I perfected Melt In Your Mouth Peanut Butter Cookies and I’m sharing the single surprising pantry swap that makes them come out perfectly every time.

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I’ve baked a lot of cookies but this one still surprises me. I call it The Perfect Soft Peanut Butter Cookie and folks started calling them Melt In Your Mouth Peanut Butter Cookies, some even texted me saying they were The Best Soft And Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies.

It’s wild how just creamy peanut butter and packed light brown sugar can make a cookie that feels delicate yet you want another right away. I messed with it more than I should have, chased textures that vanished and came back, and now I’m kind of obsessed.

If you like a little mystery in a cookie, this will make you curious.

Ingredients

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gives structure and chew, mostly carbs, little fiber, helps cookies hold shape
lightens texture, makes cookies super soft, mostly starch dont add nutrients
adds protein and healthy fats, rich flavor and peanutty saltiness makes them tender
moisture and caramel notes, lots of sugar, helps chewiness and deeper taste
adds richness and browning, provides fat for soft crumb, mostly saturated fat
binds, adds moisture and richness, yolk gives extra tenderness and chew
optional finish, cuts sweetness and boosts flavor with little crunchy pops

Ingredient Quantities

2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour

2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup (240 g) creamy peanut butter room temp

3/4 cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar

1 large egg room temp

1 large egg yolk room temp

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

flaky sea salt for sprinkling optional

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone and place rack in the center of the oven.

2. Whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a bowl then set aside.

3. In a large bowl cream 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, 1 cup creamy peanut butter and both sugars 3/4 cup packed light brown and 1/4 cup granulated until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes; scrape the bowl down once or twice.

4. Beat in 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk and 1 teaspoon vanilla until just combined, dont overmix or you’ll make the cookies tough.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions and stir until just no streaks of flour remain, its okay if the dough looks a little dense.

6. Scoop dough into balls about 1 1/2 tablespoons each and place them on the prepared sheets about 2 inches apart. For thicker, softer cookies chill the dough balls 20 to 30 minutes before baking.

7. Gently flatten each ball a bit with your palm or the bottom of a glass, you dont need the old criss cross, and if you like sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt on top.

8. Bake one sheet at a time 9 to 11 minutes until the edges are set but centers still look slightly underbaked, rotate the pan halfway if your oven bakes unevenly.

9. Let cookies cool on the sheet 5 to 10 minutes so they firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container once completely cool.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven plus one or two rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment or silicone mats
2. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl for the dry ingredients
3. Hand mixer or stand mixer, or a sturdy wooden spoon if you wanna mix by hand (elbow grease will help)
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons, and a kitchen scale if you want precise grams
5. Whisk for the flour, cornstarch and leaveners
6. Rubber spatula to scrape the bowl clean
7. Cookie scoop about 1 1/2 tablespoons or a tablespoon and a small spoon to portion dough
8. Cooling rack to finish the cookies
9. Oven mitts and a small bowl for flaky sea salt (optional)

FAQ

Q: Can I use natural peanut butter instead of creamy commercial peanut butter? A: Yes, you can, but natural peanut butter is runnier. Stir it well first, then chill the dough longer so it firms up. If the dough still feels too loose add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour. Expect a slightly more intense peanut flavor.

Q: How do I keep these cookies soft and not crunchy? A: Don’t overbake. Bake at 350°F (175°C) until the edges are set but centers still look a little underdone, about 9 to 11 minutes. Let them cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a rack. The cornstarch and that extra yolk help keep them tender.

Q: My cookies spread too much, what am I doing wrong? A: Most likely the dough was too warm or overworked. Chill the dough 30 to 60 minutes before baking, and use properly softened not melted butter. Also use a medium cookie scoop and press gently with a fork rather than smashing hard, that keeps them thicker.

Q: Can I make the dough ahead or freeze the cookie dough? A: Yes. You can chill the dough in the fridge for up to 48 hours. For longer storage shape into balls and freeze on a tray, then transfer to a bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, just add 2 to 4 minutes to the bake time.

Q: Why does the recipe call for both an egg and an extra yolk? A: The whole egg gives structure, the extra yolk adds fat so the cookies stay moist and tender. Skipping the yolk will make them drier and less soft.

