Sandra This Alton Brown Peanut Butter Cookies recipe is a nutty and tender dessert, which calls for creamy peanut butter and soft brown sugar. It’s a classic American treat, ready in about 30 minutes.
Alton Brown Peanut Butter Cookies Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 cup (250g) smooth peanut butter (standard commercial brand)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ to ½ tsp sea salt (optional, depending on peanut butter saltiness)
How To Make Alton Brown Peanut Butter Cookies
- Preheat and sift: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Whisk briefly to ensure they are evenly combined.
- Cream the fats and sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. (Add the optional sea salt here if your peanut butter is unsalted).
- Add the peanut butter: Add the cup of peanut butter to the creamed mixture. Mix on medium speed until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Add wet ingredients: Mix in the room temperature egg and vanilla extract. Beat until the mixture is uniform.
- Combine with dry ingredients: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Beat just until the flour disappears and the dough is incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Shape the cookies: Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- The cross-hatch: Dip a dinner fork into a little sugar (to prevent sticking). Press the fork gently onto the top of each dough ball to flatten it. Rotate the fork 90 degrees and press again to create the classic criss-cross pattern.
- Bake: Bake for about 10 minutes. The cookies will look slightly underdone and very soft in the center—this is correct.
- Cool on the pan: Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the hot baking sheet. They need this residual heat to finish setting up; if you move them too early, they will fall apart.
Recipe Tips
- Carryover cooking: The most critical step is leaving the cookies on the hot pan after baking. They are extremely soft when they come out of the oven, and moving them immediately will cause them to break. They firm up as they cool.
- Peanut butter choice: Use a standard creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. Natural peanut butters (where the oil separates) can lead to inconsistent results and greasy cookies.
- Room temperature ingredients: Ensure your butter and egg are at room temperature. This allows the emulsion to form correctly, resulting in a tender cookie rather than a dense one.
- Salt adjustment: Taste your peanut butter first. If it is very salty, omit the extra salt in the recipe. If it is unsalted or low-sodium, add the full ½ teaspoon of sea salt for flavor balance.
What To Serve With Alton Brown Peanut Butter Cookies
These rich, nutty cookies pair well with simple comforts.
- Cold Milk: The fats in the peanut butter need milk to cut through them.
- Chocolate Ganache: Dip half the cookie for a deluxe treat.
- Banana Slices: Serve alongside for an “Elvis” style snack.
- Vanilla Ice Cream: Crumble over a sundae.
How To Store Alton Brown Peanut Butter Cookies
- Store: Keep cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freeze (Dough): Freeze the shaped balls (before cross-hatching) on a tray, then transfer to a bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw slightly before flattening and baking.
- Freeze (Baked): Baked cookies freeze well for up to 2 months.
Alton Brown Peanut Butter Cookies Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 193kcal
- Protein: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fat: 13g
- Saturates: 5g
- Sugar: 7g
- Salt: 0.3g
Nutrition information is estimated per cookie.
FAQs
Can I use chunky peanut butter?
Yes, you can use chunky peanut butter if you prefer texture. The cookies may be slightly harder to flatten with the fork due to the nut pieces, but they will taste delicious.
Why did my cookies spread too much?
Spreading is usually caused by the butter being too warm (melted rather than softened) or the oven temperature being too low. Chill the dough balls for 15 minutes before baking if your kitchen is hot.
Can I make these gluten-free?
Yes, since peanut butter provides a lot of structure, you can swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 Gluten-Free flour blend with good results.
Alton Brown Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
Description
A classic American cookie featuring a rich peanut butter base and the signature fork cross-hatch pattern, baked to a tender finish.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Sift flour and baking powder.
- Sift flour and baking powder.
- Mix in peanut butter until smooth.
- Add egg and vanilla; beat well.
- Gradually mix in flour mixture.
- Roll into 1-inch balls and place on parchment.
- Flatten with a fork in a criss-cross pattern.
- Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.
- Cool completely on the baking sheet to set.
Notes
- Baking the cookies until they are “almost done” prevents them from becoming dry and crumbly; the residual heat from the metal pan finishes the cooking process gently.
- Sifting the flour and baking powder ensures the leavening agent is distributed evenly, preventing any metallic-tasting pockets in the finished cookie.
- Rolling the dough balls in a little extra sugar before flattening them with the fork adds a lovely sparkle and extra crunch to the exterior.
Alton Brown Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
