Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies

These peanut butter cookies keep things classic with both brown sugar and white sugar in equal measure, which gives the cookie its proper old-school texture: crisp on the outer ring, slightly chewy in the middle. The chunky-or-smooth peanut butter call is yours; chunky leaves visible bits of nut for a more rustic bite, smooth gives a uniform crumb.

Don’t skip the chill if your dough feels slack. A short rest in the fridge firms it up so the cookies don’t spread thin and crisp into wafers. The traditional fork-press crosshatch isn’t just decoration; it flattens the dough balls so they bake through without thick raw centers. For a holiday version, swap the crosshatch for a candied cherry pressed into the top before baking, or dip the fork in coloured sugar between presses.

Pro Tips

• Pull the cookies when the edges are barely golden and the centers still look slightly underdone; they firm up as they cool on the rack.
• Beat the margarine and peanut butter until truly smooth before adding the sugars, otherwise the cookies bake up streaky.
• If you use natural peanut butter, stir it well first; oil separation throws off the dough texture and the cookies spread too much.
• Cool fully on a wire rack before stacking, or trapped steam softens the crisp edges.

Variations

• Swap margarine for unsalted butter for a richer, more buttery cookie and cut the salt to a pinch.
• Press a chocolate kiss into each warm cookie straight from the oven for a thumbprint twist.
• Use crunchy almond butter in place of peanut for a cousin cookie with a slightly drier crumb.