Soft and chewy peanut butter cookies with sea salt

Some cookies are thin and crackly, while others are baked for a tender middle and a browned edge. This version belongs to the second group: a deeply peanuty cookie with a soft centre, a lightly crisp rim and a slow, satisfying chew.

These soft and chewy peanut butter cookies with sea salt use everyday pantry ingredients and a straightforward mix-and-bake method. Portion the dough into generous rounds, chill them briefly, then bake only until the edges look set. The centre should still appear slightly pale when the tray comes out of the oven.

The measurements use grams and Australian ingredients, with instructions for both conventional and fan-forced ovens. The result is a reliable home-bake that suits lunchboxes, afternoon tea and sharing with neighbours.

Ingredients for chewy peanut butter cookies

This recipe makes about 20 cookies. Gather the ingredients before mixing so the softened butter and room-temperature egg blend evenly.

120 g unsalted butter, softened
140 g light brown sugar, lightly packed
50 g caster sugar
1 large egg, about 55 g, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
180 g smooth peanut butter
220 g plain flour, also called all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda, or baking soda
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
2 tsp flaky sea salt, for finishing

Use a light-coloured metal baking tray if you have one; dark trays can brown the undersides before the centres finish setting. Press the brown sugar gently into the measuring cup, but do not compact it into a hard block.

Coles and Woolworths stock familiar smooth peanut butter brands, light brown sugar and flaky sea salt. Check the jar label because Australian peanut butter may already contain salt. If using a salted variety, omit the fine sea salt; the flaky finish still provides the intended savoury contrast.

Mixing the dough

Creaming the butter and sugars properly gives the cookies their round shape and keeps the texture tender. Beat the softened butter on medium speed until it is completely smooth and pale.

Beat the butter, brown sugar and caster sugar for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl once.
Add the egg and vanilla. Beat for another 30 seconds, until the mixture is glossy and evenly combined.
Add the peanut butter and mix until no streaks remain.
Fold in the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda and fine salt. Stop as soon as the flour disappears.

Overmixing makes cookie dough tough, so use a light hand with the final addition. The finished dough should be soft and slightly sticky, with no dry patches. If it clings heavily to the bowl, chill it for 10 minutes before portioning.

For the most consistent cookies, weigh the flour and peanut butter rather than relying on volume measures. Brown sugar varies in packing, while a firmly packed cup can add enough extra sugar to make the cookies spread and lose their chewy texture.

Chilling and baking

Chilling the shaped dough firms the butter and gives you time to control the spacing. It is the simplest defence against thin, spread cookies.

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Heat the oven to 180°C conventional or 160°C fan-forced.
Divide the dough into 20 balls of about 40 g. Space them 5 cm apart, press each one gently to about 2.5 cm thick, and add a pinch of flaky sea salt.
Chill the tray for 30 minutes, then bake for 10 to 12 minutes. On a dark tray, start checking at 9 minutes.

Bake one tray at a time so the oven temperature stays steady. If the dough spreads before baking, it was probably too warm or the portions were placed too close together; chilling and wider spacing will fix both issues next time.

The cookies are ready when the edges are set and lightly golden, while the centres still look soft and slightly damp. Carryover heat continues setting them on the tray, so waiting for every part to look fully baked can dry them out. An extra minute produces a firmer cookie; one minute less keeps the centre extra tender.

Leave the cookies on the hot tray for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. They firm slightly as they cool but should retain a soft, chewy middle. Cool them fully before stacking or packing.

Controlling the texture

The balance of flour, sugar and butter matters more than any single trick. Use the stated weights, avoid packing the brown sugar and return the dough to the fridge if the kitchen is warm. These small choices protect the soft centre while keeping the edges pleasantly crisp.

If the cookies turn out flat, reduce the brown sugar slightly on the next batch and make sure the dough was well chilled. If they are pale but spread, the dough was likely too warm. If they taste crisp all the way through, pull them from the oven 1 to 2 minutes earlier rather than trying to soften them afterwards.

For a change, fold through 30 g of rolled oats, add 40 g of finely chopped chocolate, or use crunchy peanut butter in place of smooth. Keep the other quantities unchanged so the dough still spreads and bakes at the same rate. Peanut butter, wheat, egg and dairy are common allergens, so label shared batches and use suitable kitchen preparation for anyone with a severe allergy.

Serving, storing and sharing

Whether they are heading into a Sydney school lunchbox or onto a Melbourne afternoon tea table, these cookies suit an Australian tea break. Add a glass of milk or Milo, or serve them at a school fete or community bake sale once completely cooled. Arrange them on a platter rather than a tall stack, which helps keep the soft centres intact.

Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze them in layers with baking paper between; thaw them at room temperature and they will return to their soft texture. Unbaked dough balls can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months, then baked from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the baking time.