Frosted Peanut Butter Cookies

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar for a few minutes on medium speed until well combined. Add in the peanut butter, eggs and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed until well combined and smooth.
Add in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt and mix on low speed until the cookie dough comes together. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are well mixed.
Use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons) to portion the cookie dough. Place the cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet pan. Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line baking sheet pans with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
Place the chilled cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet pans, allowing room for spreading. Bake the cookies for about 12 to 13 minutes until the edges are set and the centers of the cookies are slightly underbaked. Cool the cookies on the pan for 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the unsalted butter for 5 minutes until light and creamy. Add in the creamy peanut butter and mix until well combined.
Add half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed setting until fully combined. Add the remaining powdered sugar and continue to mix on low until fully incorporated.
Add the vanilla extract and salt and mix on low until combined. Slowly drizzle in the heavy cream while mixing on low speed. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure the frosting is well mixed.
Increase the speed on the mixer to medium and whip the buttercream for about 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and creamy. Turn the mixer to low speed and mix the buttercream for several minutes to remove any air bubbles.

Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1A piping tip with the peanut butter frosting. Pipe a swirl of the frosting onto the cookies and spread the frosting with an offset spatula. If desired, sprinkle the cookies with white nonpareil spinkles.

Storing & Serving:

Room temperature: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days.
Refrigerator: Store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Serve at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
Freezer: Store the frosted cookies in an airtight container or storage bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Recipe Tips: Scroll up the blog post to see expert cookie baking tips and frequently asked questions to make the most out of this recipe.

Note: Metric conversions and nutritional information are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.