Peanut Butter Cookies. A cookie that lends itself to a crunchy edge with a perfectly, smooth, almost creamy, chewy center. Underbaking is the key to this soft peanut butter cookie. My husbands absolute favorite cookie – so much so, it has turned into a special occasion cookie, but deserves to be in the cookie jar at all times. Feel free to sprinkle with chopped peanuts or sea salt before chilling if you like a little extra crunch. Also, this is a great cookie for sandwiching with buttercream, ganache or marshmallow cream.
CHEWY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
Yields: 12-15 – 3″ cookies
Ingredients
1 stick (1/2 cup or 8 TBS) unsalted Butter
2 oz Cream Cheese
1/2 cup Peanut Butter, creamy, dark roast, if possible
1/2 cup Granulated Cane Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
½ tsp Himalayan Pink Salt
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Egg
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
Process
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of stand mixer, or mixing bowl with hand mixer, cream Butter, Cream Cheese, Peanut Butter, Cane Sugar, Brown Sugar Salt and Vanilla Extract on medium-high speed for 5-7 minutes until light, pale and volume has been incorporated. The sugar should be noticeably less granular when it is done creaming. Stop to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl several times to ensure a perfectly blended mixture.
3. Add in Egg and mix on medium-high for another 2 minutes until combined and smooth.
4. Add Flour and Baking Soda to bowl. Blend on medium speed until just combined.
5. Using a cookie/ice cream scoop (I use a 2 inch/5 cm or .1.3 oz, linked here), scoop even portions of the cookie dough and line up, directly next to each other, on cookie sheet and freeze for 2 hours.
OPTIONAL: Before freezing, top with sea salt and/or chopped peanuts for added crunch.
6. When ready to bake, take the number of frozen cookie dough balls you wish to bake and place on cookie sheet spaced 4″ apart (9-12 per half sheet tray) as they spread quite a lot.
7. Place cookie tray in middle rack of oven and bake 12-15 minutes or until just set in the middle. You do not want to over-bake or they lose the signature soft chew!
8. Let cool 10 minutes before enjoying.
