Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
These Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies are classic, soft, and chewy with a perfect balance of sweet and nutty flavors. Made with creamy peanut butter and a blend of sugars, they feature a signature cross-hatch pattern and a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Ideal for a comforting homemade treat, these cookies bake up golden brown and are easy to prepare with simple pantry ingredients.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-13 minutes
- Total Time: 22-23 minutes
- Yield: 24 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup salted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar, packed
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, then set aside to be used later.
- Cream Peanut Butter and Butter: In a large mixing bowl or using a stand mixer, beat together the creamy peanut butter and room temperature salted butter until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add Sugars: Add both the light brown sugar and granulated sugar to the creamed peanut butter and butter. Beat the mixture until it becomes fluffy and light in texture.
- Incorporate Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Then add the vanilla extract and mix until fully incorporated.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and baking soda to evenly distribute the leavening agent.
- Mix Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Stir gently until just combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing without overworking the dough.
- Form Cookies: Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop out dough balls approximately 2 tablespoons each. Place them onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 3 inches apart.
- Create Crosshatch Pattern: Gently press down each dough ball with a fork to create the classic cross-hatch pattern on top of the cookies.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12 to 13 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the tops are no longer glossy.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Be sure to use room temperature butter and eggs for easier mixing and better texture.
- Do not overmix the dough once the flour is added to keep the cookies tender.
- Spacing cookies about 3 inches apart prevents them from spreading into each other while baking.
- The cross-hatch fork pattern is traditional for peanut butter cookies and helps flatten the dough evenly.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
