Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Gather your baking sheets and line them with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened salted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the large egg and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mix. Beat until smoothly combined.

Mix in the creamy peanut butter until well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add this to the wet ingredients, mixing gently.

Optional: Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Using a cookie scoop, portion out the dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.

With a fork, gently flatten each dough ball to create crisscross patterns on top.

Bake for 9-10 minutes for chewy cookies or up to 12 minutes for a crisp texture. Keep a close eye on them.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.