Homemade Peanut Butter Cookies
These are intensely peanut-flavored cookies, and the secret is using peanuts in two ways: creamy peanut butter in the dough and coarsely ground peanuts mixed in at the end. The iconic cross-hatch pattern isn't just for looks; it gently flattens the dense dough, which helps the cookies bake more evenly.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- half a teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup commercial extra-crunchy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup roasted salted peanuts
- 1/2 cup toffee bits
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and position the racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions.
- Line two baking sheets with the parchment paper.
- Pulse the roasted peanuts in the food processor 10-15 times until coarsely ground with some larger pieces.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and the kosher salt in a medium bowl.
- Beat the butter with both sugars in the stand mixer on medium-high for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the peanut butter on medium speed until combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, mixing well after each addition.
- Add the flour mixture on low speed until just combined.
- Fold in the ground peanuts and the toffee bits with a spatula.
- Scoop 2-tablespoon balls of dough onto the prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Create a crosshatch pattern on each cookie using a fork dipped in water or sugar.
- Bake for 11-14 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are light golden and centers look slightly underdone.
- Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Store in an airtight container at room temperature.