Since December is basically “cookie” month, why not make some easy peanut butter cookies! This month’s baking challenge is making my soft and chewy peanut butter cookies.
These cookies are wonderfully easy! You can make my classic peanut butter cookie recipe, or try my peanut butter blossoms with a Hershey kiss pressed into the center! They are one of my favorite Christmas cookies of all time.
What is The December Baking Challenge?
It’s a chance for you to test drive one of my recipes, take a picture (it doesn’t have to be pretty!), post a picture in my Facebook group, and enter to win a prize! Every month I’m choosing a different recipe and this month it’s making peanut butter cookies.
I find it is so helpful for me to see how my recipes turn out for you and to hear about what changes you made or would make. I love the great feedback and know how to make my recipes even better, and you get a chance to win!
Make It Your Own!
The best part about peanut butter cookies is you can customize it anyway you want. You can keep them plain, stir in some chocolate chips, maybe some Reese’s pieces, or some chopped salted peanuts.
Or you could also make a fun variation, my peanut butter blossom cookies which have a Hershey kiss pressed into the center.
How To Join The Baking Challenge:
- Recipe: Bake up my delicious and easy peanut butter cookies (or try my peanut butter blossoms) . Or make a fun variation! Try stirring in some chopped peanuts, mini chocolate chips, or Reese’s pieces!
- Bake. Bake up this month’s recipe.
- Share. Take a photo and share in my Facebook group OR send a photo to me via e-mail: [email protected] For a second entry, leave a review on the recipe you made.
For December 2021, I’m giving away A $75 USD Amazon gift card — so you can treat yourself to whatever your heart desires!
Rules and regulations:
Giveaway is open to any residents over the age of majority in their country of residence. Giveaway is open from the time of posting until December 31, 2021 at 11:59 pm EST.
Winner will be selected at random and notified within 72 hours of the contest ending. Facebook winner will be notified by a comment and tag. Winner must respond within 48 hours of initial comment by direct message or a new winner will be chosen.
Giveaway is sponsored by The Boston Girl Bakes and is in no way associated with Facebook, Paypal or Amazon and you release Facebook of all responsibility.
The prize will be sent by email directly from Amazon. The Boston Girl Bakes is not responsible for defective products or missed delivery.
Have fun!
If you have any questions about how this is going down, shoot me an email or leave me a comment on this post and I will respond as quickly as possible!
Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups (210 g) all purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar plus additional sugar to roll cookies in
- 3/4 cup (160 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick, 113) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 cup (135 g) smooth peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, (I use my stand mixer with my paddle attachment, but a hand mixer also works) cream together the sugars and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy about 2-3 minutes. Scrap down the bowl as needed.
- Add in the egg to the butter mixture and beat to combine. Mix in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Using a small cookie scoop, scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into balls with your hands and then roll in sugar. Place on baking sheet and flatten with fork. I flatten with a criss cross.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are set and middles are still slightly soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Notes
- Make ahead/storage: Baked cookies will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days (they may keep longer but I think they are best enjoyed within a few days. You can make the dough and scoop them then cover and refrigerate (up to 24 hours). These will also keep for 2-3 days at room temperature. I just store mine in a ziploc bag.
- Freezing: You can freeze the dough and/or cookies. Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months, just thaw at room temperature. If you freeze the dough, when ready to bake just bake froze and then add a few minutes of baking time. Read here on How To Freeze Cookie Dough.
- Be sure to measure your flour correctly. Over-measuring your flour is going to result in a dry, crumbly cookie. Read my full post on how to measure your flour correctly here.
- Use room temperature butter. By softening your butter properly (and here are 3 ways you can do that in a hurry!) will allow the sugar to punch tiny holes into the butter incorporating air into the dough. Cold butter won’t allow this to happen. So room temperature, unsalted, and you’re good to go.
- Room temperature eggs: Don’t forget to take those eggs out early too. You also need a room temperature egg as well. Remember you want your ingredients all playing along well together. So a cold egg and room temperature butter just don’t play nice on the playground together. You’ll end up with butter that starts to seize up in your bowl. My trick? Put your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 to 10 minutes and you’re good to go.
- Flatten those cookies a bit. These cookies won’t spread much, so you want to help them out a bit and flatten them a bit. I prefer the fork criss cross method, but even a quick flatten with the palm of your hand will do the trick. Have you read my post on why your cookies spread too much? Check it out here!
- Cookies NOT spreading (cakey/dry): This is probably because you added too much flour. When measuring the flour, it’s best to use a kitchen scale. But if you’re using a measuring cup, make sure to SPOON IN THE FLOUR, and LEVEL IT OFF. Do NOT pack it down into the cup, or scoop directly from the bag.
Stacey Hahn says
I’ve made these a couple of times and they’ve always turned out great. They freeze really well. This last time I tried the handprint method (using my daughter’s baby hands to make a special birthday treat) and they came out really fun! No changes besides not rolling in sugar at the end. Thanks for an easy go-to peanut butter cookie!
Heather says
thanks for the info =)