When it's cold outside, peanut butter cookies are among the first things I think of making. I've tried many variations, but I always return to this recipe because it has readily available ingredients, the dough is easy to make, and the result is just the right amount of crispy and flavorful. I often make them when I want something quick, especially in the afternoon, with a hot tea.
Quick Info
Total time: about 30 minutes
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Baking time: 3-5 minutes per batch
Servings: 2 trays, about 30-35 cookies (depending on how big you make them)
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: quick cookies, suitable for holidays or when you crave something sweet with peanut butter
Ingredients
250 g butter (at room temperature)
350 g all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons peanut butter (creamy, not crunchy)
2 medium eggs
125 g sugar
125 g brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
lemon juice (enough to react with the baking powder and baking soda; about 2 teaspoons)
Preparation method
1. In a large bowl, place the softened butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Mix well with a wooden spoon or mixer until you achieve a creamy consistency.
2. Add the eggs and the 4 teaspoons of peanut butter. Mix again until everything is well combined.
3. In a small bowl, place the baking powder and baking soda. Pour a little lemon juice over them (just enough to see them foam slightly). Add this mixture to the butter and sugar mixture.
4. Start adding the flour gradually, mixing after each batch. In the end, you should have a sticky dough, but not completely liquid.
5. Prepare a tray with parchment paper. If you don’t have it, you can grease the tray with a little butter and sprinkle with flour. Start forming the cookies: you can use a piping bag for more regular shapes, but I usually just scoop them directly onto the tray with a spoon.
6. Leave enough space between the cookies, as they spread quite a bit while baking.
7. Place the tray in the preheated oven at 180°C. Bake the cookies for 3-5 minutes, depending on how big you made them. When the edges turn slightly golden, you can take them out.
8. Remove them from the oven even if they seem very soft – when they cool, they will harden and get a crispy texture on the outside.
Why I make this recipe often
It's quick and doesn't require chilling the dough beforehand. The ingredients are simple, and the peanut butter flavor is prominent without being overly sweet. They are good both fresh and after a few days.
Tips and variations
Tips
- The butter should be soft, not melted, so it incorporates better with the sugar.
- Don’t leave the cookies in the oven too long; they harden quite a bit when cooled.
- For even shapes, use a teaspoon and take about the same amount of dough each time.
Substitutions
- If you don’t have brown sugar, you can use only white sugar, but the texture and flavor will be slightly different.
- Peanut butter can be replaced with a nut paste, but it won’t have the same specific taste.
Variations
- You can add a tablespoon of chocolate chips to the dough if you want a chocolate combination.
- If you prefer a rustic look, place a piece of peanut on top of each cookie before baking.
Serving ideas
- I like them best with black tea or plain coffee.
- They are also good alongside a glass of milk, especially for kids.
- They can be packaged and given as gifts, as they are sturdy for transport.
Frequently asked questions
1. How do I know when they are done, even if they seem soft?
The cookies should be taken out when the edges are just golden. They will be soft to the touch, but will become crispy on the outside as they cool.
2. Does the dough need to be chilled before baking?
No, the dough can be used immediately after making it. It doesn’t need extra time in the fridge.
3. Can I use crunchy peanut butter?
You can, but the final texture will have small crunchy pieces of peanuts. For a uniform appearance, creamy is more suitable.
4. Can I make the dough in advance and freeze it or the cookies?
I’ve never frozen the dough, but the baked cookies keep well for a few days at room temperature.
5. What do I do if the dough is too sticky?
If you can’t work with it at all, you can add a very small amount of flour, but not too much, so they don’t turn out dry. The dough should remain soft.
Nutritional values
Estimation for one cookie (from about 30 pieces):
Calories: 100-110 kcal
Fat: 6 g
Carbohydrates: 13 g
Protein: 2 g
The values are approximate, depending on the size of the cookies and the type of peanut butter used. These are indicative values for peanut butter and sugar type cookies.
Storage and reheating
The cookies keep well for 3-4 days in a closed container at room temperature. After a few days, they lose some crispiness but remain good in taste. I do not recommend reheating, as they can become too dry. If you want to keep them longer, you can store them in an airtight jar.
