making them ideal for lunchbox treats, after-dinner desserts, or sharing with friends and neighbors. You can also freeze the unbaked dough balls and bake them off as needed, making this recipe convenient as well as delicious.
In the world of homemade cookies, this best peanut butter cookie recipe remains a timeless favorite. Simple, satisfying, and packed with flavor, they’re a perfect representation of how a few basic ingredients can come together to create something truly delightful. Whether you’re baking for yourself or to share, this classic peanut butter cookie recipe is one that never goes out of style.
