Here’s my recipe for peanut butter cookies, a few fun facts about them, and tips to get them perfect every time. Who’s up for some cookies?
Crumbly and delicious — peanut butter cookies are easy to love. Few cookies are as creamy and rich as peanut butter cookies, and it’s thanks to such a special spread — it’s time we show peanut butter some love!
Did you know June 12 is National Peanut Butter Cookie Day in the United States? That’s a great excuse to make a batch. Of course, the cookies we’re making today are fantastic all year round! Here’s how to make them.
The History of Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut butter cookies are an All-American classic, and although they’re pretty easy to make, they have an exciting history.
Peanuts are native to Central and South America, and archeologists believe ancient civilizations, including the Aztecs and the Incas, already toasted and ground peanuts to make some type of spread.
It wasn’t until the 1880s in the USA that peanut butter as we know it came to be. By the 1930s, as the country’s cotton fields were substituted for peanut orchards, peanuts really caught on, and peanut butter cookie recipes started to pop up. Almost a century later, peanut butter cookies are as popular as ever. Without further ado, here’s my recipe for peanut butter cookies.
Why Make Peanut Butter Cookies?
To make peanut butter cookies, you’ll need peanut butter, of course, and make sure it’s the good type of nut butter. Look for unsweetened 100% peanut spread.
You’ll also need a few sticks of butter and lots of sugar. I use white and brown sugar for these beauties, so they end sweet but moist. A couple of eggs will help keep the cookie dough together and have in hand bread flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda.
Work with a stand mixer if you can and have an extra mixing bowl in hand. As for the add-ons, I use chocolate chips and crushed peanuts. That’s all you need! Variations and Substitutions
Nut butters. Once you learn how to make peanut butter cookies, it’s time to experiment with different types of nut butters. The category is trendy right now, and you can find many nutty spreads, from almond butter to pistachio butter, from pine nut butter to a creamy cashew spread! These are all great cookie ingredients!
Crushed nuts. I’m adding crushed peanuts to my cookie dough to give it some crunch, but don’t stop there. Any type of seed or nut can have the same effect.
Chocolate. Chocolate chips undoubtedly have a place in peanut butter cookies, and although I generally use milk chocolate chips, you can try using white or dark chocolate for different results.
Tips for the Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies
Quality matters. Instead of using the good-old peanut butter brands you already know, use locally made artisan spreads. Organic peanut butter made with 100% peanuts is your best bet.
Chill the dough. Consider at least an hour of chill time to prevent cookies to spread too much.
Shape your cookies. Scoring peanut butter cookies with a fork to make a crisscross pattern is a tradition going back to 1932, but it’s not the only way to give shape to your cookies. In the recipe below, I bundle them for chewier cookies. The flatter the cookie, the dryer (crumblier) it will be.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 2.5 cups bread flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup chopped peanuts
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, combine the butter and the peanut butter, mix until incorporated.
- Gradually add the brown and white sugar until thoroughly mixed.
- Mix in the eggs one at a time.
- In a second mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda until combined.
- Transfer the flour mixture into the peanut butter mixture while mixing until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure the mixture is homogeneous.
- Add the chopped peanuts and the chocolate chips and mix until well distributed.
- Cover the mixing bowl with film and refrigerate for two hours.
- Preheat the oven to 410°F (210°C)
- Use a 1/4 measuring cup to scoop the cookie dough and place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Use your fingers to form small bundles. You should be able to arrange 8-10 cookies per baking sheet (leave enough space between cookies).
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. Work in batches to bake 22-24 cookies.
- Cool on a rack until manageable before serving. Enjoy!
For the leftover peanut butter, try these simple no-bake Peanut Butter Fudge Balls.
