How to make the easiest peanut butter cookies

These peanut butter cookies are easy to make, simplified by their lack of flour.

A staple at holiday gatherings or perfect on their own for an afternoon treat at any time, peanut butter cookies are easy to put together and offer children and parents a fun, simple family baking project. These cookies are further simplified by their lack of flour, a typical ingredient in traditional cookies, and include peanuts as well as peanut butter to add a kick of flavor and protein. Peanut butter cookies use only a few simple ingredients and bake in a matter of minutes.

Things You'll Need

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 3/4 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• Electric mixer with paddle attachments
• Cookie sheet
• Fork
• Non-stick cooking spray

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray or line the pan with parchment paper. Set the pan aside.

2. Combine 2 tbsp. of unsalted butter, 1 cup of peanut butter and 1 cup of sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl. You may also mix the dough by hand if you prefer.

3. Add 1 egg and continue to mix until the egg is incorporated. Add 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. baking soda and 3/4 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped. Mix until the dough forms. Expect the dough to have a crumbly consistency.

4. Roll the dough into 1 to 1 1/2 inch teaspoon-sized balls and place them on the prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

5. Flatten the balls using the palms of your hands and press the fork into the cookies to create a checkered pattern. Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes until they are golden brown.

6. Remove the cookies from the oven and place them on a wire cooling rack. Allow the pan to cool completely before beginning the next batch of cookies. Repeat this process until you use all of the dough.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a vegan butter like Earth Balance and an egg substitute like flax seeds to make a healthier cookie with a fraction of the fat.

References

• "Cookies: 52 Easy Recipes for Year-Round Baking"; Sally Sampson, et al.; 2007

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish