Peanut Butter Cookies

Nothing beats a good old-fashioned cookie. These buttery, chewy Peanut Butter Cookies are a classic.

This recipe has been handed down in my family for 4 generations now, its origins are probably from a peanut butter jar label from back in the day. Peanut Butter Cookies became popular during the Great Depression. They originated in the United States when peanut butter became widely available around 1910.

Peanut Butter- Originally, this recipe called for creamy peanut butter, but you can use creamy peanut butter or crunchy peanut butter. I love crunchy peanut butter and even use the extra crunchy stuff for lots of added crunch. Mixed with the chewy texture of the cookie, it’s a win-win in my book. My kids, on the other hand, don’t like nuts in their baked goods, so keep that in mind when making them for a crowd. Use whatever brand of peanut butter you like in your day-to-day life to give them the flavor that you already love.

A look at the ingredients:

2 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1 c peanut butter ( you can use creamy or crunchy)

1 c softened butter

1 c granulated sugar

1 c brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

To make the peanut butter cookies:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Next, mix the peanut butter, softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl.

Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.

Carefully add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture and stir until well combined.

Use a spoon or cookie scoop to scoop out and roll walnut-sized balls.

Place the rolled cookies on a greased baking sheet and space them apart to leave room for spreading out.

Press the dough down with a fork’s tines and turn the fork and press down again, making the classic crisscross pattern across the top.

Bake them for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from the baking sheet and place them on a cooling rack to cool.

Store in an air-tight container for up to a week at room temperature.

Options:

Add in a cup of chocolate chips or peanut butter chips to add extra flavor and texture.

I read you can add 1 tsp of cornstarch to make them extra chewy. I have not personally tried this yet.

Another option is to use unsalted butter in place of the salted butter and add 1/4 tsp more of salt.

You can roll the balls of cookie dough in sugar before pressing them down with a fork for a sweet coating on top.

Freezing Peanut Butter Cookies:

You can make peanut butter cookies ahead of time and freeze them for later, or simply store them in the freezer to keep them fresher for longer. After you have baked the peanut butter cookies, let them cool completely before bagging in freezer bags or placing in an air-tight container and freezing for up to 3 months. Set them out to thaw for a few hours to reach room temperature and enjoy.

This is a great option if you want to make them for a party ahead of time or to take somewhere special and won’t have time that day to prepare them. Keep them fresh and ready to go at a moment’s notice.

You can also freeze the cookie dough- Mix up a batch of the peanut butter cookie dough, roll them into balls, and press them down with a fork. Then, after you have shaped them, freeze them on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet in the freezer until they are set for 1-2 hours. Then bag them in a freezer bag or air-tight container for up to 3 months to bake at a later time. You can bake them right out of the freezer, you will need to adjust the length of time they bake by a couple of minutes, and bake them until they are set.

If you like to compete at the county fair and take multiple things, this is a little trick for saving on some time when you have a lot of last-minute prep on different entrees. You want your baked goods to be as fresh as possible, so pulling out frozen dough and baking the cookies on the morning of judging day helps give you optimal freshness.