The World's Best Peanut Butter Cookies

Submitted by EQJunkie

"The name of the recipe says it all. While it is my description of these cookies, it is also the actual name of the recipe that was printed in a small booklet of recipes that came out of a bag of Gold Medal Flour at least 40 years ago. Tried and true, this is the only peanut butter cookie recipe my mother ever made, and it is the only recipe I will use. Prepared as described below, the cookies are soft, yet crispy."

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 36 cookies

ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 1⁄2 cup peanut butter
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 3⁄4 cups self-rising flour
• sugar, for coating

directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cream together butter, peanut butter, brown sugar and sugar until nice and smooth.
3. Add egg and vanilla and beat in well with a spoon.
4. Gradually add the self-rising flour. Dough will be stiff.
5. Form one inch balls and roll in sugar (I like to toss a dozen of the dough balls into a bag with sugar, shake gently to coat and then leave them in the bag for a couple minutes so a thicker coat of sugar adheres to the dough, then give another light shake before removing them from the bag. But just giving them a quick roll is fine).
6. Place sugared dough balls onto an UNGREASED baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Flatten balls with the back of a fork (or if you want flat tops you can flatten them with the bottom of a drinking glass. I usually flatten them with the textured side of my meat cleaver giving the cookies a nice waffle pattern).
7. Optional step: You can sprinkle a little extra sugar onto the tops after they are flattened if you like. It adds a little "crunch" to this soft cookie.
8. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges just start to turn brown. Remove from the oven and cool cookies on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to cooling racks.
9. Note: While baking one batch of cookies, cover the remaining dough with plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out. I generally form the dough balls for the next batch while the previous batch is cooling on the baking sheet.
10. Variation: To give a Christmas touch. Dip the bottom half of the dough balls in regular sugar, then dip the top half of the balls in colored sugar crystals. Then flatten and bake as directed.
11. Enjoy!

Reviews

[Cat W.]

I used a whole stick of unsalted butter since I love butter cookies. Came out beautifully!! I also cook these in my convection toaster oven on a piece of foil for exactly 8 minutes in a pre heated oven. Less energy and no dishes!! Very delicious!! Great recipe for a smaller amount.

 

[starcie]

I'm a chocolate girl so I added shaved chocolate to the mix. They worked out FANTASTIC. Wondering how they would work without being rolled in the sugar. Anyway, delicious!

 

[Amber Y.]

These are the best peanut butter cookies I have ever eaten! I normally don’t love PB cookies because they’ve always had a little bit of a bitter aftertaste. These do not! These cookies are soft, chewy, and a perfect sweetness. Do yourself a favor and make these!

 

[mfisher767]

They turned out perfect! No tweaks..I did use blue bonnet instead of butter. They're not too soft but not hard--best PBC recipe I have tried! Fast and easy!

 

[Stephanie ..]

I made the recipe as described and they are the perfect peanut butter cookie! Ive tried many different ones but these are the easiest and the best. I sprinkled the sugar on top once they were on the cookie sheet, rather than rolling them in sugar. Thanks for this great recipe.