Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

How to Make Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

1. 1

   Step 1: Preheat and prepare

   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Have a fork and a small bowl of flour or sugar (optional) ready for pressing the cookies.
2. 2

   Step 2: Whisk dry ingredients

   In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. Set the dry mix aside while you cream the sugars and fats — this prevents overmixing later.

   For this step

   • 1 1/4 cupsAll-purpose flour
   • 1 tspBaking soda
   • 1/4 tspSalt
   
3. 3

   Step 3: Cream sugars, butter and peanut butter; add egg and vanilla

   In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the softened butter with the granulated and brown sugars until light and slightly fluffy, about 1–2 minutes. Add the peanut butter and beat until combined, then add the egg and vanilla and mix until smooth and glossy.

   For this step

   • 1/2 cupUnsalted butter, softened
   • 1/2 cupGranulated sugar
   • 1/2 cupLight brown sugar, packed
   • 1 cupCreamy peanut butter
   • 1 largeLarge egg
   • 1 tspVanilla extract
   
4. 4

   Step 4: Combine wet and dry

   Fold the dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture with a spatula until just incorporated; do not overmix. The dough will be soft but manageable — if it feels too sticky to shape, chill 5–10 minutes, though this recipe is designed to work without chilling.
   
5. 5

   Step 5: Shape and create crisscross pattern

   Scoop level tablespoons of dough and roll into balls (about 1 tbsp for smaller cookies or 1½ tbsp for larger). Place 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Dip a fork in flour or granulated sugar and press down once, rotate 90°, and press again to make the classic crisscross pattern. If cookies spread too quickly, press a bit deeper so they maintain the pattern after baking.
   
6. 6

   Step 6: Bake and cool

   Bake one sheet at a time in the preheated oven for 9–11 minutes, until edges are set and lightly golden — centers may look slightly soft but will firm as they cool. Transfer cookies to a wire rack after 2 minutes on the sheet to finish cooling; store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
   

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Have a fork and a small bowl of flour or sugar (optional) ready for pressing the cookies.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. Set the dry mix aside while you cream the sugars and fats — this prevents overmixing later.
3. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the softened butter with the granulated and brown sugars until light and slightly fluffy, about 1–2 minutes. Add the peanut butter and beat until combined, then add the egg and vanilla and mix until smooth and glossy.
4. Fold the dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture with a spatula until just incorporated; do not overmix. The dough will be soft but manageable — if it feels too sticky to shape, chill 5–10 minutes, though this recipe is designed to work without chilling.
5. Scoop level tablespoons of dough and roll into balls (about 1 tbsp for smaller cookies or 1½ tbsp for larger). Place 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Dip a fork in flour or granulated sugar and press down once, rotate 90°, and press again to make the classic crisscross pattern. If cookies spread too quickly, press a bit deeper so they maintain the pattern after baking.
6. Bake one sheet at a time in the preheated oven for 9–11 minutes, until edges are set and lightly golden — centers may look slightly soft but will firm as they cool. Transfer cookies to a wire rack after 2 minutes on the sheet to finish cooling; store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.