These peanut butter cookies are thick, soft, chewy, and gooey in the center. The key to keeping them from spreading too much is to melt the butter, then chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups (155 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Extra granulated sugar, for rolling
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Melt the butter
Melt the butter and let it cool for a few minutes. It should be melted but not hot.
2. Mix the wet ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and creamy.
3. Add the egg and vanilla
Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until everything is completely combined.
4. Combine the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
5. Make the dough
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture. Stir just until a soft cookie dough forms. Do not overmix.
6. Chill the dough
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. For even thicker cookies, you can chill it for 1 hour.
7. Prepare the cookies
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop the chilled dough into balls, roughly 1½ tablespoons each. Roll each ball in granulated sugar.
8. Make the classic peanut butter pattern
Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between them. Press each cookie gently with a fork, making a crisscross pattern.
9. Bake
Bake for 9–10 minutes. The edges should look set while the centers still appear slightly soft.
10. Don’t overbake
Remove the cookies from the oven while the centers are still soft. They will continue cooking on the hot baking sheet and become perfectly chewy as they cool.
11. Cool and serve
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5–10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.
⭐ Tips for Thick, Chewy Cookies
- Melted butter works beautifully when combined with chilling the dough.
- Don’t skip the 30-minute chilling time.
- Don’t add too much flour, or the cookies can become dry.
- Take them out when the centers still look slightly underbaked.
- For an extra peanut-buttery flavor, add a little more peanut butter, up to about ⅔ cup, without making the dough too soft.
- Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container for several days.
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