There’s something about a peanut butter cookie that brings people together. It’s salty, nutty, sweet, and home-y all at once. They’re not my favorite cookies, but they are in my top ten. Whether they’re soft, crumby, crispy, or gooey, peanut butter cookies are always delicious (for those who like them).

In this recipe, you have the option of customizing your cookie. You can add peanut butter chips (my favorite), chocolate chips, chopped peanuts, and you can roll your dough in sugar, flour, or whatever you’d like! You can also change the way you bake these cookies to make them thinner, bigger, crispier, softer, or smaller.

Many people will say things like, “I need a recipe for crispy peanut butter cookies”, and they spend time trying to find a recipe titled as such. But you don’t need a new recipe that’s different from any other classic peanut butter cookie. Using this classic recipe alone, you can make any type of peanut butter cookies. It’s as simple as that! All you have to do is alter the baking time and the way you handle the cookies, and you’ll have whatever variation you want.

For a chunky cookie: add whatever morsels you like to your dough and mix well. This can be chocolate, peanut butter chips, nuts, or even candy (M&M’s). When shaping your cookie, roll into a ball and press down slightly with a fork (in the classic criss-cross pattern, but not too hard). For extra chunky-ness, use chunky peanut butter rather than smooth in the dough.

For an extra sweet cookie: roll your cookie dough into a ball, roll it in sugar, and then place it on your cookie sheet. Press down with a fork in a criss-cross pattern so that the ball spreads to be about 1 1/2 – 2 inches in diameter.

For a thin and crispy cookie: roll your cookie dough into a ball and flatten into a disc shape with you hand. Once on the cookie sheet, press down with a fork in a criss-cross pattern so that the lines are deep. Bake for 9-11 minutes, remove from the oven, and let the cookies rest on the cookie sheet for about 4-5 minutes. They will be darker brown and the edges may be crumbly. Remove from the cookie sheet and let cool.

For a soft cookie: roll you cookie dough into a ball and place on the cookie sheet. Press down slightly with a fork in a criss-cross patter. Bake for 6-9 minutes, watching to make sure the cookies don’t get too golden brown. Take them out sooner than you think, and let them sit for a few minutes on the cookie sheet. Then remove from the cookie sheet and let cool. They will appear a much lighter color than thin and crispy cookies.

For a big or small cookie: for a big cookie, roll your dough into a ball with a 1 1/2 inch diameter. For a small cookie, roll you dough into a ball with a 1/2 inch diameter. For a flatter cookie, press the ball into a thick disc with your hands before placing it on the cookie sheet. For a puffier cookie, place the cookie dough as a ball onto the cookie sheet. Apply a fork in a criss-cross pattern to every variation.

I prefer a softer, yet flatter cookie that has peanut butter chips and chopped peanuts in it. Let me know what your favorite is, and if you have any questions about other types of peanut butter cookies!

Happy Baking,

Ivy B. Lake

For this recipe you will need multiple cookie sheets (or just one, but you will have to use it multiple times), 1 large bowl, 1 medium bowl, an electric mixer, plastic wrap, and a fork that’s been dipped in sugar. This recipe yields about 3 dozen cookies (36).

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (or chunky, if you’d like)
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup shortening (this is different from margarine)
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 -1 tsp. salt
• 1 – 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (not imitation)
• 1/2 cup of any add-ins, such as chocolate chips (OPTIONAL)
• 3 tbsp. sugar or flour to roll dough in (OPTIONAL)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350-375 degrees. You know your oven, so if it’s naturally hotter, air on the side of 350, and vice versa.

Cream the butter, shortening, brown sugar, and white sugar in a large bowl with a mixer. Add the peanut butter and continue beating until completely mixed. Add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing after each addition. Add in your other choice ingredients at this stage. (Chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, chopped nuts, candy,  etc.)

Cover your bowl tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours. Don’t chill for longer than overnight.

Remove your dough from the refrigerator and roll into balls with your hands. At this point it is up to you on how you handle your dough. Follow my cookie guide above to find how you want to treat the dough. Once it’s on the cookie sheet, press down (at varying pressures depending on what you chose) with a sugar-covered fork in a criss-cross patter. Bake for 7-11 minutes (choose your time).

Remove from the oven and let cool, then enjoy your cookies! (Dip them in milk, or in coconut milk if you don’t drink dairy like me, for an extra treat)

Leave comments below if you have any questions or suggestions!