High Altitude Peanut Butter Cookies

These High Altitude Peanut Butter Cookies have soft chewy centers with lots of peanut butter flavor! They can be prepped, scooped and baked in less than 30 minutes.

These High Altitude Peanut Butter Cookies have it all! They are thin, with crispy edges and soft centers with a tons of classic peanut butter flavor. Also, you can optionally dip them in chocolate with some crushed peanuts on top of extra texture and presentation.

Not to mention, these cookies are so easy to make! Nothing is better than having freshly baked cookies in less than 30 minutes. Looking for more high altitude cookie recipes? Check out my classic chocolate chip, brown butter and chocolate chunk, s'mores, bailey's and chocolate and funfetti sugar.

Why You'll Love this Recipe

• These cookies are full of peanut butter cookies
• Perfect balance of sweet and salty
• Simple and easy recipe
• Super chewy cookies with soft inside and crispy edges
• Freshly baked cookies in about 30 minutes

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

• Unsalted Butter: I use unsalted so we can control the amount of salt. The butter adds richness and results in a delicious buttery cookie. You want the butter to be room temperature so it mixes well with the peanut butter.
• Peanut Butter: I used creamy store bought peanut butter.  I recommend using Jif or Skippy.
• Sugar: I use dark brown and granulated sugar to give us just the right amount of sweetness and chewiness. I like dark brown sugar for its robust taste.
• Egg: A whole egg to bind the cookie dough, add moisture, and adds richness. Take out 30 minutes before using to bring to room temperature.
• Vanilla Extract: I recommend using a nice vanilla extract. You can also use vanilla bean paste. 
• Flour: I always use all-purpose flour. Just make sure to measure the flour correctly.
• Salt: I prefer to use kosher or fine sea salt in my recipes.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, beat butter and peanut butter together until completely combined using a hand mixer or stand mixer. You should see the peanut butter become a lighter colored brown when fully mixed with the butter.
2. Next, add in sugar and beat until light and fluffy using a hand mixer or stand mixer.

3. Add in egg and vanilla extract and beat until well combined using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
4. Add in all dry ingredients until just combined by hand using a silicone spatula.

5. Scoop cookie dough using a 1.5-1.6 tablespoons size scoop. Bake for 10-11 minutes.
6. Cool cookies for 5-7 minutes on the tray and then move the cookies to a baking sheet to cool to room temperature (~ 5 minutes).

Expert Tips

• Properly Measure Flour: If you just dip your measuring cup into a bag of flour, chances are you have way too much flour due to packing. I keep a small digital scale to accurately measure flour BUT you can also you the spoon and level method too if you don't have a scale. To do this, use a spoon to fluff up the flour within your flour bag or container. Then use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and finally us the straight edge of a knife to level the flour across the measuring cup.
• Dark brown sugar > light brown sugar: I like dark brown sugar because of the robust flavor and how chewy it makes the cookies but its also key to activating the baking soda.
• Don’t over bake! High Altitude Peanut Butter Cookies should still be slightly soft in the center, they’ll firm up as they cool. Baking at high altitude can result in a paler looking product so don't let that defer you from keeping the cookies in the oven longer. I take the cookies out once I see a slight golden brown ring around the bottom of the cookies.
• Room Temperature Ingredients are Key: Room temperature butter and egg are key to this recipe. Cold ingredients don't incorporate together as easily or even at all. Also, it can take longer to bake when ingredients are cold.

Recipe FAQs

Storage

Keep peanut butter cookies stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature.

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