Air Fryer Peanut Butter Cookies: Perfectly Chewy, Fast Easy

Instructions:

1. Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, use a mixer to beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
2. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the peanut butter until fully combined. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until just incorporated. Do not overmix this stage.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. Incorporate Dry into Wet: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed only until just combined. Stop mixing immediately when no dry streaks remain.
5. Chill the Dough: Wrap the dough in cling film or place it in an airtight container. Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes (up to 2 days). Chilling is non-negotiable for air fryer success.
6. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the air fryer to 325°F (160°C). Place the 1 tablespoon of extra granulated sugar in a shallow dish for rolling.
7. Scoop and Shape: Scoop the chilled dough using a cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie). Roll the dough into smooth balls.
8. The Criss-Cross: Roll each ball lightly in the reserved granulated sugar. Press down gently with a fork to create the classic criss-cross pattern.
9. Air Fry in Batches: Line the air fryer basket with a fitted piece of parchment paper. Place 3–4 cookies in the basket, ensuring they have at least 1 inch of space between them. Do not overcrowd.
10. Cook: Air fry at 325°F (160°C) for 6 to 8 minutes. Pull the cookies out when the center looks slightly underbaked.
11. Cool: Immediately transfer the cookies using a thin spatula to a wire cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely (10–15 minutes), as they will firm up as they cool.
12. Repeat steps 9 through 11 for all remaining batches of dough.