Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies - made July 9, 2021 from My Name is Snickerdoodle 

The sharp-eyed among you will notice I baked one batch of these cookies longer than the other, as evidenced by the darker color on some of the cookies and not others.

For a chronic under-baker of cookies, this is the kiss of death - overbaking. *clutches first-world pearls*. 

Fortunately, peanut butter cookies don't suffer as horrific consequences from overbaking as other types of cookies. Meaning, instead of being more soft and chewy, the ones I baked longer turned out more crisp but not dry. If you like crisp cookies, by all means, bake them a little longer. (shudder) The flavor was still quite good actually and some people (who aren't me) might prefer more crisp cookies.

3/4 cup butter, cold and cut into cubes

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined and no butter lumps remain, 2-3 minutes. Beat in peanut butter until combined.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla extract, mixing briefly after each addition.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together salt, baking powder, baking soda and flour. Add in two additions to butter mixture, mixing until just combined. Do not overbeat.
4. Portion dough into golf-ball-size dough balls. Cover and chill or freeze for several hours or overnight.
5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and evenly space dough balls. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are set and middles no longer look raw. Do not overbake. Let rest on baking sheets for 2-3 minutes then transfer to wire cooling rack to cool completely.