peanut butter cookies
These are an all-time American favorite—and whether you put chocolate chips in or not is up to you! We use crunchy peanut butter for a better texture and flavor.
- 1 stick plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
- 2⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 2½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips, chopped
2 baking sheets, lined with parchment paper
Makes 24
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Put the butter and sugars in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and cream until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. Turn the mixer down to slow speed and beat in the vanilla and peanut butter.
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix well until a smooth dough is formed. Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly dispersed.
Drop 12 equal amounts of cookie dough on each prepared baking sheet. Make sure that the cookies are spaced apart to allow for spreading while baking. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges and quite flat. Let the cookies cool slightly on the sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies should be soft and chewy.