Cookies are an amazing treat for people of all ages. From pairing with milk as an indulgent breakfast to enjoying as a snack in the evening or as dessert after a meal, there are plenty of ways to consume cookies. There is also a huge variety of cookies, from chocolate chip cookies to oatmeal raisin cookies and so much more. But here, we’re going to discuss a particularly healthy variation, the peanut butter cookies. These are soft, thick, and gooey on the tongue. So follow this guide to make the most wholesome peanut butter cookies and add another feather to your baking cap.
Ingredients:
Directions:
In a bowl, add the flour, baking soda and salt together. Mix well and set aside.
In another bowl, add the butter. Using a hand held mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until thick and creamy. Then lower the speed and add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the bowl. Beat until fully incorporated and smooth. Then add the egg and beat until it's fully incorporated into the dough. Throughout, keep scraping down the sides and placing that dough back in the middle so it can mix in with the rest. Finally, add the peanut butter and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined.
Now add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients, one or two spoons at a time. Mix in that much, then add more. As you beat, the dough will become creamy and soft. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for 2 hours in the fridge. If you're preparing ahead, you can make this dough and then let it sit in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Preheat the oven to 350°F or 177°C.
Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Add the remaining sugar in a bowl. Roll the chilled cookie dough into small balls, rolling between the palms of your hands. Then roll each ball in the sugar and then place them on the baking sheet. Leave some space between each ball so they have space to spread. Use a fork or toothpick to create a design on the top of the cookies.
Bake for about 10 minutes, although times may differ depending on the oven you're baking in. you’ll know they are done when the edges of the cookies look like they have set and the cookies themselves are lightly browned. The centers will still be soft and that's fine.
Let the cookies cool on a wire rack.
Serve once they've reached room temperature, with a glass of milk.
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
If you want, you can make the cookie dough ahead of time and chill in the fridge for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. When you're ready to bake, take a small portion of the dough, enough for one or two cookies or as needed. Roll them into shape, roll them in sugar, make a pattern on top and then bake for just 1-2 minutes extra.
In the debate between using creamy and crunchy peanut butter, always opt for creamy. Crunchy peanut butter makes the cookies too crumbly because it's thicker and less creamy. So creamy peanut butter is better for the cookies.
If you want to substitute, you can easily swap out the peanut butter for almond butter and have a whole new cookie on your hand.
If you want to add in some other filling, do that once the wet and dry ingredients have been mixed together. At that stage, you can mix in chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, slices of almonds, peanuts or pistachios, or any other addition that you want in your cookies. If you are adding something, don't indent the cookies with a fork before baking them.