The Heart of the Holiday
My kitchen always smells like butter and sugar in December. It feels like home. These cookies are part of that feeling. They are simple and honest.
Making them is about sharing joy. The dough comes together like a hug. It promises good things to come. That is why this matters. Food made with love feeds more than our bodies.
A Little Story About Dough
My grandson once tried to skip the chilling step. He was so impatient. His cookies spread into one big, flat sheet! We had to break it apart like peanut brittle. I still laugh at that.
Patience is a secret ingredient. Chilling the dough makes it behave. It lets you roll out pretty shapes. Trust this old kitchen rule. Your future cookies will thank you.
Rolling and Cutting with Care
Flour your surface just a little. Too much makes the dough tough. Roll gently to that 1/8-inch thickness. It is the perfect spot for a cookie.
Use any shape you love. Stars, trees, or simple circles all work. *Fun fact: the first cookie cutters were often made from tin!* Place them on the sheet with room to breathe. What is your favorite cookie shape to cut? Tell me in the comments.
The Magic in the Oven
Watch them bake. They turn a gentle gold at the edges. Doesn’t that smell amazing? That is the peanut butter and vanilla singing together. Rotate the pans halfway through for even color.
They bake quickly, only 6 to 8 minutes. Move them to a cooling rack right away. This stops the baking and keeps them crisp. Let them cool completely. This is another test of patience!
Why This All Matters
These cookies are not just a treat. They are a tradition you can hold. You make memories with your hands. The act of creating is a gift.
Sharing them is the best part. Tuck them in a tin for a neighbor. Leave some out for Santa. The joy you bake in, you give away. Do you have a food tradition that makes your holiday special? I would love to hear about it.
Your Turn in the Kitchen
Now you have the recipe and the stories. Gather your ingredients. Put on some festive music. The kitchen is waiting for you.
Will you decorate yours with icing or leave them plain? Maybe just a sprinkle of sugar? However they turn out, they will be perfect. Because you made them. What holiday song is your favorite to bake to? Let’s share our playlists!
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Unsalted butter | ½ pound (2 sticks / 227g) | at cool room temperature |
| Granulated sugar | 1 cup | processed for 30 seconds, or superfine sugar |
| Peanut butter | ⅔ cup | |
| Salt | ½ teaspoon | |
| Egg | 1 whole egg plus 1 yolk | |
| Vanilla extract | 2 teaspoons | |
| Bleached all-purpose flour | 2 ½ cups | plus extra for work surface |
Peanut Butter Yuletide Cookie Delights
Hello, my dear. Come sit at the table. Let’s make my favorite holiday cookies. The peanut butter makes them so rich and cozy. I think of my grandson every time I bake them. He always sneaks the dough when I’m not looking. I still laugh at that. These cookies are like little edible hugs. They fill the whole kitchen with a warm, nutty smell. Doesn’t that smell amazing? We’ll roll them out and cut them into fun shapes. It’s a lovely, slow kind of baking. Perfect for a chilly afternoon.
Instructions
Step 1: Let’s make our dough. Beat the butter, sugar, peanut butter, and salt together. Keep going until it’s fluffy and light. Now add the egg yolk, then the whole egg and vanilla. Mix it all in beautifully. Finally, add the flour and mix just until it disappears. (A soft dough makes tender cookies.) Divide the dough in half and wrap it up. Pop it in the fridge to firm up for an hour. What’s the secret to a tender cookie? Share below!
Step 2: Time to get ready. Move your oven racks to the upper and lower middle spots. Heat your oven to 375 degrees. Take one dough disk from the fridge. Cut it in half and put the rest back. This keeps it cool and easy to handle. Chilled dough is much friendlier to roll out. I learned that the hard way one messy summer day!
Step 3: Let’s roll. Lightly flour your counter and rolling pin. Roll the dough nice and thin, about 1/8-inch thick. Use a spatula to loosen it if it sticks. A little sprinkle of flour helps. Now for the fun part. Cut out your favorite shapes. Stars, trees, and bells are my go-to choices. Place them on a parchment-lined sheet.
Step 4: Baking time. Slide your sheets into the oven. Bake them for 6 to 8 minutes. Swap their positions halfway through. We want them evenly golden brown. Watch them closely at the end. They can go from perfect to overdone so fast. The edges will be just lightly colored. Your kitchen will smell like heaven now.
