Go Back
Peanut butter cookies doused in sugar
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

12 Snacks for Kids: Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut butter cookies are such a fun snack to make with kids. They love sprinkling the dough in sugar, smashing with a glass and then using a fork to create that iconic crosshatch pattern before putting them in the oven. I know lots of schools don't allow peanut products due to allergies, so this easy recipe from David Lebovitz's book Ready for Dessert is a great one to do at home as an after-school treat!
Author: David Lebovitz

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder that seems like a lot, but intentional
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar plus more for top of cookies
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter Skippy or something else like it, not natural-style
  • 1 egg room temperature

Instructions

  • In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in the egg. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
  • Using a 1-inch cookie/ice cream scoop, portion out the cookie dough and line them up on a baking sheet. They can be tightly packed, because you'll be refrigerating them. Once they are chilled you can easily move them apart onto multiple baking sheets. I do this with most of my cookie dough, then I toss the chilled balls of dough into a plastic bag and freeze them. It is a great way to have cookie dough at the ready for a fast onset craving. 
  • Refrigerate the dough for at least a couple of hours or overnight. Once you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment and position the dough balls on the sheets so they have plenty of room to be smushed down.
  • Generously cover the dough balls with sugar.
    Covering peanut butter cookie dough with sugar
  • Using a glass, smush the cookies until they are about 1/2-inch thick. If the dough is sticking to the glass add more sugar next time.
    A child smashing peanut butter cookie dough with a glass.
  • Make the crosshatch pattern with the tines of a fork. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes (or up to 12 if you like a crisper version).
    Using a fork to make a crosshatch patter on peanut butter cookie dough

Notes

Check out all my cookie baking equipment recommendations in my Amazon shop.