Ridiculously Easy Peanut Butter Shortbread Cookies
User Reviews
5
Ridiculously Easy Peanut Butter Shortbread Cookies
Description
The Ridiculously Easy Peanut Butter Shortbread Cookies start by combining very soft butter, creamy peanut butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until creamy. Incorporating flour turns the mix into a crumbly dough, which can be shaped into individual portions or pressed into pans. Optional semi-sweet chocolate chunks add texture and flavor contrast. The cookies bake at 350°F, developing a lightly golden, tender crumb.
The shortbread style dictates a delicate, crumbly texture rich in butter and peanut butter flavor without additional leavening agents. Pressing extra chocolate on top before baking creates a chocolatey surface. The recipe's flexibility with shapes accommodates either bite-sized cookies or a more rustic bar cookie.
These cookies serve well as a sweet snack with tea or milk. Storage in airtight containers maintains freshness, and the recipe includes metric measurements toggle for convenience. Adjusting chocolate inclusion caters to personal preference.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter I use salted butter, very soft
- ⅓ cup peanut butter not natural, creamy
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped into small chunks with a knife or 4 ounces of semisweet or milk chocolate chips (chocolate is optional, or milk chocolate bar
- sugar You can use coarse sugar, Turbinado sugar, Demerara sugar or regular granulated sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
For the prep:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 12-cup muffin pans with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- You can also use a 9-inch cake pan or a 9 or 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. If using a cake pan, spray the pan generously with non-stick spray then line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper and set aside. If using a tart pan, spray the pan with non-stick spray and line a sheet pan with foil. Set both aside.
For the cookies:
- Combine butter, peanut butter, sugar, vanilla and salt in a medium-size bowl and stir with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon until well smooth and creamy.
- Add the flour and stir from the bottom up until completely incorporated. The dough will be a little crumbly. Stir in the chocolate chunks or chips. (I like to reserve some of the chocolate to press into the tops of the cookies before baking.)
- If using a cake or tart pan, skip this step and proceed to step 4. Otherwise, scoop up the dough into 24 portions and roll each portion into a ball. Flatten one ball in the palm of your hand then place it in one of the cups of the prepared pan(s). Repeat with remaining balls. The dough disks should fill the bottoms of the muffin cups.
- If using a cake or tart pan add the dough to the pan and press in to create an even surface.
- Sprinkle the top of the dough with sugar, if desired. Bake the cookies in the muffin cups for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Bake the shortbread in the cake or tart pan for 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown.
- Allow the cookies in the muffin pans to cool for 5 minutes then, use a thin-bladed, small sharp knife along the edges to gently remove the cookies to a cooling rack.
- Allow the shortbread in the cake or tart pan to cool for ten minutes then remove to a cutting board and cut into wedges while warm. Allow the wedges to cool on a cooling rack.
- *For extra-crisp wedges of shortbread, turn off the oven and allow it to cool for 30 minutes then place the shortbread wedges on a sheet pan and place in the oven until completely cool.
For storing:
- Store cookies in an airtight container. These cookies also freeze well in an airtight container.
Notes
- Use very soft, salted butter and creamy peanut butter for best texture and flavor.
- Chocolate is optional; press some chunks on top before baking for more visible chocolate pieces.
- Choose between individual cookies or baking as a single pan shortbread and slicing after cooling.
- Use the metric toggle in the recipe for precise measurements if needed.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 24Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 159 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 159kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 17g | 6% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 16mg | 5% |
| Sodium | 86mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 60mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 180IU | 4% |
| Calcium | 8mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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