Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, add butter, shortening, and sugars. Use an electric mixer on low for about 30 seconds, then increase to medium speed for 1-2 minutes until fully combined.
¼ cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup shortening, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar
Add peanut butter and mix on low speed until combined.
½ cup creamy peanut butter
Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix again on low speed until just combined.
1 large egg, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir by hand with a wooden spoon until no streaks of flour remain.
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
Roll dough into 1-tablespoon balls and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Use a fork to gently press a crisscross pattern on each cookie.
Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 10 minutes. Allow cookies to rest on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
🥡 STORAGE: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.Keep away from direct sunlight or heat to maintain softness.♨️ REHEATING: Microwave each cookie for about 5-8 seconds for a fresh-from-the-oven feel.For larger batches, warm on a baking sheet at 300°F for 3-5 minutes.❄️ FREEZING: Freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.Thaw at room temperature before serving.💡 TIPS FOR BEST RESULTS: Use room-temperature butter, shortening, and eggs for even mixing.If the butter is too cold, mix for a longer period; if it's too warm, chill it briefly before using.Hand-stirring the dry ingredients prevents overmixing and keeps the cookies soft.Cookies may appear slightly underbaked when removed from the oven, but they will firm up as they cool.For a defined crisscross pattern, gently re-press fork marks after the first indentation.🍳 ALTERNATE COOKING METHODS:Air fryer: Bake cookies at 320°F for 6-7 minutes, checking after 5 minutes.Convection oven: Reduce the temperature to 325°F and bake for about 8 minutes.♻️ LEFTOVERS: Enjoy leftovers as-is or crumble them into ice cream or yogurt.Sandwich two cookies with frosting or ice cream for a quick dessert.📝 NOTES: Rolling the dough balls in granulated sugar before baking creates a sweet, sparkly finish.For chewier cookies, use ¾ cup brown sugar and ¼ cup granulated sugar.Avoid using natural peanut butter with visible oil separation for best texture.