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Best Soft Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.6 from 90 reviews
  • Author: Jasmine
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 24 cookies
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

These Best Soft Peanut Butter Cookies deliver a perfect balance of rich peanut butter flavor and tender, chewy texture. Made with creamy peanut butter, salted butter, and a hint of cinnamon, these cookies are soft, slightly crackled on top, and delightfully satisfying. A simple recipe that’s easy to prepare and bake, ideal for cookie lovers craving a soft baked treat with classic, nostalgic taste.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Wet Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup salted butter (softened)
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 Tablespoon whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 egg

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Sugars

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)

Instructions

  1. Prepare dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, fine sea salt, and cinnamon if using. Set aside this dry mixture.
  2. Cream butter and peanut butter: Using a standing mixer or hand-held mixer, beat the softened salted butter and creamy peanut butter together until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
  3. Add sugars: Incorporate the granulated sugar and light brown sugar into the butter mixture and beat for about 1 minute until well combined and fluffy.
  4. Mix in wet ingredients: Add the egg, pure vanilla extract, and whole milk to the bowl. Beat on medium-high speed for 30 to 60 seconds until the batter lightens in color and the sugar is mostly dissolved.
  5. Combine dry and wet ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients while mixing on low speed. Mix just until combined to avoid overworking the dough.
  6. Optional add-ins: If you’d like, gently fold in chocolate chips or other mix-ins at this stage until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
  7. Chill the dough: Transfer the cookie dough to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. Chilling helps the dough firm up and enhances texture.
  8. Preheat and prepare baking sheets: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  9. Form cookies: Using a cookie scoop, portion out 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and roll each into a ball. Place 12 cookies on each baking sheet, spacing them adequately.
  10. Create crisscross pattern: Gently press a fork onto the top of each cookie, creating a crisscross pattern to flatten them slightly.
  11. Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes, or until they are just beginning to turn golden brown, puffed up, and show subtle crackling on top.
  12. Cool on baking sheet: Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies rest for 5 minutes on the sheets to set before transferring them to a wire rack.
  13. Cool completely: Place the cookies on a wire cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before serving or storing to maintain their soft texture.

Notes

  • Ingredient Substitutions: Unsalted butter can be used instead of salted, but increase sea salt by ¼ tsp. Use solid, room temperature peanut butter varieties like Jif or Skippy for best soft texture. Natural peanut butter can make cookies spread more and be crispier. Whole milk can be replaced with 2% milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half. Use dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor. Organic cane sugar or regular white sugar works well too. For iodized salt, halve the salt amount to avoid excess saltiness.
  • Storage: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 5 days to maintain freshness.
  • Freezing: Freeze baked cookies for up to 1 month in an airtight container. Cookie dough balls can also be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw to room temperature before baking, then follow the recipe’s instructions for forming the crisscross fork pattern and baking.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 140
  • Sugar: 9g
  • Sodium: 120mg
  • Fat: 9g
  • Saturated Fat: 3g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 5g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 13g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 4g
  • Cholesterol: 25mg

Find it online: https://jmrecipes.com/best-soft-peanut-butter-cookies-recipe/