Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
Thick, tender and full of roasted peanut flavour, with the classic fork marks.
Before You Start
These stay soft in the middle instead of going dry and crumbly, because there is more peanut butter than flour. Use a smooth, well-stirred jar (not the natural, oily kind) so the dough holds together. The fork crosshatch is not just for looks; it flattens the thick dough so it bakes evenly.
Instructions
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1
Beat the peanut butter with both sugars until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
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2
Add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix just until a soft dough forms. Don't overwork it.
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3
Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F and line two trays with baking paper.
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4
Roll the dough into balls, about 1 tablespoon each. Set them on the trays with room to spread, then press each one twice with a fork to make a crosshatch.
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5
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set but the centres still look soft. They firm up as they cool.
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6
Leave on the tray for 5 minutes, then move to a rack.
Tools for foolproof bakes
Weighing beats scooping every time. These inexpensive tools make every recipe more reliable.
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💡 Baker's tips
- Use regular jarred peanut butter, not natural stir-and-separate kinds. The oil in natural PB makes the cookies greasy and flat.
- For a sweet-salty finish, press a few flakes of sea salt onto each cookie before baking.
🔀 Make it your own
- Press a chocolate kiss into the centre the moment they come out of the oven.
- Fold 100 g chocolate chips into the dough.
📦 Storing & freezing
Airtight at room temperature for 5 days. Freeze the dough balls and bake from frozen, adding 2 minutes.
❓ Frequently asked
How many grams is a cup of peanut butter?
About 258 g per US cup. Peanut butter is dense, so weighing is the most reliable way to measure it.
Can I use crunchy peanut butter?
Yes. It adds little bits of peanut through the cookie. Keep everything else the same.
Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
