It wasn’t until I was in my late twenties that I had natural peanut butter for the first time, and I remember marveling over the incredible peanutty flavor of it. The sandwich I had was reminiscent of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup thanks to the grainier texture and stronger peanut taste.
Color me SOLD.
I cleared my cupboards of traditional peanut butters and restocked them with natural. And I’ve never looked back.
Occasionally I come across recipes that say natural peanut butter won’t work in them, that you must use the Jif/Skippy/PeterPan variety. Since I’m stubborn and quite set in my natural-peanut-butter ways, I use it anyway and have yet to find that a problem.
That said, I AM going to tell you that the magic of these cookies is in the natural peanut butter. Of course, you can absolutely use regular peanut butter if you must and your cookies will turn out just fine. But if what you’re wanting is GREAT peanut butter cookies, I highly recommend making these with natural.
What I love about these cookies is the strong, fresh peanutty flavor. I mean, if you’re going to make peanut butter cookies, you want them to really taste like peanuts, right? A vague peanut-esque flavor just doesn’t cut it for me.
But that’s because I’ve come to realize that I prefer intense flavor in my snacks and treats, and I’ve found that when I get that intense flavor (something that completely satisfies) then I don’t feel compelled to overeat. It’s when something has only a hint of a desired flavor that I will often keep eating and eating because I’m craving more of the flavor—if I get it full force the first time around, then I’m satiated.
It’s one of the reasons I put ALL the things into my Chocolate Chip Cookies. It’s why I made Bec’s Cinnamon Sugar Breakfast Puffs last weekend—they were perfect muffin-donuts that left me totally and completely fulfilled. THAT’s the whole reason I bake, in all reality. Because what I whip up at home has more flavor and is tastier than anything I can buy at the store.
And these cookies are no exception. Sweet and intensely peanutty, they’re perfect for satisfying your peanut butter cookie cravings. And, if you’re feeling a little rogue, you can even toss in a few milk chocolate and peanut butter chips to give them an even bigger flavor boost.
The other thing about this recipe? I highly recommend doubling it because it only makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies. And in a household with four kids, that just doesn’t make enough. (Though, honestly, in a household of just two people, I’m not convinced that’s enough cookies.)
And just like these beer brownies, chewy brownies, fudgy (vegan) brownies, and chocolate chip cookies, I toss my peanut butter cookies into the freezer (and eat them straight out of the bag without defrosting them). They keep so much better and longer that way.
Happy cookie baking, my friends!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened (See vegan note below)
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
- 1/2 cup raw or granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg (See vegan note below)
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour (See GF note below)
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (can substitute with all purpose)
- 1/4 cup ground flax meal
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup finely chopped peanuts (optional)
- 1 cup milk chocolate and peanut butter chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F/177 C.
- If adding chopped peanuts, finely chop nuts by hand or in a food processor. Set aside.
- Mix butter and peanut butter together until well combined, then add sugar, brown sugar, and egg. Beat until light and fluffy.
- Add dry ingredients, mixing well. If using, stir in chopped peanuts and chocolate chips.
- Form dough into 1.5" balls, place them about 2" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet, then flatten slightly with a fork. Bake for 9-10 minutes, until the cookies are a little golden. Transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
- Keep cookies in an airtight container or, even better, freeze them in zip-topped bags. These cookies are great right out of the freezer or thawed.