Peanut butter cookies. Just the name conjures up images of warm, gooey cookies, perfect with a glass of cold milk. But making them from scratch can seem daunting. Fear not! This guide provides a thorough, step-by-step approach to baking perfectly delicious peanut butter cookies, even for beginner bakers.
Gathering Your Ingredients: The Foundation of Flavor
Before you even think about preheating your oven, you need to gather your ingredients. This ensures a smooth baking process and prevents last-minute scrambles. You'll need:
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter: This is the star of the show! Choose your favorite brand. Natural peanut butter (without added sugar or oil) will result in a slightly denser cookie.
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar: Provides sweetness and helps bind the ingredients.
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar: Adds moisture and a deeper caramel flavor.
- 1 large egg: Binds everything together and adds richness.
- 1 teaspoon baking soda: The leavening agent, making your cookies light and fluffy.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor.
Mixing It Up: The Art of Cookie Dough
Now for the fun part! Here's how to expertly combine your ingredients:
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Cream Together Sugars and Peanut Butter: In a large bowl, cream together the granulated sugar and brown sugar until well combined. Then, add the peanut butter and beat until smooth and creamy. A stand mixer is ideal, but a hand mixer works just fine.
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Add the Egg: Beat in the egg until thoroughly incorporated into the peanut butter mixture.
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Incorporate the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the baking soda and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Overmixing can result in tough cookies.
Shaping and Baking: Achieving Cookie Perfection
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Portioning the Dough: Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop out rounded tablespoons of dough. Roll each spoonful into a ball.
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Creating the Classic Crosshatch: Place the balls of dough onto ungreased baking sheets. Use a fork to make the classic criss-cross pattern on top of each cookie. This not only looks beautiful but also helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
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Baking Time: Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Keep a close eye on them, as oven temperatures can vary.
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Cooling and Enjoying: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips and Variations for Extra Deliciousness
- Chill the dough: For thicker cookies, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. This also helps prevent spreading.
- Add chocolate chips: Elevate your cookies by adding ½ cup of chocolate chips to the dough.
- Use different types of peanut butter: Experiment with crunchy peanut butter for a different texture.
- Adjust sweetness: If you prefer less sweet cookies, reduce the amount of sugar by ¼ cup.
Now go forth and bake! Enjoy your homemade peanut butter cookies, warm from the oven, and share the deliciousness with friends and family. Let us know in the comments how yours turned out!
