Homemade peanut butter cookies are still loved by my family after making them all these years. These simple, easy and delicious old-fashioned chewy peanut butter cookies are so easy to make and I've included step-by-step instructions so you can make the perfect batch of homemade peanut butter cookies at home. Make these any time of year for a treat everyone will love.
I have been making these peanut butter cookies for my family for years! It is always loved by everyone and they are so easy to make.
These cookies have a rich, nutty peanut butter flavor and a melt-in-your-mouth chewy texture that cannot be beaten. They are not crunchy peanut butter cookies. They are perfectly enjoyed with a glass of cold milk and warm from the oven (my favorite way!)
Make these for the holidays, parties or just because. There is always a place for these classic cookies.
Why do you press a fork into peanut butter cookies
Have you ever wondered why peanut butter cookies have that distinct pattern on top? This classic pattern is made when a fork is pressed into the top of the cookie dough.
Believe it or not, there's actually a reason behind pressing a fork into peanut butter cookies and here is why:
- Appearance. Pressing a fork into peanut butter cookies creates those iconic crisscross patterns on their surface and helps set it apart from other cookies.
- It Creates Even Baking. Because peanut butter cookies are rolled into balls, when you press a fork into each cookie dough ball before baking, it helps flatten them slightly and creates an even thickness throughout. This ensures that all the cookies are baked evenly.
- Prevents Spreading: Peanut butter cookie dough is very soft and can spread easily. By pressing down the cookie dough with a fork, this helps control its spreading during baking thanks to the small indentations in each cookie.
What You Will Need
The ingredients to make these old-fashioned chewy peanut butter cookies are very simple. Here is what you will need (full recipe below)
- Creamy peanut butter: It is better to use creamy peanut butter for these cookies since you want them to be smooth and chewy. We have great success with both natural peanut butter and regular peanut butter.
- All-purpose flour: Any brand will do.
- Light brown sugar: I prefer using light brown sugar to regular brown sugar because I feel regular brown sugar has too much of a molasses flavor for this recipe.
- Granulated sugar: Like many old-fashioned cookie recipes, these peanut butter cookies are rolled in sugar before they are baked!
- Unsalted butter: At room temperature.
- Vanilla extract
- Baking Powder
- Kosher salt: If you do not have kosher salt you can use regular table salt and just half the amount.
How to make old fashioned chewy peanut butter cookies
- Preheat your oven and prepare baking sheets.
- Cream together the butter peanut butter and then brown sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and peanut butter. Then add the brown sugar until light and fluffy. Use either an electric mixer or a wooden spoon.
- Add eggs and vanilla extract: Beat in the eggs one at a time until well incorporated. Then add the vanilla extract and mix again until combined.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this mixture to the wet ingredients stirring continuously until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX.
- Make cookie dough balls: Using a heaping tablespoon of dough at a time, roll it into balls between your palms. Roll each ball into the granulated sugar then place it on prepared baking sheets making sure they are about two inches apart.
- Make the classic crisscross pattern: Using a fork, gently press down on each dough ball in a crisscross pattern to flatten slightly and create the traditional peanut butter cookie X pattern.
- Bake: Place the baking sheets into the preheated oven and bake for about 11 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges. The cookies should still be soft when removed from the oven. They will firm up with cooling.
Tips
- Use creamy peanut butter: When it comes to making soft peanut butter cookies, using creamy rather than chunky peanut butter is key. Creamy peanut butter contains more oil, which helps keep the cookies moist and tender.
- Do not over mix: Over mixing can result in tougher cookies so mix the ingredients until just combined.
- Don't overbake: For chewy cookies, be careful not to overbake. Remove the cookies from the oven when they still appear slightly undercooked as they will continue to firm up while cooling.
- Use brown sugar: By using brown sugar instead of regular granulated sugar, you are adding moisture to the dough due to its molasses content.
Storing
These old-fashioned peanut butter cookies store well for up to one week. To store them, allow them to cool completely then place them in an airtight container on the counter. You do not want to refrigerate these cookies or they will lose that delicious chewy texture.
Honestly, in our house, these cookies don't last more than 2 days but if you do have some leftovers after that, this is how to store them properly 🙂
More Peanut Butter Recipes
More Old Fashioned Cookie Recipes
If you love this old-fashioned chewy peanut butter cookie recipe, you may also like these:
Old- Fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups All purpose flour
- 1 cup Light brown sugar packed
- ⅓ cup Granulated sugar for rolling cookie dough in before baking
- ½ cup Creamy peanut butter
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tablespoon Unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cream together the butter and peanut butter until well combined and smooth.½ cup Creamy peanut butter, 4 tablespoon Unsalted butter
- Add brown sugar and mix until well combined.1 cup Light brown sugar
- Add eggs one at a time and mix well.2 large eggs
- Add vanilla and mix again.1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.1 ½ cups All purpose flour, 1 teaspoon Baking powder, ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over mix.
- Place granulated sugar on to a plate.⅓ cup Granulated sugar
- Now scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the peanut butter cookie dough and roll into a ball then roll the ball in the sugar on the plate until it is well coated.
- Place the sugar coated cookie dough ball on to a sheet pan.
- Continue to roll and coat the cookie dough until all of it is used up making sure to leave about 2 inches of space on the sheet pan. (you may need 2 sheet pans)
- With a fork, press the fork into the top of each cookie dough ball to form an X (press down one way then the opposite way).
- Bake for about 11 minutes or until they are just slightly golden brown.
- Cool for 5 minutes or so then enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Values are estimates only.
See full nutrition disclaimer hereTried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!
Betty says
25 people today sampled 5 different type cookies. Coming in at #3 was Peanut Butter. Who doesn't like a good, old fashioed peanut butter cookie? All doughs prepped and chilled the day before. Today bringing all to room temp so cookies would be fresh. Used small scoop cookies don't spread very much.
Will recommend, and will make again.
Melissa Oleary says
love hearing that Betty 🙂 glad you enjoyed them!