Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies are my favorite cookie, not too sweet, both chewy and crisp.
My niece loves to make them with me, and while she likes to criss-cross the cookies, I'm guessing it's the sampling afterwards that she loves best.




Peanut Butter Cookies are fairly forgiving as evidenced by all the flour-free and no-bake versions. Personally, my favorite recipe for them is in the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. I use parchment paper or a baking stone to keep them from getting dark on the bottom. I only leave them in for the minimum amount of time, because they'll continue to cook a bit when they come out, and I find that makes for the best chewy inside and crisp outside.

Here is the recipe as I make it.

Peanut Butter Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Sugar for rolling
Parchment paper

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375
In a mixing bowl beat butter, peanut butter and sugar until creamy
Beat in egg, vanilla, baking powder and baking soda
Add the flour by 1/4 cup full, mixing until just combined each time (don't overmix)
Shape dough into 1-inch balls
Tear parchment paper to fit cookie sheet (if not using a baking stone or airbake type sheet)
Roll cookies in sugar
Place balls on cookie sheet about 2-in. apart
Criss-cross with a fork
Bake for 7 minutes (or until they look done)
Let cool for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
Makes 36

VARIATION
At Christmas time I don't criss-cross them, I just push a chocolate star into them as soon as they come out of the oven