Easy Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe (Classic American)
Classic peanut butter cookie recipe from The Joy of Cooking. Crisp, nutty, and ready in 20 minutes.
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Ingredients
- ½ cup 115 grams butter, softened
- ½ cup 100 grams brown sugar
- ½ cup 100 grams white sugar
- 1 free-range egg
- 1 cup 250 grams peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups 190 grams all-purpose or cake flour
- ½ tsp baking powder or bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Beat the butter and both sugars until light and creamy.
- Add the egg and beat for another minute.
- Mix in the peanut butter and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold into the batter until just combined.
- Roll into 3 cm (1-inch) balls and place on the tray.
- Press each cookie gently with a fork in one or two directions for the classic pattern.
- Bake for 10–15 minutes until light golden brown.
- Cool on a wire rack.
Notes
Pro Tip
Add 1–2 Tbsp toasted milk powder to enhance the nutty, brown-butter flavour. For extra crunch, stir in chopped roasted peanuts before baking.Storage Instructions
- Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months; defrost at room temperature.
- To freeze dough, divide and roll into balls and freeze on a tray, then store in a zip bag. Bake from frozen, adding 2 minutes to the time.
Servings: 12