These Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies are crispy around the edges, chewy in the center, and full of peanut butter flavor. They are great to send off in the kids lunch box or as an afternoon snack.
Out of all the peanut butter cookie recipes I have made, this particular one made with Crisco is my very favorite cookie. Also known as the 1 cup cookie (due to using 1 cup peanut butter, shortening and sugar (each), these cookies are easy to make as well!
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❤️ Why you'll love it
✔️ This is a classic peanut butter cookie recipe that is tried and true and has been around for years.
✔️ These are the best peanut butter cookies with crispy edges and soft insides.
✔️ These irresistible peanut butter cookies are perfect with a tall glass of milk!
🥘 Ingredients
Vegetable shortening. My mom swears by Crisco so I stand by her here.
Creamy peanut butter. The peanut butter should not be all natural peanut butter, rather, use a peanut butter similar to the brand I use.
Granulated sugar and light brown sugar. The brown sugar will aid in making the cookies chewy in the center and adds a deeper flavor to the peanut butter cookie.
Large egg at room temperature.
All purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. The flour will aid in binding the cookies together and the baking soda reacts with the molasses in the brown sugar to help leavening and will allow the cookie to puff up a little.
Salt, to balance out the flavors.
Granulated sugar, to sweeten the cookies and to coat the peanut butter cookie ball.
🔪 Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer on low speed, combine peanut butter, Crisco, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until creamy. Mix in the eggs and vanilla until creamy increasing the speed of the hand mixer if needed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little bit at a time, mixing until well combined.
- Set the cookie dough in refrigerator to cool; approximately 1 hour.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon cookie dough and roll into ball shape. Roll the cookie ball in granulated sugar and place on cookie sheet about 1" apart.
- Press into the cookie dough with tines of a fork to make a crisscross pattern. Decorate with mini candy coated peanut butter candies on top of each cookie (if using). Sprinkle with extra white sugar before baking if desired.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are browned around the edges and are no longer wet on top.
- Remove from the oven and cool baking sheet for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Remove cookies from baking sheet and continue to cool.
🥄 Equipment
Large bowl
Medium bowl
An electric mixer, helps to cream the wet portion of the peanut butter cookies in a more efficient manner than stirring with a spoon.
Rubber spatulas for scraping the dough from the sides of the bowl.
Small cookie scoop or tablespoon
Large rimless insulated baking sheet
Parchment paper for lining the baking sheet
Cookie spatula to remove the cookies from the baking sheet to the cooling rack.
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
🥫Storage
Store baked cookies in an air-tight container on the counter up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 3 months.
📖 Variations
Stir 1 cup chocolate chips or peanut butter chips into the cookie dough, or press into the top of the cookies before baking.
Use butter flavored crisco for a more buttery flavored cookie.
💭 Tips
- If the fork sticks to the cookie dough when making the criss-cross pattern, dip it in sugar after the first pattern is made to prevent sticking.
📖 Variations
- Stir 1 cup chocolate chips or peanut butter chips into the cookie dough, or press into the top of the cookies before baking.
- Use butter flavored crisco for a more buttery flavored cookie.
- Sprinkle a little cinnamon into the sugar mixture before rolling the cookie dough.
- Substitute chunky peanut butter for the creamy peanut butter.
- Top the cookies with mini chocolate coated candies in place of the peanut butter candies.
Cookies you will love
🍽 Serve with...
These cookies are perfect with a cold glass of milk, cup of coffee or tea, and sandwiched with your favorite flavor ice cream.
🏫 The last word
Scoop dough into tablespoon sized portions and flatten with a fork in a criss cross pattern. Place the cookies in an airtight container in the freezer and freeze dough up to 6 months. To bake, place frozen dough on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes (adding a couple of minutes time due to the frozen state), or until cookies are golden.
Real butter can be substituted for the crisco, however keep in mind that the cookies will be crispier through the center of the cookie if you do.
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When you make this recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating
📖 Recipe
Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies
Equipment
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Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup Crisco
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon soda
Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer on low speed, combine peanut butter, Crisco, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until creamy. Mix in the eggs and vanilla until creamy increasing the speed of the hand mixer if needed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little bit at a time, mixing until well combined.
- Set the cookie dough in refrigerator to cool; approximately 1 hour.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon cookie dough and roll into ball shape. Roll the cookie ball in granulated sugar and place on cookie sheet about 1" apart. Press into the cookie dough with tines of a fork to make a crisscross pattern. Decorate with mini candy coated peanut butter candies on top of each cookie (if using).
- Sprinkle with extra white sugar before baking if desired.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are browned around the edges and are no longer wet on top. Remove from the oven and cool baking sheet for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Remove cookies from baking sheet and continue to cool.
Lawrence says
Ok. Thank you very much!
Lawrence says
I had put mine on wax paper and I'm wondering if that may be the reason my cookies weren't cooked through much at all even though I had them in the oven for 20 minutes. They were browned underneath but not on top. Maybe I better check the seal on my oven door. My great-grandmother had this very same recipe though and I used to make it a few times throughout the year and they always came out perfect but with a different oven.
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Lawrence, thank you for the review. You said you used wax paper. I would recommend using parchment paper instead of wax and maybe put an oven thermometer in the oven to test to see it it is accurate temp?
Gwynn says
These cookies were a hit with my grandkids and I loved them with my cup of tea! This recipe is a keeper.
Katrina says
My mom always made hey peanut butter cookies with shortening! This took me back! Love this recipe!!
Crystal says
I feel like I can taste these cookies through my computer! They look so good. Definitely will be trying this recipe!