Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine peanut butter (1 cup) and both sugars (1/2 cup each) into a bowl and mix until well combined.
3. Add the egg, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and fold in until well combined.
4. Line up to two half-sheet pans with parchment paper.
5. Scoop dough out into 1.5 tablespoon or 1 ounce rounded portions, putting 8 cookies on each half-sheet pan.
6. With a narrow-tined fork, mash the dough and slide the fork out to flatten the dough out somewhat. Repeat the process perpendicularly to create a hatch pattern in the cookies while flattening them. Cookies should be about 2.5 inches in diameter.
7. Bake for 10 minutes.
8. Let cool for 5 minutes, then remove from the sheet and let cool for 5 additional minutes.

Variations

Some modifications that I’ve had general success with are:

• Make tiny chip cookies. Dole out one teaspoon rounds onto the cookie sheet. You don’t need to flatten them.
• A dash of cayenne adds a hint of nice spiciness, as it does to many peanut-based dishes.
• Add peanut butter cups! (Or, other kinds of chocolate candy)
• Use homemade and/or chunky peanut butter instead of smooth.
• Substitute other nut butters for peanut butter entirely.