Description
These thick and chewy peanut butter cookies combine creamy peanut butter with rich brown sugar to create a soft, flavorful treat. Enhanced with vanilla and optionally studded with peanut butter or chocolate chips, these cookies are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth with a classic homemade touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs (room temperature)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup peanut butter chips or chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to ensure cookies do not stick and bake evenly.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, creamy peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create a tender texture.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Incorporate the eggs one at a time to fully blend them, then mix in the vanilla extract to enhance flavor depth.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to distribute the leavening agents evenly through the dough.
- Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined to avoid overworking the dough. Fold in the peanut butter or chocolate chips if desired to add bursts of flavor and texture.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing each cookie to allow for spreading. Flatten slightly with a fork to create the classic cookie pattern and ensure even baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes, watching for golden edges while the centers remain soft to achieve the perfect chewy texture. Remove and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set before transferring to a wire rack.
- Serve or Store: Enjoy cookies warm with a glass of milk or store them in an airtight container for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Room temperature eggs mix better and help create a smoother dough.
- For extra chewiness, do not overbake; remove cookies when edges are golden, centers slightly soft.
- Optional chips can be substituted according to taste: chocolate, peanut butter, or white chocolate.
- Storing in an airtight container keeps cookies fresh up to 5 days.
- Flattening with a fork helps cookies bake evenly and creates the classic peanut butter cookie texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-14 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: peanut butter cookies, chewy cookies, homemade cookies, peanut butter chips, easy cookie recipe, classic American cookies
