The Only 3 Ingredients You Need For Soft And Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Sweet and salty peanut butter seems to have no limits, whether you're whipping up the best Asian-style peanut sauces, next-level peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (with cheese), or down-home sweets like the classic peanut butter cookie. While PB cookies are usually pretty easy, you can make one of the simplest versions ever with just three ingredients: a cup of peanut butter, a cup of granulated sugar, and an egg.
To try these simple sweets, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, mix your ingredients together, and roll into balls about an inch wide. Place the balls a couple inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet (or line with parchment paper for less cleanup), and press them down with a fork twice to make a crosshatch pattern. This is a key step, because the dough won't spread or flatten much on its own while it bakes. You'll want the cookies about ¼ inch thick.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they firm up around the edges. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a couple minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. There you have it — hot and chewy PB cookies in about a half an hour. Natural and conventional peanut butters will both work well in this recipe, but creamy peanut butter works best.
Additions and serving suggestions for peanut butter cookies
These easy peanut butter cookies are simply delicious on their own or with a glass of milk, but you can add a little flair or tweak the recipe to your tastes. Add a touch of vanilla extract for floral sweetness, or for a salty crunch, mix pretzels into the dough or top with sea salt right when they come out of the oven. To go further towards the savory side, miso paste blends in beautifully, giving a nice umami boost to your sweets without overpowering the nutty flavor.
For more delectable sweetness, try peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips mixed in, or topped with Hershey's Kisses. Put a scoop of chocolate or vanilla ice cream between two cookies for a simple ice cream sandwich, or use strawberry for a cold, chewy twist on the PB&J. If you want crispier cookies, flatten them out even more with a fork before they go into the oven, and ensure they're fairly firm all the way to the center before they come out.
Finally, if you're short on PB (or baking for someone with a peanut allergy), try making these treats with ingredients to use when you're out of peanut butter. Even with some tweaks, you probably already have what you need in the pantry and fridge to make these powerful little cookies — so you can indulge your sweet tooth whenever the craving hits.