by 
Peanut Butter Cookies
Like most children, I grew up addicted to peanut butter sandwiches. These days, one of my favourite ways of consuming peanut butter is in cookie form.
And these peanut butter cookies are simply addictive; they are totally moreish and they taste even better with a dollop of raspberry jam on top.
Why This Recipe Works
- Vegetable shortening gives these peanut butter cookies a lovely soft and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Make these cookies in just 15 minutes!
- Serve these cookies with a dollop of raspberry jam for that classic peanut butter and jelly taste.
Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
This recipe for soft peanut butter cookies comes from the Neiman Marcus Cookbook, one of the many American cookbooks in my collection which I amassed during our two years spent living and working in Chicago.
It is a great recipe to make with the children, especially since an ice-cream scoop is best to handle the soft dough, and the children can easily flatten the cookies with the back of a fork.
How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies
The secret ingredient in this recipe for peanut butter cookies is the vegetable shortening, which gives the cookies a soft and crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
If you love soft peanut butter cookies, this is the recipe to try! And they are extra delicious with a dollop of raspberry jam.
But a word of warning … the recipes makes 4 dozen peanut butter cookies! But it can be easily halved if you must 😉
Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 275 g (1 ¼ cups) granulated sugar
- 160 g (1 cup) light muscovado sugar, or light brown sugar
- 250 g (1 ¼ cups) vegetable shortening, see Kitchen Notes
- 525 g (1 ½ cups) smooth peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 375 g (2 ½ cups) plain flour, (all-purpose flour)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) (without fan).
- Place the granulated sugar and brown sugar into the bowl of an electric stand mixer.
- Using the flat-paddle attachment, lightly beat the sugars together to remove any lumps.
- Add the vegetable shortening and peanut butter.
- Beat on medium speed until the mixture is light and smooth.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and beat for about a minute until they are thoroughly combined.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into the bowl.
- Beat on low speed until everything is well incorporated.
- Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
- Using a small ice-cream scoop with about 1 tablespoon capacity, dollop small balls of dough onto the lined baking tray, about 2-3 inches apart.
- Use the back of a fork to gently flatten the balls of dough.
- Bake the cookies for 18-20 minutes, or until they are lightly golden and the edges feel somewhat firm.
- Leave the cookies on the baking tray for about 5 minutes to firm up before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve as they are, or with a dollop of raspberry jam.
Kitchen Notes
- WHAT IS VEGETABLE SHORTENING?
Vegetable shortening is a white, solid fat which is made from vegetable oils. It is commonly sold in small tubs or in large wrapped blocks. In Australia, a popular brand is Copha. In the United Kingdom, it is called vegetable fat and popular brands include Trex and Flora White. - STORAGE TIPS
The cookies are best eaten on the same day they are baked, but they keep well in an airtight container or on a cake stand with a glass cover. - RECIPE CREDIT
This recipe is adapted from Neiman Marcus Cooks. - OVEN TEMPERATURES
All recipes on this website state temperatures for a regular oven (i.e. a conventional oven without fan). If you have a convection oven with a fan, please consult the manufacturer’s handbook on how to adjust the temperature and baking time accordingly. - CONVERSIONS
To convert from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this handy Conversion Chart for Basic Ingredients.
Did you make this recipe?
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This recipe was first published on 7 April 2017. It has been updated with new photos and more comprehensive recipe notes.
These cookies look so delicious! I love peanut butter!
Thanks, Amy! I haven’t met a person yet who doesn’t like peanut butter 🙂
I’m a huge fan of peanut butter cookies. My daughter has a peanut allergy, so I don’t get them very often, but I do have a deep and abiding love of them! These look absolutely stellar!
Thanks, Lisa! I hope you still get your fix of peanut butter cookies now and then 🙂
I remember searching for peanut butter when I live in Italy more than a decade ago. I’m glad to hear it’s gotten easier to find in Switzerland, at least. These cookies sound delightful!
It was really hard to find peanut butter when I first moved to Switzerland – it was sort of hit and miss as to which supermarkets would stock it. But I think the expat community has changed things a lot here, for better and worse 😉
This perfect peanut butter cookies. My kids loves cookies with milk I like to adding some crunchy peanut butter as I can feel the crunch of peanut in every bite.
Oh yes, I love crunchy peanut butter too! I’m sure it would also work in this recipe.
My mom made peanut butter cookies all the time when I was growing up- but I never once ate them with jam. I’m honestly not a big cookie fan, but these have me digging in the cabinet to see if I have any peanut butter left!!! I looooove peanut butter cookies!
I don’t normally eat them with jam, but Neiman Marcus suggests it in the cookbook, so I thought I would give it a try. And it’s so delicious!! 🙂
1 cup peanut butter 1 cup sugar and 1 egg mix bake 350 for about 7 min. Easy and yummy
This used to be my go-to recipe a few years ago. They are so addictive!! This recipe is also a keeper 🙂
Please give me a piece! This is really very tasty!