Soft & Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
These soft, chewy peanut butter cookies are rooted in nostalgia—creamy peanut butter, brown sugar, and the iconic fork‑pressed tops evoke memories of cozy kitchens. Simple, heartfelt, and everything a classic cookie should be.
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
- fork
Ingredients
Main
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter not natural
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla bean
- 1 ¼ cups all‑purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth.
- Add peanut butter, egg, and vanilla bean; mix until well combined.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Slowly add dry ingredients to wet, stirring until dough is thick but scoopable.
- Use a small ice‑cream scoop or tablespoon to form dough balls, placing them 2 inches apart on the sheet.
- Gently press each ball with a fork in a criss‑cross pattern.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes until edges are lightly golden but centers are still soft—don’t overbake!
- Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a rack to finish cooling.
Notes
To keep cookies soft, store in an airtight container with a slice of white bread. Dough can be rolled into balls and frozen on a tray; once solid, transfer to a bag and freeze up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 2–3 extra minutes.
Use brown sugar and avoid overbaking for chewiness. Fork marks help flatten the dense dough for even baking and are traditional.