Awesome Peanut Butter Cookies

The all-American peanut butter cookie done the proper way, with both brown and white sugar for depth, plus that iconic crisscross fork pattern pressed into each one before baking. Three dozen cookies from a single batch, soft in the middle and slightly crisp around the edges.

The sugar combo matters more than it seems. Brown sugar brings molasses depth and moisture for chewy centers, while granulated sugar contributes crispness at the edges. Using all of one or the other gives you a one-note cookie.

The fork pattern isn’t just for looks. Peanut butter cookies are too dense to spread on their own, and pressing them down with crossed fork tines flattens them into uniform thickness, ensuring they bake evenly. Dipping the fork in flour between presses keeps it from sticking to the dough.

Pull the cookies from the oven when the edges look set but the centers still look slightly underdone. They firm up as they cool, and underbaking by 30 seconds gives you that prized chewy interior.

Kitchen Tips

• Use creamy peanut butter, not natural-style. The natural kind separates and the oil pooling on top gives you greasy, flat cookies.

• Don’t overmix after adding the flour. Gluten development turns the cookies tough and bread-like instead of tender.

• Space the dough balls at least 2 inches apart. They spread more than they look like they will, especially after the fork press.

• Let the cookies rest on the hot pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a rack. Moving them too soon and the soft centers tear apart.

Variations

• Add a half cup of mini chocolate chips or chopped peanut butter cups to the dough for a candy-bar version.

• Press a chocolate kiss into each cookie immediately after baking for classic peanut butter blossoms.

• Substitute crunchy peanut butter for extra texture in every bite.