If You Love Cookies—Let’s Be Real, Who Doesn’t?

Alright, grab a seat, friend, because I’m about to let you in on the peanut butter chip cookies that disappear almost as fast as I can bake ’em. I first made these when I was house-sitting for my cousin in Kansas (it was tornado season, so lots of eating inside and holding onto my hat outside). Occasionally I’ll claim they’re my own invention, but really they’re tweaked from this Sally’s recipe—and you can definitely taste the love and maybe a little last-minute panic when I realized we were out of baking soda. But I digress (see, already wandering off topic), the point is these cookies sorta taste like a hug in crunchy form.

Why You’re Gonna Love These (Trust Me, I Make ’Em When…)

I make this batch almost every time my nephew comes over because he’ll eat five and then try to sneak two more for the road (not that I blame him). My family goes nuts for these, partly ‘cause they’re not overly sweet, and the salty peanut butter chips just work, you know? Plus, no fancy steps or weird gadgets required. The only real snag I’ve hit is resisting the dough—I try to save some for the oven! Oh, pro tip? If you love chewy cookies, underbake them slightly.

Here’s What You’ll Need (But There’s Wiggle Room)

1/2 cup (1 stick) room-temperature butter (honestly, I sometimes use margarine when I forget to buy butter—it works in a pinch)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (chunky if you like bits—my grandmother always insisted on Skippy, but any brand does the trick)
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed (or plain ol’ white sugar, though it tastes a bit flatter)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (once I was a tablespoon short and just pretended not to notice, turned out fine)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (I tried self-rising flour once… not my best idea, so stick to the baking soda if you can)
1/4 teaspoon salt (I add a smidge more if using unsalted peanut butter)
3/4 cup peanut butter chips (but you can totally toss in chocolate chips—or heck, both, mix it up!)

Making the Magic Happen (Don’t Stress If It Gets a Bit Messy)

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C, if your oven isn’t rebellious like mine).
Cream together butter and peanut butter until smooth. I just use a wooden spoon when I can’t find the mixer (for some reason, it always disappears?).
Add the brown sugar and mix really well—this is where I usually sneak a little taste, just sayin’.
Beat in egg and vanilla until it’s all cozy-looking (don’t worry if it’s streaky at first, keep mixing).
Dump in flour, baking soda, and salt. I tend to mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl first, but honestly, straight into the wet works too—less dishes.
Stir! It’ll look a bit stiff—totally normal. Fold in those peanut butter chips (and chocolate chips, if the spirit moves you).
Scoop out spoonfuls onto a lined baking sheet. Sometimes I use a proper cookie scoop, or just a big spoon—who’s judging?
Bake for about 10–12 minutes. Don’t wait for them to get golden brown! They’re ready when the edges are just set. Actually, I find it works better if you pull them out a minute earlier—chewier that way.
Let ‘em cool on the sheet for 5 min (if you can stand it), then move to a rack. Or just eat one hot. I won’t tell.

Honestly, Here’s What I Figured Out (“Notes” If You Want To Call ’Em)

If your dough seems too sticky, just chill it for 15 min—unless you’re too hungry, then persevere.
The cookies sometimes puff up then flatten. Don’t panic—it’s the peanut butter chips doing their thing.
Oh, and if you accidentally double the vanilla, the kitchen will smell amazing, but you’ll taste mostly vanilla—learned that the hard way!

If You Want to Mix Things Up (Or, Experiments From My Kitchen)

Once tried swapping in almond butter—not bad, a bit drier though.
Added oats once for “texture,” but the cookies went kind of crumbly. Not my finest moment.
I’ve chucked in mini marshmallows—the results were… well, let’s say “stickier than intended.” But live and learn, right?
For my pal who’s gluten-free, we used a cup-for-cup GF flour and it actually worked fine. Who knew?

You Don’t Need Fancy Gear (But Here’s What I Use)

Mixing bowl (I borrow my neighbor’s big one if I’m doubling the batch)
Wooden spoon or hand mixer—when mine works, which isn’t always
Baking sheet
Parchment paper (though a well-greased tray will do if you’re out—just expect a bit more scrubbing)
Wire rack for cooling—But let’s be real, sometimes I just use a clean tea towel on the counter

Storing Your Cookies (Or Trying To…)

Technically, these store great in an airtight container for up to 4 days (in theory). But honestly, in my house, they never last more than a day—usually gobbled cold next morning with tea. You could freeze them, if you have superhuman willpower.

How I Serve Them (& The Family Peanut Butter Cookie Ritual)

I love ‘em with cold milk. Sometimes, if I’m feeling very adult, I’ll serve them warm with salted caramel ice cream. My cousin likes to crumble them on Greek yogurt (says it’s breakfast that way). On holidays, we add extra chips and pretend it’s “festive.”

If I Had To Give You Some Pro Tips…

I once tried to rush the creaming step and regretted it ‘cause the cookies came out flat as Kansas; take that 2 minutes, it matters.
Leaving them too long in the oven dries them out. Take a leap of faith and pull ‘em early if you want chewy middles.
Don’t skip the salt, it really rounds out the flavors (I tried omitting it to make them “healthier,” but nope… flavor flatlined).

Your Questions (Swear, These Are Real)

Can I make these without peanut butter chips?
Sure thing! Use chocolate or butterscotch chips, or even chopped nuts. Though… then it’s just a peanut butter cookie, but you do you.
Why are my cookies crumbly?
Maybe you added too much flour (I’ve done that). Or overbaked them; try a smidge less flour next round.
Do I have to chill the dough?
Nah, unless it’s super warm in your kitchen or your dough is too sticky. I skip it most times.
My cookies spread too much—what gives?
Try popping the tray in the fridge for 10 min before baking. Or maybe your butter was too melty? (Happened to me last summer, should’ve known…)
Can I double the recipe?
Definitely; although, last time I had to borrow more eggs form my neighbor. Oops. Oh and use two trays for even baking.

So there you go—my undisciplined, slightly meandering guide to the best peanut butter chip cookies. If you give them a go, let me know how they turn out (especially if you come up with an experiment that actually goes right!).