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Soft Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
The best chewy peanut butter cookies which have everything — a chewy texture, crisp edges, and crunchy peanuts.The perfect peanut butter cookie!
I have been on the hunt for the best peanut butter cookie recipe. Since peanut butter cookies are one of my husband’s favorite cookies, I searched in order to figure out how to make the ultimate peanut butter cookie. After many batches, we have declared a winner!
I tried all sorts of different methods and ingredients. I found that butter produced the best flavor (it truly does make everything better) so it was the perfect base. Slightly softened butter (a small indention forms when pressed but it is not melted) mixed well with the sugars.
Both brown sugar and sugar play an important role in the cookie. The brown sugar creates the chewy texture, thanks to the molasses, and the sugar creates the slightly crispy edges. I tried using all brown sugar, mostly brown sugar and a little sugar, and half and half, and the 50/50 brown sugar to sugar ratio won out.
The peanut butter is always important since it is the star ingredient. If you want the cookies to be extra crunchy, reach for crunchy peanut butter. If you want them to be mostly smooth, reach for creamy peanut butter. One of my favorite parts of this peanut butter cookie is the finely chopped peanuts added to the cookies so you get a crunch in every bite. It adds so much texture!
One note on salt…if you use salted butter, just omit the salt. There will be plenty of salt between the peanut butter, peanuts, and butter. It is best to use unsalted butter in these cookies but either will work just fine.
After rolling the dough into a ball, roll into a bowl of sugar, and then take a fork and make a crisscross pattern. Place on a baking sheet and bake just until edges start to become a light golden color. They will look slightly underbaked but will set up. They are supposed to be soft and chewy so let them continue to set up on the cookie sheet after removing from the oven.
These chewy peanut butter cookies freeze so well so keep them in the freezer for a late night craving or an after school snack for your kids. They go perfectly well with a big glass of cold milk. Just ask my husband…he’s an expert on that combo.
If you LOVE Peanut Butter, check out these recipes:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies (Levain Bakery Copycat)
- Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Pie
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Soft Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter (softened)
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 cup Sugar (plus 2 Tablespoons for top of cookies)
- 1 cup Peanut Butter (creamy or crunchy)
- 2 large Eggs
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 3/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt (optional if using salted butter)
- 1 cup Roasted Salted Peanuts (ground or finely chopped to resemble breadcrumbs)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and sugar for 4 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl often.
- Add eggs and vanilla and beat for 1 minute longer. Fold in peanut butter.
- Stir in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Fold in finely ground or chopped roasted salted peanuts.
- Chill dough for at least 1 hour or overnight is ideal. After chilling, preheat oven to 350 degrees.Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Roll dough into 2-inch balls. Place remaining sugar into a small bowl. Roll cookie dough balls into sugar to coat. Place on cookie sheet and press each ball twice with a dinner form to form a crisscross design.
- Bake for 10-13 minutes or until the edges become a light golden color. Do not overbake as these are supposed to be soft and chewy. Let the cookies rest for at least 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
Video
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Happy Baking, my friends!
Great cookies, but I think it’s silly to say preheat the oven to 350 as the 1st direction and then a few directions down tell us to chill for at least and hour or preferably over night.
My oven was already preheated before I read the chilling instruction, so I just baked them and they still turned out soft, chewy and great. Thanks for the recipe.
These are the best peanut butter cookies I have ever tasted!
Can you leave out the crushed peanuts?
These cookies are AMAZING!!! I have tried many of the published recipes and have not found one that I haven’t liked!! Thank you for all your kitchen knowledge!!
Nan, was I ever happy to see this recipe. Thanx bhncges!! Even made enough for us and the Pastor’s family! 🙂 I am a happy camper! Hope to see more recipes, even supper recipes. I get tired making the same thing. Also, I need a recipe for cinnamon rolls that don’t have the heavy texture of bread but ones that are softer. Thanx for any HELP!! 🙂
The BEST peanut butter cookie recipe!
Finally, I have a peanut butter cookie recipe that is actually soft and chewy! Very good flavor. I reiterate the instruction to remove the cookies from the oven when the edges just turn light brown and to let them sit on the baking sheet to set. It’s tempting to let them cook until the whole cooking is brown but you would lose the soft and chewy texture. Thanks for this keeper of a recipe.
I just made these & they are amazing! Too bad I can’t upload photos but they look just as good as yours! I didn’t want to wait overnight to bake so I put the dough in the freezer for half an hour and it worked out perfectly. Thank you, I will definitely check out your other recipes! 🙂
These are the best peanut butter cookies ever! Soft and chewy with a crunch on the outside! Thank you for the recipe!
Love your recipe! My favorite by far! I was in a hurry when I found the recipe and did not refrigerate them and they still turned out fabulous! Thank you!
Donna
These were so yummy and easy! I love the addition of the chopped peanuts!
Omg these are the easiest and the best thank you.
I love to hear it, Nancy! Thank you so much for trying them and for taking the time to write a kind comment. Have a great day! — Melissa
Can i double this