Step 5: The final touches. Move the cookies to a cooling rack right away. Let them cool completely. They’ll crisp up nicely. Now repeat with all the remaining dough. Once cool, you can decorate them if you like. Store them in a tin to keep them fresh. They make wonderful gifts for neighbors.
Creative Twists
Chocolate Dip: Melt some chocolate chips. Dip half of each cooled cookie in it. Let it set on parchment paper. So pretty and tasty.
Jam Sandwiches: Spread a little raspberry jam on one cookie. Top it with another. A sweet, fruity surprise in the middle.
Salty Sweet: Before baking, press a few flakes of sea salt on top. It makes the peanut butter flavor sing. Which one would you try first? Comment below!
Serving & Pairing Ideas
Serve these on a big platter at your party. They look lovely next to some chocolate-dipped pretzels. A bowl of clementines adds a bright, cheerful color. For a drink, a glass of cold milk is the classic choice. It’s just perfect. For the grown-ups, a sweet cream sherry is a nice holiday sip. It pairs wonderfully with the nutty cookies. Which would you choose tonight?
Keeping Your Cookie Delights Happy
These cookies keep their joy for weeks. Let them cool completely first. Then tuck them into an airtight container. They stay fresh for up to three weeks.
You can freeze the dough, too. I wrap each disk twice in plastic. It waits patiently in the freezer for a month. Fun fact: Chilled dough rolls out so much easier! I learned this after a sticky kitchen mess years ago.
Why does this matter? A ready-to-bake treat brings instant cheer. Batch cooking means more time for stories and laughter. Have you ever tried storing it this way? Share below!
Three Little Cookie Hiccups (And How to Fix Them!)
First, dough that sticks. If it fights the rolling pin, just chill it more. A little extra flour on your surface helps, too.
Second, cookies spreading too much. This means your butter was too warm. I remember when my first batch ran together! Chilling the dough fixes this.
Third, cookies baking unevenly. Always rotate your sheets halfway through. This gives every cookie a fair turn in the heat.
Fixing small issues builds your kitchen confidence. It also makes sure every bite tastes just right. Which of these problems have you run into before?
Your Quick Questions, Answered
Q: Can I make these gluten-free? A: Yes! Use a good gluten-free flour blend. The texture will be a bit more crumbly.
Q: Can I make the dough ahead? A: Absolutely. It chills for two days. You can also freeze it for later.
Q: What if I only have chunky peanut butter? A: That works fine. It adds a nice little crunch to your cookies.
Q: Can I double the recipe? A: You can. Just mix it in two separate batches for best results.
Q: Any decorating tips? A: A simple drizzle of melted chocolate is lovely. Let the cookies cool fully first. Which tip will you try first?
From My Kitchen to Yours
I hope these cookies fill your home with a sweet smell. Baking is about sharing joy and making memories. I would love to hear about your baking day.
Please tell me all about it in the comments below. Have you tried this recipe? I am always here for a kitchen chat.
Happy cooking!
—Elowen Thorn.
Peanut Butter Yuletide Cookie Delights
Description
Classic, buttery peanut butter cookies perfect for the holiday season, rolled and cut into festive shapes.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cream butter, sugar, peanut butter, and salt in workbowl of electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add yolk, beat well then add whole egg and vanilla; continue beating until well incorporated. Add flour; beat over low speed until flour is just mixed. Divide dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour. (Can be refrigerated up to 2 days or double-wrapped and frozen 1 month.)
- Adjust oven racks to upper and lower middle positions. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove one disk of dough from refrigerator and cut in half. Return unused portion of dough to refrigerator.
- Lightly flour work surface; roll dough to 1/8-inch thick, using offset spatula to loosen dough. Sprinkle surface lightly with flour as needed to keep dough from sticking.
- Cut or form dough into desired shape. Place dough shapes 1/2-inch apart on parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake, rotating cookie sheets halfway through baking if necessary, until evenly golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Use thin-bladed spatula to immediately transfer cookies to cooling rack. Cool to room temperature. Repeat rolling, cutting, and baking remaining dough. Decorate cooled cookies, if desired, and transfer to airtight container (can be stored up to 3 weeks).
Notes
- For best results, ensure dough is well chilled before rolling. Use cookie cutters dipped in flour to prevent sticking. Store decorated cookies with parchment paper between layers.