Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (processed brands like Jif or Skippy work best)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk (discard the white or save for another use)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- A pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks
- Flaky sea salt for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat so your cookies don’t stick to the pan. Set aside a small bowl for your dry ingredients.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the softened butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Use a spoon or a small whisk to beat the mixture until it looks light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, then stir until the mixture is completely smooth and well-combined.
- Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and a pinch of salt to the wet mixture. Use a spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the peanut butter base. Stop mixing as soon as you see no more streaks of white flour. Overmixing at this stage will make your cookies tough rather than tender.
- Gently fold in most of the chocolate chunks, reserving a few to press on top later. Divide the dough into two equal portions and roll them into balls. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving plenty of space between them as they will spread. Press the remaining chocolate chunks into the tops of the dough balls.
- Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges should look golden brown and set, but the centers should still look slightly soft and underbaked. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired. Let the cookies cool on the hot baking sheet for at least 5 minutes to firm up before moving them to a wire rack or eating them warm.
- Cook Time: 20 minutes