Soft & Thick Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

• 1.333 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 0.5 tsp baking soda
• 0.25 tsp salt
• 0.5 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature; equivalent to 8 tablespoons)
• 0.5 cup light or dark brown sugar (packed)
• 0.75 cup granulated sugar (Use 1/4 cup (50 g) in the dough and the remaining 1/2 cup (100 g) for rolling.)
• 1 large egg (at room temperature)
• 0.75 cup creamy peanut butter (Creamy peanut butter is preferred; if using natural-style peanut butter, use it at room temperature and stir well.)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Steps

1. 1

   Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set the dry mixture aside.

2. 2

   Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on high speed for 1 minute, until creamy.

3. 3

   Switch to medium-high speed. Add the brown sugar and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar, then beat for about 3 minutes, until completely creamed and smooth.

4. 4

   Add the egg and beat for about 1 minute, until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

5. 5

   Add the peanut butter and vanilla extract and beat until combined.

6. 6

   Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat on low speed just until combined; the dough will be very creamy and soft.

7. 7

   Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 1–2 hours, and up to 3 days.

8. 8

   When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

9. 9

   Place the remaining 1/2 cup (100 g) of granulated sugar in a bowl.

10. 10

    Roll the chilled dough into balls using about 1 scant tablespoon, or approximately 18 g, of dough for each ball.

11. 11

    Roll each dough ball in the sugar and arrange the coated balls on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.

12. 12

    Use a fork to make a criss-cross indentation on top of each dough ball. Because the indentation flattens the dough, use your fingers to reshape each cookie into a thicker disc to help prevent excessive spreading.

13. 13

    Bake for 11–12 minutes, until the edges appear set and are very lightly browned. The centers should still look very soft.

14. 14

    Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.

15. 15

    After 5 minutes, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.

Notes

Do not skip chilling the dough. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked dough balls, without the sugar coating, can also be frozen for up to 3 months; let frozen dough balls sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, roll them in sugar, add the criss-cross indentation, and bake for 1 extra minute. Store baked cookies covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. Creamy peanut butter is recommended because crunchy peanut butter can make the cookies overly crumbly. Avoid over-baking: the centers should remain very soft when removed from the oven.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• cookies
• baked
• peanut butter
• make-ahead
• freezer-friendly
• vegetarian