Fresh-from-the oven cookies are nearly impossible to beat, and homemade peanut butter cookies are an all-time classic that most people enjoy. This recipe can easily be adapted to incorporate any type of nut butter, including cashew, almond, or hazelnut to fit any dietary needs or palate preferences. One of the best parts about baking cookies at home is the dough can easily be refrigerated or frozen right up until you're ready to bake the cookies, ensuring your cookies are fresh-out-of-the-oven every time.
How to make peanut butter cookies Image Credit: Julia Mueller
Video of the Day
Things You\’ll Need
-
1/2 cup (1 stick, or 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
-
1/2 cup granulated sugar
-
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
-
1/2 cup peanut butter (see note)
-
1 large egg
-
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour (see note)
-
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
-
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Tip
- You can use creamy or crunchy peanut butter, and alsounsweetened or sweetened. Avoid using peanut butter that has a great deal ofoil separation to avoid the need to stir the peanut butter.
- For gluten-free cookies, use gluten-free all-purposeflour for this recipe.
- If you don’t have brown sugar on hand, you can replace itwith regular granulated cane sugar.
- Replace the sugars with coconut sugar to make this recipe refined sugar-free.
- Substitute 7 tablespoons of softened coconut oil for the butter in order to make this recipe dairy-free.
Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients
Collect the ingredients you need for the recipe, using any substitutions as noted above.
peanut butter cookies ingredients Image Credit: Julia Mueller
Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar
Add the softened butter and sugars to a stand mixer, or a mixing bowl. Beat until creamy.
mix the butter and sugar Image Credit: Julia Mueller
Add the peanut butter and beat until well combined and creamy.
add the peanut butter Image Credit: Julia Mueller 
mix peanut butter into butter and sugar Image Credit: Julia Mueller
Add the egg and mix just until combined.
Add the egg and mix Image Credit: Julia Mueller
Step 3: Add the Dry Ingredients
Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt and stir well so that the dry ingredients are well incorporated.
Combine the dry ingredients Image Credit: Julia Mueller
Pour half of the dry mixture into the mixer with the wet ingredients. Beat just until combined, then repeat for the remaining half of the dry ingredients.
Mix in the dry ingredients to complete the cookie dough. Image Credit: Julia Mueller 
dough should be thick yet moist Image Credit: Julia Mueller
Step 4: Refrigerate the Dough
Transfer the cookie dough to a sealable container. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, up to 12 hours.
Refrigerate cookie dough for 3 hours Image Credit: Julia Mueller
Step 5: Prepare the Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Form small balls out of the dough and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
Roll cookie dough into balls Image Credit: Julia Mueller
Using a fork, flatten the balls by scoring the dough with a fork twice with a crisscross pattern.
flatten the dough with a fork Image Credit: Julia Mueller 
Flatten all of the balls of dough Image Credit: Julia Mueller
Step 6: Bake the Cookies
Place the tray of cookie dough on the center rack of the oven. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until cookies reach desired level of crisp. For chewy cookies, bake 8 to 9 minutes.
Bake until cookies reach desired done-ness Image Credit: Julia Mueller
Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to sit 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool. Serve and enjoy.
Allow cookies to cool Image Credit: Julia Mueller 
Serve and enjoy! Image Credit: Julia Mueller
