Three-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

• 250 g creamy peanut butter
• 200 g granulated sugar
• 1 large egg

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

   Tip: Don't skip the parchment — these cookies are sticky and will cement themselves to an unlined pan.

2. 2

   In a large mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, sugar, and egg. Stir with a fork until the mixture is completely smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 1-2 minutes. The dough will look glossy and thick, like wet sand that holds together when pressed.

   Tip: Make sure your peanut butter is well-stirred before measuring — if the oil has separated, mix it back in first. Use a conventional creamy peanut butter (like Skippy or Jif), not natural peanut butter, which can make the cookies too oily and crumbly.

3. 3

   Scoop about 1 heaping tablespoon of dough per cookie and roll into balls. Place them on the lined sheet pan about 5cm (2 inches) apart — you should get 12 cookies. Press each ball down with the back of a fork to flatten slightly, then press again at a 90° angle to create the classic crosshatch pattern. The cookies should be about 1cm (½ inch) thick.

   Tip: Dip the fork in a tiny bit of sugar between presses to keep it from sticking.

4. 4

   Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and set but the centers still look slightly underdone and puffy. They'll feel soft when you touch them — that's exactly right. They firm up dramatically as they cool.

   Tip: Pull them at 10 minutes for chewier cookies, 12 for crispier ones. They go from perfect to burnt fast, so keep an eye on them after the 9-minute mark.

5. 5

   Let the cookies cool on the sheet pan for 5 minutes — they're too fragile to move right away. Then transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool for at least another 5 minutes. They'll firm up into crispy-edged, chewy-centered perfection.

   Tip: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. They actually get chewier on day two. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to a month — let them thaw at room temperature for 15 minutes.

• sheet pan (half-sheet (18x13 inch))
• parchment paper
• mixing bowl (large)
• fork
• wire cooling rack

Per serving

Nutritional values are estimates only.