Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

Before you start

Peanut butter cookies are one of the simplest drop cookies, and the fork crosshatch is not just decoration. The dough is dense and stiff, so it does not spread much on its own; pressing it flat with a fork helps it bake evenly. Rolling the balls in sugar first gives the tops a light crunch and keeps the fork from sticking.

Use commercial no-stir creamy peanut butter. Natural peanut butter that separates has a variable oil content, which can make the dough greasy one time and crumbly the next. These cookies set as they cool, so take them out when they still look soft and slightly underdone; baked until firm, they turn dry and sandy.

Ingredients

• Dough190 g (1½ cups, spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp fine salt
• 115 g (½ cup) unsalted butter — softened
• 250 g (1 cup) creamy no-stir peanut butter
• 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
• 110 g (½ cup packed) light brown sugar
• 1 large egg — room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Coating50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar

Method

1. Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and line the sheets with parchment. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
2. Beat the butter and peanut butter on medium for 1 minute until smooth. Add both sugars and beat for 2 minutes more, until lighter.
3. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients on low and mix just until the dough comes together; it should be soft but not sticky.
4. Roll the dough into 35 g balls (about 2 tbsp) and roll each one in the coating sugar. Set them 5 cm (2 in) apart.
5. Dip the fork in sugar and press each ball to about 1.5 cm (½ in) thick, then press again at a right angle to make a crosshatch.
6. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are just set and lightly golden and the centers look puffed and soft.
7. Cool on the sheet for 10 minutes; the cookies are too fragile to move before then. Finish cooling on a rack.

Tips for success

• If the dough is too sticky to roll, chill it for 15 minutes rather than adding flour.
• Press the fork only once in each direction. Pressing harder or repeatedly causes cracked edges.
• For a stronger peanut flavor, sprinkle the tops with a few grains of flaky salt before baking.

Substitutions

Creamy peanut butter

Crunchy no-stir peanut butter adds texture and works in the same amount. Natural peanut butter can work if it is very well stirred, but expect more spread and a crumblier cookie.

Butter

Use all peanut butter and no butter for a denser, more fudgy cookie; reduce the flour to 160 g. The cookies will spread less and taste more intensely of peanut.

All-purpose flour

A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend works well here because the peanut butter supplies much of the structure.

Variations

Peanut butter blossoms

Skip the fork. Bake the sugar-coated balls whole for 8 to 10 minutes, then press a chocolate kiss into each as soon as they come out.

Peanut butter chocolate chip

Fold 120 g chocolate chips into the dough and press with the palm of your hand instead of a fork.

Troubleshooting

Dough is crumbly and cracks when pressed

Too much flour or a dry peanut butter. Weigh the flour and use a no-stir brand; knead in 1 tbsp milk if needed.

Cookies are dry and sandy

They were baked until firm. Take them out when the centers look soft, and let them finish setting on the sheet.

Cookies spread and look greasy

Oil separated from natural peanut butter or the butter was too warm. Stir natural peanut butter thoroughly, chill the dough for 30 minutes and use cool baking sheets.

Storage

Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze baked cookies or unbaked balls (before the sugar coating) for up to 3 months; roll frozen balls in sugar, press and bake for an extra minute.

Safety notes

Contains peanuts, a major food allergen; avoid serving to anyone with a peanut allergy and bake on clean equipment if others are allergic. Also contains wheat, egg and milk. Do not eat raw dough.