Ultimate Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons baking soda 
• 1 cup crunchy peanut butter 
• 1.3 cups brown sugar dark packed
• 2 large eggs 
• 3 cups flour all-purpose
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 0.8 cup sugar 
• 16 tablespoons butter unsalted at room temperature (2 sticks)
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract 

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• oven
• whisk
• wire rack
• hand mixer
• spatula

Directions

1. Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 350F. Butter 2 large baking sheets.
2. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
3. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter with both sugars for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium and add eggs and vanilla; beat until smooth and well combined. Beat in peanut butter. Scrape down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to low and beat in flour mixture in 2 batches, until just combined.
4. Form dough into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheets. Flatten each ball by pressing with tines of a fork in a crisscross pattern.
5. Bake, switching pans halfway through, 14 to 16 minutes, or until golden brown on bottom and barely colored on top. Cool on pans on wire racks for 5 minutes. With a spatula, carefully transfer cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.