This is my way of making quick peanut butter cookies, without complications. They are suitable for any moment when you crave something sweet made at home.
Quick Info
Total time: about 30 minutes
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Baking time: 3-5 minutes per batch
Servings: 2 trays, about 30-35 cookies (depending on how big you make them)
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: quick cookies, suitable for holidays or when you crave something sweet with peanut butter
Ingredients
250 g butter (at room temperature)
350 g all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons peanut butter (creamy, not crunchy)
2 medium eggs
125 g sugar
125 g brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
lemon juice (enough to react with the baking powder and baking soda; about 2 teaspoons)
Preparation method
1. In a large bowl, place the softened butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Mix well with a wooden spoon or mixer until you achieve a creamy consistency.
2. Add the eggs and the 4 teaspoons of peanut butter. Mix again until everything is well combined.
3. In a small bowl, place the baking powder and baking soda. Pour a little lemon juice over them (just enough to see them foam slightly). Add this mixture to the butter and sugar mixture.
4. Start adding the flour gradually, mixing after each batch. In the end, you should have a sticky dough, but not completely liquid.
5. Prepare a tray with parchment paper. If you don’t have it, you can grease the tray with a little butter and sprinkle with flour. Start forming the cookies: you can use a piping bag for more regular shapes, but I usually just scoop them directly onto the tray with a spoon.
6. Leave enough space between the cookies, as they spread quite a bit while baking.
7. Place the tray in the preheated oven at 180°C. Bake the cookies for 3-5 minutes, depending on how big you made them. When the edges turn slightly golden, you can take them out.
8. Remove them from the oven even if they seem very soft – when they cool, they will harden and get a crispy texture on the outside.
Why I make this recipe often
It's quick and doesn't require chilling the dough beforehand. The ingredients are simple, and the peanut butter flavor is prominent without being overly sweet. They are good both fresh and after a few days.
Tips and variations
Tips
- The butter should be soft, not melted, so it incorporates better with the sugar.
- Don’t leave the cookies in the oven too long; they harden quite a bit when cooled.
- For even shapes, use a teaspoon and take about the same amount of dough each time.
Substitutions
- If you don’t have brown sugar, you can use only white sugar, but the texture and flavor will be slightly different.
- Peanut butter can be replaced with a nut paste, but it won’t have the same specific taste.
Variations
- You can add a tablespoon of chocolate chips to the dough if you want a chocolate combination.
- If you prefer a rustic look, place a piece of peanut on top of each cookie before baking.
Serving ideas
- I like them best with black tea or plain coffee.
- They are also good alongside a glass of milk, especially for kids.
- They can be packaged and given as gifts, as they are sturdy for transport.
Frequently asked questions
1. How do I know when they are done, even if they seem soft?
The cookies should be taken out when the edges are just golden. They will be soft to the touch, but will become crispy on the outside as they cool.
2. Does the dough need to be chilled before baking?
No, the dough can be used immediately after making it. It doesn’t need extra time in the fridge.
3. Can I use crunchy peanut butter?
You can, but the final texture will have small crunchy pieces of peanuts. For a uniform appearance, creamy is more suitable.
4. Can I make the dough in advance and freeze it or the cookies?
I’ve never frozen the dough, but the baked cookies keep well for a few days at room temperature.
5. What do I do if the dough is too sticky?
If you can’t work with it at all, you can add a very small amount of flour, but not too much, so they don’t turn out dry. The dough should remain soft.
Nutritional values
Estimation for one cookie (from about 30 pieces):
Calories: 100-110 kcal
Fat: 6 g
Carbohydrates: 13 g
Protein: 2 g
The values are approximate, depending on the size of the cookies and the type of peanut butter used. These are indicative values for peanut butter and sugar type cookies.
Storage and reheating
The cookies keep well for 3-4 days in a closed container at room temperature. After a few days, they lose some crispiness but remain good in taste. I do not recommend reheating, as they can become too dry. If you want to keep them longer, you can store them in an airtight jar.
This is my way of making quick peanut butter cookies, without complications. They are suitable for any moment when you crave something sweet made at home.