Q: How should I store leftover cookies and can I reheat them? A: Store at room temp in an airtight container up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. To revive softness, microwave one cookie for 6 to 8 seconds or warm in a 300°F oven for 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle flaky sea salt after baking if you like sweet and salty contrast.

The Perfect Soft Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe! Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: swap for whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 (slightly heartier and a bit denser, chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes so cookies spread less) or use a gluten free 1-to-1 baking blend 1:1 (make sure the blend contains xanthan gum or add 1/4 tsp if not).
Unsalted butter: use vegan/butter style stick or solid coconut oil 1:1 (coconut adds a faint coconut note and makes cookies a touch crisper, use chilled if dough seems soft) or use salted butter 1:1 but cut the recipe salt to 1/4 tsp.
Creamy peanut butter: swap for natural stirred peanut butter 1:1 (stir oils back in, scoop the thicker part for best texture) or use almond butter or sunflower seed butter 1:1 for nut allergy — flavor will change but texture stays similar.
Large egg: replace the whole egg with a flax “egg” (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 minutes) for one egg, or 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce for a moister cookie (cookies may be a little softer, reduce oven time by a minute if needed).

Pro Tips

1) Measure by weight when you can. A packed cup of flour changes everything, so weigh the flour or at least spoon it into the cup and level it. Too much flour = dry, chalky cookies. Cornstarch is doing quiet work here making them tender, so dont try to eyeball it.

2) Chill the dough. 20 to 30 minutes is fine but overnight is better, it firms up the dough so the cookies stay thicker and the flavors deepen. If you freeze dough balls for storage bake straight from frozen and add a minute or two to the bake time. Youll get more consistent results that way.

3) Dont overmix. Once the flour goes in, stir only until no streaks remain. Overworking the dough makes gluten and yields tough cookies. Also use room temp eggs and peanut butter so they incorporate quickly and evenly, scrape the bowl once or twice so nothing gets missed.

4) Watch the bake not the clock. Pull them when edges are set and centers still look a touch underbaked, they continue to set on the sheet. Rotate pans if your oven has hot spots. Sprinkle flaky sea salt either right after you flatten the balls so it sticks and melts in a bit, or right out of the oven if you want a brighter crunchy pop, either way youll thank me later.

The Perfect Soft Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe!

Recipe by Dan Coroni

0.0 from 0 votes

I perfected Melt In Your Mouth Peanut Butter Cookies and I'm sharing the single surprising pantry swap that makes them come out perfectly every time.

Servings

servings

Calories

171

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven plus one or two rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment or silicone mats
2. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl for the dry ingredients
3. Hand mixer or stand mixer, or a sturdy wooden spoon if you wanna mix by hand (elbow grease will help)
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons, and a kitchen scale if you want precise grams
5. Whisk for the flour, cornstarch and leaveners
6. Rubber spatula to scrape the bowl clean
7. Cookie scoop about 1 1/2 tablespoons or a tablespoon and a small spoon to portion dough
8. Cooling rack to finish the cookies
9. Oven mitts and a small bowl for flaky sea salt (optional)

Ingredients

2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (240 g) creamy peanut butter room temp
3/4 cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg room temp
1 large egg yolk room temp
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
flaky sea salt for sprinkling optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone and place rack in the center of the oven.
Whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a bowl then set aside.
In a large bowl cream 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, 1 cup creamy peanut butter and both sugars 3/4 cup packed light brown and 1/4 cup granulated until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes; scrape the bowl down once or twice.
Beat in 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk and 1 teaspoon vanilla until just combined, dont overmix or you'll make the cookies tough.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions and stir until just no streaks of flour remain, its okay if the dough looks a little dense.
Scoop dough into balls about 1 1/2 tablespoons each and place them on the prepared sheets about 2 inches apart. For thicker, softer cookies chill the dough balls 20 to 30 minutes before baking.
Gently flatten each ball a bit with your palm or the bottom of a glass, you dont need the old criss cross, and if you like sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt on top.
Bake one sheet at a time 9 to 11 minutes until the edges are set but centers still look slightly underbaked, rotate the pan halfway if your oven bakes unevenly.
Let cookies cool on the sheet 5 to 10 minutes so they firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container once completely cool.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.