Chewy Small Batch Peanut Butter Cookies

A small batch of peanut butter cookies arranged on a wire rack.

Chewy Small Batch Peanut Butter Cookies

Small batch peanut butter cookies that are thick, chewy, and incredibly easy. One dozen cookies made with creamy peanut butter, dark brown sugar, and an egg yolk for the perfect chewy center, with a lightly crunchy sugar-rolled exterior. Ready in under 30 minutes, no chilling required.

Prep Time10

Cook Time11

Total Time21

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: Cookies

Calories: 141kcal

Author: Erin Cernich

Equipment

Ingredients

¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar plus more for rolling
6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 4 teaspoons milk, room temperature any kind
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, add the butter and both sugars. Use a hand mixer with beater attachments and mix on medium-high speed to combine - about 2 minutes. Add the peanut butter and mix on medium speed to combine. Scrape the bowl as needed.
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Cut the butter into cubes to make mixing easier.

Add the egg yolk, vanilla, and 2 teaspoons of milk. Continue to mix on medium speed until the yolk is fully incorporated. Scrape the bowl as needed.
1 large egg yolk, room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 to 4 teaspoons milk, room temperature
Sift or sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet. Before turning on the mixer, while the dry ingredients are sitting on top, use the beaters to stir them together a couple of times. Not necessary, but I like to do this to make sure there are not pockets of baking soda.
3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt
Turn the mixer on low to lightly incorporate the flour. The dough is thick, and using the mixer to mix fully will be too hard. Switch to a sturdy spoon and finish mixing by hand until no flour streaks remain and a dough starts to form. If it still seems crumbly, mix in more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, but not to exceed 1.5 total tablespoons.
Add about two tablespoons of granulated sugar to a small bowl.
Scoop the dough into 12 portions and roll into a ball between your palms. Roll each through the sugar, then place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets (6 cookies on each). Use a dinner fork and lightly press a criss-cross pattern on top. A nostalgic method, plus it slightly flattens the dough balls so the cookies bake properly. The edges may crack a little when pressing down on the dough, which is ok. But if they crack too much, simply press the edges back together with your fingers.
One baking sheet at a time, bake the cookies for about 11 minutes, or until the bottom edges of the cookies start to turn golden. While the first batch of cookies is baking, place the other baking sheet in the fridge until ready.

I recommend baking one sheet at a time to avoid opening the oven to rotate pans, which lets all the heat out.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet set on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes. The residual heat will finish setting the cookies. Transfer to the wire rack to cool completely. The cookies are fragile when they are warm, and moving too soon may cause them to crumble.
Store the cookies covered at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Notes

Serving Size - This is a small batch recipe that can be doubled. Use a full egg, and omit the milk.
Peanut Butter - Processed peanut butter, like Jif or Skippy, will yield the best results. Natural peanut butter (the kind that has to be stirred) is oily, which will make the cookies crumbly. I do not recommend crunchy peanut butter - it will also make the cookies crumbly.
Egg - I intentionally do not use the egg white because it would make the cookies more cakey than chewy in this small batch dough.
Brown Sugar - I have tested light and dark, both work, though I prefer dark. It gives the cookies a little extra chew and flavor.
Sugar Roll - This is optional, but the sugar coating imparts a nice, crunchy exterior on the cookies.
Freezing the Dough - Roll the dough into balls and place in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, then roll through the sugar, press the criss-cross pattern, and bake.
Freezing Baked Cookies - The cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Place in a freezer bag and thaw at room temperature.

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