📖 Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This is crucial for perfectly golden cookies! Don't skip this step, okay?
2. In a large mixing bowl – I like to use my favorite, slightly chipped, vintage bowl for this recipe – cream together 1/2 cup (1 stick) of softened unsalted butter and 3/4 cup of granulated sugar. You want it light and fluffy, like a cloud. Use an electric mixer or your strongest arm!
3. Beat in 1/2 cup of packed light brown sugar. I swear, brown sugar makes EVERYTHING better. It just does.
4. Add 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter. Stir until well combined. Mmm, peanut butter!
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Vanilla is my secret weapon – don't leave it out!
6. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the peanut butter mixture, mixing on low speed. Don't overmix; we want to keep the dough nice and soft.
7. In another bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. This is your dry ingredient gang; make sure they're all well acquainted.
8. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Again, don't overmix! Overmixed cookies are sad cookies.
9. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto ungreased baking sheets. Leave some space between them; they'll spread out a bit while baking.
10. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers are still slightly soft. Every oven is different, so keep an eye on them!
11. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents them from getting soggy on the bottom.
12. Once cooled, dive in! Enjoy your delicious, homemade peanut butter cookies!