Ah, peanut butter cookies with a criss-cross, one of my favorite childhood cookies. These are so good and crispy and peanut buttery and perfect with a glass of milk.
My son asked for these cookies, which is why I’m featuring them today.
His most favorite and perhaps yours is peanut butter kiss cookies.
Classic Peanut Butter Cookies (+Where to stock up on Peanut Butter for Less)
Truth be told, even though this is a classic peanut butter cookie recipe, I thought it was just okay.
Now, having said that, the 'just okay flavor' didn’t keep me from inhaling four cookies when they came out of the oven so take my “okay” with a grain of salt.
Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe Notes
This is a fast cookie to mix up.
However, ideally you will chill the dough for at least three hours before baking.
Chilling allows time for the dough to develop flavor.
However, I did bake one tray immediately and the sky didn't fall so if you need to bake these cookies immediately, I give you permission.
Which peanut butter is best for cookies?
Use a traditional peanut butter--not an all natural peanut butter that has a lot of of oil pooling at the top of the jar.
All that oil is going to affect the final texture of your cookie.
The brand of peanut butter doesn't matter as much.
Having said that, my baking group on Facebook says to also stay away from store brands and stick to the big 3: Jif, Skippy or Reece’s, which is what I used for this batch.
I really like Reece’s peanut butter.
I think other people do too because it costs about .50 cents more a jar than Jif, which is what I stock up on at Sam’s Club.
Why do peanut butter cookies have fork marks?
The fork marks supposedly help the cookies bake more evenly.
I buy peanut butter and most of my baking ingredients at Sam's Club.
Classic Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
Crispy, peanut buttery cookies are probably a classic cookie from your childhood if you grew up in the U.S. Find out my suggestions for what peanut butter is best to use for cookies.
Ingredients
- 1 stick of butter (½ cup or 112 g), room temperature
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (130g) peanut butter, NOT ORGANIC
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 and ¼ cup (160g) all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Cream butter and sugars until the mixture is fluffy. It should be pale yellow.
This should take about four or five minutes depending on the strength of your mixer.
Add egg and peanut butter.
Mix for another two minutes or until well-combined.
Add dry ingredients and beat on low speed until just combined and you no longer see any streaks of flour.
Don’t overmix or your cookies will be tough.
Put dough in a resealable container or cover mixing bowl with plastic wrap and chill for three hours before baking.
To Bake:
Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
Portion dough into one-inch balls and roll in sanding sugar.
Press a fork into each ball of dough twice to crimp the dough.
Bake 12 cookies at a time on a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until cookies or golden brown.
Let rest on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before moving to a wire cooling rack.
Best eaten within 24 hours. (Kidding, these cookies will keep up to a week stored in an airtight container.)
You can freeze the dough for three months if well-covered.
Notes
I recommend using a regular peanut butter, not organic or all-natural. https://youtu.be/5kZ0dlTWNZE
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information
Yield 36 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 30Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 12mgSodium 73mgCarbohydrates 1gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 0g
