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Peanut Butter Cookies · Classic

Soft Peanut Butter Cookies with a Fork Crosshatch

Soft in the middle with a sugary crackle on the outside, these taste like pure peanut butter. Rolling the dough in sugar and pressing it with a fork is a great job for little helpers.

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Prep
20 min
Cook
10 min
Total
40 min
Serves
30 · about 30 cookies
Level
Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter, regular no-stir style, not natural
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar, for rolling

Steps

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two sheet pans with parchment.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and the brown sugar until smooth and fluffy.
  4. Beat in the egg and vanilla, then mix in the flour mixture on low until a soft dough forms.
  5. Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls (about 1 1/2 tablespoons each) and roll each ball in the extra sugar. Space them 2 inches apart on the pans.
  6. Press each ball flat with the back of a fork, then press again in the other direction to make a crosshatch. Dip the fork in sugar if it sticks.
  7. Bake until the edges are just set and lightly golden. The middles will look soft, which is what you want.
  8. Cool on the pans 5 minutes before moving them to a rack; they are fragile while warm.

Tip: Natural peanut butter (the kind with oil on top) makes crumbly, greasy cookies. Use a regular creamy one.

Tip: These contain peanuts. Wash bowls and pans well if you bake for someone with an allergy afterward.

Storage: Airtight at room temperature up to 5 days.

Make ahead: Freeze rolled, sugared balls up to 3 months. Thaw 15 minutes, then flatten with a fork and bake.

Estimated nutrition per serving: 140 calories · protein 3 g · carbohydrates 15 g · fiber <1 g · sugars 9 g · fat 8 g (saturated 3 g) · sodium 95 mg. Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 11 of 11 ingredients.