Description
These Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with rich peanut butter flavor. Featuring a mix of creamy peanut butter, honey, and a crunchy coating of rainbow sprinkles and finely chopped roasted peanuts, these cookies offer a delightful texture and sweetness. Chilling the dough ensures a thicker, tender cookie, perfect for a satisfying treat any time of day.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup (108g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2/3 cup (175g) creamy peanut butter
- 3/4 cup (155g) light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp (57g) honey
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 1/3 cup (175g) all-purpose flour
Coating
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp sparkling sugar (or more granulated sugar)
- 3 tbsp rainbow sprinkles
- 1/4 cup dry roasted salted peanuts, finely chopped
Instructions
- Mix Butter and Peanut Butter: In a large mixing bowl, use a hand or stand mixer with a paddle attachment to blend the unsalted butter and creamy peanut butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add Brown Sugar: Incorporate the light brown sugar into the mixture, continuing to mix until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Add Honey, Egg, and Vanilla: Mix in the honey, followed by the egg and vanilla extract, ensuring each ingredient is fully blended before adding the next.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stir in baking soda, kosher salt, and cornstarch until these are well combined into the wet mixture.
- Mix in Flour: Add the all-purpose flour, then switch to a rubber spatula and fold the flour in by hand to ensure thorough mixing without overworking the dough.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl and chill for at least 30 minutes. For thicker cookies, refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight. For overnight chilling, scoop and roll the dough first, then cover and refrigerate.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare Coating: In a small dish, combine the granulated sugar, sparkling sugar, rainbow sprinkles, and finely chopped dry roasted salted peanuts. Add more sprinkles or peanuts if a heavier coating is desired.
- Scoop and Roll Dough Balls: Using a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons), scoop dough balls, then roll each ball in the prepared coating mixture until evenly coated. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Arrange and Bake: Place 4 cookies spaced on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the edges turn golden while the centers remain pale, puffed, and slightly underbaked.
- Shape Cookies: Right after baking, use the inside curve of a fork to gently nudge each cookie to create a uniform shape and size.
- Cool Cookies: Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve: These cookies are best enjoyed at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Chilling the dough longer results in thicker, chewier cookies.
- For a more pronounced coating, increase the amount of sprinkles and chopped peanuts.
- Use room temperature butter for easier mixing and better texture.
- Do not overbake; cookies should look slightly underdone in the center when removed from oven.
- Can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.