Do I have to use the pan-banging method?

You certainly do not! During my testing, I baked a few without using this pan-banging technique and they're just as delicious. They turned out tad thicker and didn't have as many ripples and cracks.

Do I have to drizzle peanut butter over the top?

Although highly recommended, you can skip it. The peanut butter flavor won't be as strong.

What's the difference between regular peanut butter and natural peanut butter?

Regular or “no stir” peanut butter, such as Jif or Skippy contains sugar and hydrogenated fats to keep it from separating. Natural peanut butter only contains peanuts and salt, which naturally separates. You would need to stir together.

Brown Butter Peanut Butter Cookies

Description

These chewy Brown Butter Peanut Butter Cookies are reminiscent of those little nostalgic peanut butter sandwich cookies you grew up eating, but better! This elevated version is made with nutty brown butter, topped with a peanut butter drizzle and then finished with flaky sea salt for the ultimate sweet and salty treat!

Ingredients

Brown Butter Peanut Butter Cookie Dough

1/2 Cup (113g) Unsalted Butter, browned and solidified to a soft spread
1 Cup (120g) All-Purpose Flour
2 Teaspoons Cornstarch (Corn flour)
1/2 Teaspoon Fine Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/3 Cup + 1 Tablespoon (107g) Creamy Peanut Butter (like Jif or Skippy)
2/3 Cup (133g) Light or Dark Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons (25g) Granulated White Sugar
1 Large Whole Egg
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Paste or Extract

Additional Toppings

Granulated Sugar, for sprinkling on top of cookie dough before baking
Heaping 1/4 Cup Peanut Butter Drizzle, melted
Flaky Sea Salt, for garnish

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Instructions

Make Brown Butter - In a light colored saucepan and over medium heat, add unsalted butter. Swirl the pan and keep the butter moving around constantly. Once completely melted, the butter will foam and sizzle and gradually start to brown and deepen in color. You'll notice a nutty aroma and tiny brown specks at the bottom of the pan. The whole process should take about 5 to 7 minutes. Be careful not to burn it.
Immediately transfer to a small glass bowl, making sure to scrape all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. That's where all the flavor is! Place in the fridge for about 45 minutes to solidify to a soft and spreadable consistency. You'll want to stir it every 15 minutes or so. Once it's in a softened spreadable consistency, you're done!
Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 350ºF (176ºC). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Combine Dry Ingredients - In a small bowl, combine all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Combine Wet Ingredients - In a large mixing bowl, combine softened brown butter, creamy peanut butter, brown sugar and white sugar. With an electric mixer, whisk on medium high speed for 4 to 5 minutes. Mixture should be thick and pale in color. Then add an egg and vanilla, and mix for an additional minute.
Mix in Dry Ingredients - Sift in the dry ingredient and on the lowest speed, mix just until combined. It should take about 20 seconds or so.
Scoop and Bake - Using a large cookie scoop ( #20 scoop, which holds 3 tablespoons), drop 6 cookie dough balls onto your prepared baking sheet, placing them about 3 inches (7.5cm) apart. Sprinkle the tops with a pinch of white sugar and then bake for 7 minutes.
Prep Peanut Butter Drizzle - As the cookies are baking, heat up 1/4 cup peanut butter in the microwave until melted. About 20 to 30 seconds.
Pan-banging Method + Peanut Butter Drizzle - After 7 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and quickly drizzle a teaspoon of melted peanut butter over the tops of the cookies. Return to the oven and continue baking for 2 minutes. Using oven mitts or a thick kitchen towel, carefully lift the pan and drop it onto the oven rack a few times. You'll see the cookies collapse, which is what you want! Bake for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, making it a total of 10 to 11 minutes. You can go longer if you'd like a crisper cookie.
Remove from the oven and bang it on top of the stove burner or cooling rack. If the cookies have any irregular edges, use a round bowl or spatula to shape the cookies (see note below). Let sit on the tray for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooking rack. Bake the remaining 6 cookies and repeat the same method.
Top with flaky sea salt and enjoy!

Notes

Brown Butter - Before making your cookie dough, make sure your brown butter has solidified into a spreadable consistency. You can view photos in the body of the post as reference. Place the hot brown butter into the fridge and stir it every 10 to 15 minutes. It will only take 40 to 45 minutes to solidify to a soft spread.

For perfectly round cookies, try this hack! Right when you pull the cookies out of the oven, place a large round biscuit cutter, ramekin or bowl over the cookie (it should be a bit bigger than the cookie itself) and make several circular motions. As the edge of the cookie touches the inside of the biscuit cutter, it will round out any irregular edges.

Storage - Store baked cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. Raw cookie dough can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Scoop them onto a paper-lined baking tray and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Bake in a preheated oven at 350ºF (180ºC) for 10 to 12 minutes. Raw cookie dough can also be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Scoop them onto a paper-lined cookie sheet and freeze uncovered for an hour. Then transfer to freezer-safe bags. Bake in a preheated oven at 350ºF (180ºC) for 11 to 13 minutes.

Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 to 11 Minutes