Martha Stewart peanut butter cookies beat crunchy peanut butter with brown sugar, butter, and egg, then fold in flour and baking powder before pressing each ball flat with a fork. And the recipe makes 48 cookies at around 100 calories each in about 45 minutes, since there is no chilling and the dough goes straight from the bowl to the oven.
Where many peanut butter cookie recipes use smooth peanut butter and add chopped nuts separately, Martha Stewart calls for crunchy peanut butter instead. That single swap builds the nut pieces directly into the base, which gives every cookie a consistent crunch without the extra step of measuring and folding in a separate ingredient.
Pressing each ball with a fork in a crisscross pattern to exactly 1/2-inch thickness is the step that controls whether these cookies bake evenly, because balls left too tall stay raw in the center while the edges burn. Flatten them all to the same height, so every cookie on the sheet finishes at the same time.
Source: Everyday Food (Martha Stewart, March 2004)
Martha Stewart Peanut Butter Cookies
Course: Dessert, SnacksCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy48
servings20
minutes22
minutes100
kcalCrunchy peanut butter, brown sugar, and softened butter beat together until smooth before an egg and a flour-baking powder mixture fold in. Then tablespoon-sized balls roll out and press flat with a fork in the classic crisscross pattern. And 18 to 22 minutes at 350°F turns each cookie lightly golden with a sandy, crumbly texture that melts into peanut butter flavor.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 tsp baking powder
Directions
- Preheat and prep: Set the oven to 350°F, then line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the flour and baking powder, then set aside.
- Beat the base: In a large bowl, beat the peanut butter, brown sugar, and softened butter until smooth, since any lumps of peanut butter create uneven pockets in the finished cookie.
- Add the egg: Beat the egg into the peanut butter mixture until fully incorporated.
- Fold in the flour: Gradually add the flour mixture while beating on low, then mix just until combined so the dough holds together without becoming tough.
- Shape the cookies: Pinch off tablespoon-sized pieces of dough and roll them into balls, then place 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
- Press with a fork: Using a fork, press each ball in a crisscross pattern to flatten to 1/2-inch thickness, since uniform height means every cookie bakes at the same rate.
- Bake until golden: Cook for 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through, until the cookies are lightly golden on top.
- Cool completely: Transfer to a wire rack, because the cookies firm up as they cool and breaking them apart too early crumbles the edges.
FAQs
Why does the recipe use crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth?
The nut pieces in crunchy peanut butter give each cookie a built-in texture without measuring and adding chopped peanuts as a separate step. Those bits toast slightly during baking, which deepens the nutty flavor in a way that smooth peanut butter cannot match.
Smooth peanut butter works as a swap if crunchy isn’t available, though the cookies come out softer and more uniform in texture. If you go smooth, folding in 1/3 cup of chopped roasted peanuts brings back the crunch that the recipe is designed around.
Why press the cookies with a fork?
The crisscross pattern flattens each ball to a uniform 1/2-inch thickness, which ensures the center cooks through before the edges over-brown. Without pressing, round balls bake unevenly because the outside sets while the thick interior stays raw.
The fork tines also create the signature look that identifies a peanut butter cookie on any cookie plate. Dip the fork in flour between presses if the dough sticks, since the high peanut butter content makes the surface tacky.
Can I use natural peanut butter?
Natural peanut butter with no added stabilizers has a looser, oilier texture that changes how the dough holds together. The cookies spread more during baking and come out thinner and crispier than with a standard jarred brand.
If you use natural, stir the jar thoroughly first and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes before scooping, since the extra oil needs time to firm up. The flavor is more intensely nutty, but the texture trade-off is noticeable.
How should I store these cookies?
Cooled cookies keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days, and the brown sugar holds moisture so they stay soft longer than most drop cookies. The peanut butter flavor actually deepens after a day, since the oils distribute further through the crumb.
Freezing works for up to 3 months, and the cookies thaw at room temperature in about 15 minutes. You can also freeze the unbaked dough balls and bake straight from frozen with 2 to 3 extra minutes added. For another Martha Stewart cookie that stores and freezes well, try her Martha Stewart shortbread cookies for a buttery contrast on the same plate.
What pairs well with these cookies?
A cold glass of milk is the classic pairing, since the fat in the milk balances the salty-sweet peanut butter flavor. A drizzle of melted chocolate across the cooled cookies dresses them up for a party without adding a complicated step.
For a sandwich cookie, press two cooled cookies together with a thin layer of grape jelly or chocolate ganache between them. And for another Martha Stewart dessert that uses a short ingredient list to great effect, her Martha Stewart banana bread takes the same minimalist approach in a different format.
