Crispy, chewy, old fashioned peanut butter cookies are just like you remember them — full of great peanut butter flavor with a texture that has to be experienced– it can’t be described.
If you asked me what my very favorite cookie was I am not sure I could answer right away. Partly because I really like cookies of all kinds and partly because I have trouble making simple decisions.
For example, this afternoon I had to take my son to the doctor for x-rays. He had twisted his ankle on our very Victorian staircase a week ago and then, just as it was getting better, his ankle met an opponent’s knee during sparring at karate last night. By this morning he could barely put a shoe on. After his college class we went and it took a couple of hours. That meant that I didn’t have time to cook dinner before church.
So we ended up at In and Out for hamburgers. Although I have been eating carefully in order to get these last couple of pounds off (I optimistically bought a bikini this year) I decided I was going to have a shake. I just couldn’t decide between chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla. After a few minutes I just asked for all three. It’s called a Neapolitan shake and it is on their secret menu. Try it – it’s yummy.
So, see? Not only do I have a hard time making a decision, I get off track easily as well.
In the cookie wars I really can’t give you my favorite but I can tell you that perfect old fashioned peanut butter cookies, crispy around the edges and chewy in the middle, is on my top ten list. There is something about the sweet, saltiness of the cookie that is addictive.
Peanut butter cookies are relatively new. They first appeared in Pillsbury’s “Balanced Recipes” in 1933. They were followed by a version more like what we think of today in Ruth Wakefield’s Tollhouse cookbook in 1936.
I have heard a lot of ideas about why the cookies have ridges. No one really seems to know for sure. The most plausible reason as far as I am concerned is that it makes them have a better texture. I wanted to see if it was true so I baked half of this batch of dough with the traditional criss cross pattern and the other half just rolled in sugar and placed on the baking sheet.
As you can see, the plain ones came out looking something like a gingersnap. They were softer and cakier than the ridged ones. Oddly enough, and it could just be my imagination, I thought they lacked flavor. The ridged ones were exactly how I like peanut butter cookies — delicately crispy around the edges and chewy in the middle. I have my answer. For me, it’s the ridged old fashioned peanut butter cookies all the way.
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I don’t know about you but I love my silicone baking mats. No need to grease pans and my cookies sheets last longer — plus no more burnt bottoms or stuck on cookies! Another tool that comes in handy when you’re making cookies is a cookies scoop. It allows you to create uniform sized cookies so that they are all done at the same time. Goodbye over baked little cookies next to half raw big cookies! Makes it super easy for the kids to help, too.
Crispy Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Print Add to CollectionIngredients
- 1/2 cup butter, , room temp
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
- 3/4 cup cane sugar
- 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown, (cane) sugar
- 1 egg, , room temp
- 1 tablespoon honey, , a strongly flavored honey like buckwheat is best
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Blend flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside
- Beat together butter and peanut butters until well combined.
- Add sugars and beat until fluffy.
- Add egg, honey, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
- Add flour mixture and mix just until blended.
- Roll balls of dough in white sugar before placing on an ungreased baking sheet.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. (bake longer for crunchier cookies, shorter time for chewier)
- Do not over bake.
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I made these replacing 1/2 the butter with shortening. This is the perfect cookie for a good chewy texture and crispy edges. Thank you!
So glad you liked them!
These are perfect!! I made them with 100% whole grain einkorn flour from a company called Grain. Otherwise followed the recipe exactly. I rolled and forked the raw cookies then put them in the freezer, as we are just two people. Each time we baked up a couple it was absolute perfection!!
Hi!! Do you think if I bought one container of creamy jiff and then added a couple tbsp of chopped peanuts that would be the same as half creamy half crunchy? I am also going to try them with spelt flour – hopefully I don’t lose too much texture!
I don’t know how the spelt will do but combining creamy peanut butter and peanuts should be fine.
Has anyone tried substituting a tablespoon of molasses for the honey? I only have clover honey, but when you said “strongly flavored”, it occurred to me that molasses might work.
About to make this recipe right now, so I probably won’t get an answer in time, but I’m going to try it and I’ll let you know the result.
I’ve used molasses and it works great!
These cookies are Delicious!! They are perfect! This recipe will defintely replace my old one!!
Thank you! I am so glad you liked them!
Love peanut butter anything! These cookies look delicious.
Thank you so much!
I’ll take 5 please :)! No wait, make that 6!
Thank you, I’ll get right on that. Why don’t we just go ahead make that a dozen? 😀
It has been years since I’ve made peanut butter cookies but now I am craving them! Thanks for the recipe, I think I will try it out with my kids soon!
Years? You definitely need to make some soon then!
I love the distinct honey flavor of your peanut butter cookies – that makes it even more awesomely delish!
Thank you so much, I am really glad you like them!
How great! One cookie, two options! Nice. These both look so great, and I’d definitely do the half-and-half. I just recently ordered a Neapolitan shake at In-n-Out — YUM!
I am glad i tried them both ways. It help solidify my preference.
I love peanut butter cookies – this is a good reminder that I need to make them – SOON! Pinned!!
Peanut butter cookies should be made often 😀
Yummy! Both my daughter and husband love peanut butter cookies, so I can’t wait to make these.
They are really addicting, definitely on top of my favorite cookies list!
Love them with the ridges. Do you have a go to peanut butter you use. I know that can make a difference.
Right now I am keeping Natural Jiff in the house. I like the flavor so much better than the other peanut butters I have tried.
Yes. Ridged, ridged, ridged. All the way. I love that you did the experiment though. Just to know. I have trouble deciding onshake flavors too, Marye. Now I know exactly what to do. 🙂
Ridged has always been my preference. It just seems wrong to make them otherwise, regardless of the experiment outcome.
Marye! These look just like the ones my Gramma used to make and I lost her recipe and haven’t had them in YEARS! I am going to make these this weekend and I’ll let you know if they are similar… somehow I think they will be <3 <3 <3
🙂 yay!! Let me know.
You can’t go wrong with a perfect peanut butter cookie!
Melanie, right? I hope I never have to choose between PB and Chocolate Chip!
peanut butter are my favorite…can’t wait to try this recipe
🙂 I really like these with marshmallow fluff in between two…
I love that touch of honey in this recipe. And thank you for answering the age-old question: Ridges or No Ridges. I’m a “ridges” girl, too. Definitely on my list – but then, ALL of your cookies are on my list! 🙂 Pinned & Stumbled!
Maybe we watched too many Ruffles potato chips commercials when we were kids?
It’s the rolling them in sugar that gets me every time! Wonderful rendition of an old favorite!