Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 whole large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1.25 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 350°F. Position one oven rack in the center. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. 2

   In a small bowl, whisk together 1.25 cups all-purpose flour, 0.5 teaspoon baking soda, and 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside — these dry ingredients will keep your cookies tender and properly risen.

3. 3

   In a large bowl, combine 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 0.25 cup softened unsalted butter, 0.75 cup granulated sugar, and 0.25 cup packed light brown sugar. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 1 minute until the mixture is light and fluffy — the sugars should begin to dissolve into the fats.

4. 4

   Crack one large egg directly into the bowl and add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir until the egg is fully incorporated and the mixture looks homogeneous, about 30 seconds. The dough should look smooth and creamy.

5. 5

   Pour the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients. Fold together with a spatula using broad, sweeping strokes until just combined — do not overmix, as this can make the cookies tough. Stop as soon as you see no streaks of flour.

6. 6

   Scoop the dough into 12 equal portions using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or spoon, spacing them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. You should have 6 cookies per sheet.

7. 7

   Using the tines of a fork dipped in water, gently press a crosshatch pattern into the top of each cookie — press down lightly in one direction, then rotate 90 degrees and press again. This creates the classic peanut butter cookie look and helps them bake evenly.

8. 8

   Bake on the center rack for 11-13 minutes. The edges should be set and very lightly golden, while the centers still look slightly underbaked and soft — they will continue to cook on the hot pan after you remove them from the oven. Do not overbake, or they will become hard.

9. 9

   Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies rest on the pan for 5 minutes — this allows them to firm up enough to transfer without breaking. Then transfer each cookie to a wire cooling rack using a thin metal spatula.

10. 10

    Let the cookies cool completely on the rack, about 10 minutes, before serving. They will continue to set as they cool and develop that perfect chewy-crispy texture.

Tools you’ll need

• oven
• 2 large baking sheets
• parchment paper
• small bowl
• whisk
• large bowl
• wooden spoon
• spatula
• 2-tablespoon cookie scoop
• fork
• wire cooling rack
• thin metal spatula

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