Description
These classic Mom’s Peanut Butter Cookies are delightfully soft with a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors. Made with creamy peanut butter, a hint of cinnamon, and optionally studded with peanut butter baking chips, these cookies are quick to whip up and bake to golden perfection. Topped with a light dusting of powdered sugar and the traditional fork crisscross design, they bring nostalgic comfort in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113 grams, room temperature, 1 stick)
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter (135 grams)
- 1 large egg (50 grams, room temperature, lightly beaten)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (4 grams)
Sugars
- ½ cup dark brown sugar (107 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (28 grams, for topping)
Dry Ingredients
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour (150 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (3 grams)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (3 grams)
Optional
- 1 cup peanut butter baking chips (170 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper, do not grease the baking sheets to prevent spreading.
- Cream Butters: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter and creamy peanut butter together on medium speed until fully combined, about 2 minutes.
- Add Sugars: Add the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar to the butter mixture and continue creaming on medium speed until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and pale in color, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
- Incorporate Egg and Vanilla: Add the lightly beaten egg and vanilla extract to the bowl and beat again for about 1 minute until well mixed.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, kosher salt, and ground cinnamon to evenly distribute the ingredients.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Set the mixer to low speed and mix until the flour is nearly incorporated, leaving just a small amount of flour visible.
- Add Baking Chips: Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the peanut butter baking chips if you are using them.
- Finish Mixing: Gently stir the dough just until all the flour is fully incorporated, being careful not to overmix.
- Scoop Cookies: Use a 1½-inch cookie scoop to form dough balls and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. If you don’t have a cookie scoop, measure about 1½ tablespoons of dough per cookie and roll into balls.
- Sprinkle Powdered Sugar: Lightly sprinkle the tops of the cookie dough balls with the powdered sugar for a sweet and decorative finish.
- Create Fork Marks: Using a fork, gently press down on each cookie dough ball, crisscrossing the fork marks to create the classic peanut butter cookie pattern.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers look just slightly soft.
- Cool: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature before serving or storing.
Notes
- For best results, use room temperature butter and egg to ensure proper mixing and texture.
- If you don’t have peanut butter baking chips, you can substitute with regular chocolate chips or skip them entirely.
- Do not grease the baking sheets if not using parchment paper, as this helps the cookies maintain their shape during baking.
- Be careful not to overbake; cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
