2½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 ounces unsalted butter softened (2 sticks)
1 cup light brown sugar packed
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar divided
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter divided
In a large bowl combine all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together, and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter 1 cup of white granulated sugar, 1 cup of packed brown sugar together. Mix on high until the mixture is light and fluffy, the color of the creamed sugars will lighten after about 2 minutes. Be sure to save the 1/2 cup sugar for later use.
Mix into the creamed butter and sugars, two eggs and mix until the eggs are incoporated.
Add vanilla extract, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and 1 cup of peanut butter. Be sure to reserve 1/4 cup of peanut butter for later use.
Mix in the flour mixture in until well blended.
Cover the bowl and place inside the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill.
When chill time is complete, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Weigh dough into 75 gram portions or use a ¼ measuring cup, scoop the mixture tightly from the bowl and roll into round, smooth balls using the palms of your hands. They will be big.
Place each cookie dough ball on the baking sheet and press your thumb into the center of the cookie, creating a large crater. Do this for each cookie.
Add about 1 teaspoon of peanut butter into the center of each crater and pinch the opening back together. Roll the cookie in between your hands gently to reshape it back smooth. It should be in the shape of a round disk and not in a ball.
Roll each cookie through the remaining ½ cup of sugar before baking. Be sure to cover each ball completely. See notes for shaping tips before baking.
Place cookies about 4 to 4 1/2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Gently press the cookies with your hands to flatten them a bit. The cookies will spread out a bit.
Bake cookies for 11 to 13 minutes for slightly underdone cookies, 13 to 15 minutes.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Allow them to cool completely before applying the peanut butter drizzle.
Use the left over peanut butter to drizzle over the cookies, you may need to add a little more, so you have enough to drizzle over all of the cookies.
As the cookies are cooling, add the remaining peanut butter to a sandwich size Ziplock bag. Cut the smallest hole possible from one corner of the bag. Squeeze the peanut butter through the hole and pipe zip zag lines onto the face of each cookie.
Serve warm right away or at room temperature.