These chewy peanut butter crinkle cookies are full of peanut butter flavor and have a crackly top and soft and chewy center. They’re super easy to make and are one of my go-to cookie recipes since I always have all the ingredients in my pantry.
½ cup (113 grams)unsalted butter,softened at room temperature
½ cup (135 grams)creamy peanut butter (Skippy or Jif),packed, heaping ½ cup
¾cup (150 grams)light brown sugar,packed
¼cup (50 grams)granulated sugar
1egg,room temperature
1teaspoonvanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 ¼cups (156 grams)all-purpose flour,spooned and leveled (see above)*
½teaspoonbaking powder
½teaspoonbaking soda
½teaspoonKosher salt
½cup (100 grams)cane sugar (or granulated sugar if you don't have),for rolling
Instructions
Make the cookie dough:
In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and Kosher salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and creamy peanut butter on medium speed for 1 minute.
On medium speed, add the sugars and cream for 5 minutes until light and fluffy and pale in color. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and paddle.
Add the egg and vanilla and cream for another 2 minutes on medium speed until emulsified. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and paddle.
On low speed, slowly add the flour and mix just until combined, about 15-30 seconds.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Bake the cookies:
Preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a cookie scoop or spoon, portion the cookie dough into balls. Gently roll each cookie ball in the cane sugar so they’re evenly coated and transfer the cookie balls to the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 9 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and bang the pan onto the counter to create the cracks (see note below).
Return the cookies back to the oven and bake for 1-2 more minutes. Bang the pan onto the counter again and then immediately shape the cookies into perfect circles while still hot, if desired (see note below). Let cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!
Notes
What is the pan banging method?Pick up the baking sheet with one hand on each side (using oven mitts or a kitchen towel, of course), lift it up away from the counter about 6 inches, and drop it straight onto the counter a few times. This “banging” will create the cracks and crevasses we’re after. How do you get perfectly round cookies? Use a large biscuit cutter, ring mold, or wide cup (needs to be wider than the cookies) to shape the cookies. When you take the cookies out of the oven, immediately take your biscuit cutter (or tool of choice), place it around the cookie, and gently swirl the biscuit cutter around the edges of the cookie in a circular motion. It’s okay if the cookie is a bit stuck on the bottom. Just gently shape the edges. You can loosen the bottoms from the parchment paper once the cookies have cooled a bit more. Do this while the cookie is still hot and pliable right out of the oven.