Description
Delight in these charming Heart-Shaped Peanut Butter Cookies, perfect for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion. Made with creamy peanut butter and a touch of chocolate drizzle, these soft yet slightly crispy cookies are easy to make and sure to impress. Their tender texture and rich flavor make them a beloved classic.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional
- Additional sugar for rolling
- Melted chocolate for drizzling or dipping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to ensure cookies do not stick.
- Cream wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, blend together the creamy peanut butter, softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add egg and vanilla. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract thoroughly until fully combined, ensuring a smooth and uniform mixture.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and salt.
- Mix dry into wet. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture, stirring gently until a soft, cohesive dough forms without overmixing.
- Shape the cookies. Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll each into a ball. If desired, roll the balls in additional sugar for extra sweetness and a slight crunch. Flatten each ball slightly and carefully shape into hearts using your fingers or a mini heart-shaped cookie cutter.
- Arrange and bake. Place the heart-shaped cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges turn lightly golden.
- Cool the cookies. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, ensuring a perfect texture.
- Add chocolate finishing touch. Once cooled, optionally drizzle melted chocolate over the cookies or dip half of each cookie into the melted chocolate for an elegant and delicious addition.
Notes
- For crispier cookies, bake for an additional 1–2 minutes.
- Chilling the dough for 30 minutes before shaping results in cleaner, sharper edges on the heart shapes.
- Use a mini heart-shaped cookie cutter if you prefer bite-size treats.
