Why This Recipe Works

We wanted peanutty peanut butter cookies with crisp edges and moist, chewy centers, but because peanut butter has a fair amount of starch, more peanut butter in the dough resulted in drier, more stunted cookies. So in pursuit of more chew, we examined the fat ratios. In the past, we've found that a ratio of about 30 percent saturated fat to 70 percent unsaturated fat yielded the chewiest cookies, so we've used a combination of butter (mostly saturated) and vegetable oil (mostly unsaturated). In this recipe, peanut butter, which is mostly unsaturated, replaced the oil, and melting the butter meant that there was no mixer required. Dark brown sugar deepened the color of the dough, and honey aided in browning as the cookies baked. A half-cup of finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts provided another layer of nutty flavor and a bit of crunch.

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Before You Begin

To ensure that the cookies have the proper texture, use a traditional creamy peanut butter in this recipe; do not substitute crunchy or natural peanut butter. We developed this recipe with Skippy Creamy Peanut Butter. For the best results, be sure to weigh the flour, sugar, and peanut butter. You can substitute light brown sugar for dark, but your cookies will be lighter in color

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 18 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk 1½ cups (7½ ounces) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon table salt together in medium bowl.

In large bowl, whisk 1½ cups packed (10½ ounces) dark brown sugar; 1 cup (9 ounces) creamy peanut butter; 2 large eggs; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled; 2 tablespoons honey; and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Add flour mixture and stir with rubber spatula until soft, homogeneous dough forms. Stir in ½ cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped fine until evenly distributed.

Working with 2 tablespoons dough at a time (or using #30 portion scoop), roll dough into balls and evenly space on prepared sheets (12 dough balls per sheet). Using your fingers, gently flatten dough balls until 2 inches in diameter.

Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are just set and just beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating sheet after 6 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheet for 5 minutes. Using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool completely before serving.