188gramsbleached all-purpose flouruse 125 grams (1 cup) flour for softer cookies that spread more OR use 188 grams (1 ½ cups) flour for chewy thicker cookies
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, peanut butter, and the sugars for several minutes, starting on low and slowly increasing the speed to medium. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
Add the egg, and beat until it is incorporated, then the vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
In a separate bowl, combine the baking soda and salt. For chewy/softer/thin cookies, add 125 grams of flour. For thicker chewy cookies, add 188 grams of flour. Whisk the dry ingredients together then add them to the mixer bowl. Beat until combined.
Scoop the cookie dough with a cookie scoop onto parchment-lined cookie sheets, press with a lightly-floured fork to make a criss-cross pattern, and then bake for 10–12 minutes for chewy cookies or for 13–15 minutes for crispier cookies.
Let cool several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
For the peanut butter:
I like Maranatha brand all-natural unsweetened peanut butter, which you can purchase on Amazon.
I have also used Kraft Natural peanut butter and it works great too (it's made from peanuts only and has nothing else added)
To scoop cookies, I use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop Amazon
Peanut-free: use a natural nut butter alternative like almond butter or sunflower seed butter (please note that if you make these with sunflower seed butter, the cookies may end up green from the baking soda but will still taste great!)
Shortening—If you make these cookies with shortening instead of butter, they will be thicker and spread even less (because the melting point of shortening is higher than butter). If you choose to use shortening, reduce the flour to 125 grams (1 cup) to ensure they spread enough.
Chocolate—you can incorporate chocolate chips or chopped chocolate in this cookie dough (up to 175 grams or 1 cup). I prefer dark (semi-sweet) chocolate in these cookies, but white chocolate is also lovely, as in these bakery-style peanut butter cookies with white chocolate
If you don't press down the scoops of peanut butter cookie dough with a fork, the cookies don't spread out when they bake and remain rounded, a shape similar to how they were scooped.
If you find the fork tines are sticking to the cookie dough too much, coat the back of your fork in a little flour. Brush off the excess using a pastry brush before baking the cookies.