Crunchy Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

A storm was brewing here in Houston & the schools were shutting down for the next day. We’d just done our grocery shopping so we were fully prepared except 1 thing… there was nothing sweet to eat.

I had been “threatening” to make cookies for days & never quite got around to it. I usually ask my guys what kind of cookies they want but this time I decided to just make Mr. Green’s favorite – peanut butter cookies – you know, since it took me so long to make them in the first place.

I don’t eat sweets much. But when I do have a cookie or two, I like them to hit that sweet spot between crunchy & chewy. I have loads of cookbooks with peanut butter cookie recipes & of course there’s no shortage of them online. Problem is that I don’t like peanut butter cookies so I couldn’t taste these.

Good thing I like to experiment in the kitchen because I was able to come up with this recipe that’s a mashup between the sugar cookies & oatmeal cookies I normally make and a peanut butter cookie recipe from an old school Betty Crocker cookbook I have (©1950).

If you’ve ever seen me cooking on YouTube or Instagram, you know that I’m always talking about substitutions when I cook & using what I have instead buying specialty ingredients.

This recipe is no different. The original Betty Crocker recipe calls for 1/2 cup of shortening. I don’t buy shortening because I don’t use it. For anything. At all.

I do have loads of butter on had though. At all times! The only thing I (rarely) substitute is coconut oil.

I also only buy crunchy peanut butter because I don’t like the texture of creamy. So that’s what I used in this recipe & they are a hit!

• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/2 c crunchy peanut butter
• 1/2 c butter (can substitute coconut oil or do half & half)
• 1 1/4 c flour
• 3/4 t baking soda
• 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 egg

Combine all wet ingredients in large bowl & mix until creamy.

Mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients & stir to combine.

*Optional – refrigerate the dough for an hour or 2 so it will harden up a bit. It helps to roll little balls of dough. I use a melon baller/small ice cream scoop so this step isn’t needed.

When you’re ready to bake, make small golf ball sized balls of dough & place on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. As I said, I like to use a small ice cream scoop.

To make the crosshatch… dip a fork into regular white granulated sugar and press into the ball of dough in opposite directions to flatten.

If you don’t want the crosshatch, you can just flatten with the back of a spoon or your (clean or gloved) hand.

Bake on 375° for 10 minutes (I’ve found this to be the sweet spot for my oven) on the middle rack of the oven. You are looking for golden brown cookies.

Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them over to a cooling rack to cool completely. I’ve found that doing this helps keep them from breaking/crumbling up during the move.

Allow to cool completely on the rack before moving them to a platter or container for storage. I keep my cookies on a cake stand with the cover on.

This recipe makes 3 dozen cookies that my hubby & youngest son say are absolutely perfect! I say they are perfectly simple! It’s a WIN WIN!

Enjoy!

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Yield: 3 dozen

Crunchy Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

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Prep Time: 4 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 14 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/2 c crunchy peanut butter
• 1/2 c butter (can substitute coconut oil or do half & half)
• 1 1/4 c flour
• 3/4 t baking soda
• 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 egg

Instructions

1. Combine all wet ingredients in large bowl & mix until creamy.
2. Mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients & stir to combine.
4. *Optional - refrigerate the dough for an hour or 2 so it will harden up a bit. It helps to roll little balls of dough. I use a melon baller/small ice cream scoop so this step isn't needed.
5. When you're ready to bake, make small golf ball sized balls of dough & place on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. As I said, I like to use a small ice cream scoop.
6. To make the crosshatch... dip a fork into regular white granulated sugar and press into the ball of dough in opposite directions to flatten.
7. If you don't want the crosshatch, you can just flatten with the back of a spoon or your (clean or gloved) hand.
8. Bake on 375° for 10 minutes (I've found this to be the sweet spot for my oven) on the middle rack of the oven. You are looking for golden brown cookies.
9. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them over to a cooling rack to cool completely. I've found that doing this helps keep them from breaking/crumbling up during the move.
10. Allow to cool completely on the rack before moving them to a platter or container for storage. I keep my cookies on a cake stand with the cover on.