I love peanut butter cookies! I always have. From the time I was a kid and loved to grab a fork and help make the criss-cross pattern across the top, until today, (when I happen to be the only one in the house who likes them…heh, heh, heh) there’s nothing I like better than a cold glass of milk and some peanut butter cookies. Yes, I’m a “wild and crazy guy!”
This is probably the easiest peanut butter cookie recipe I’ve ever come up with. The best thing about it is that I always have the ingredients on hand, so if at some time during the day I have a craving, I can satisfy it without leaving the house! One caveat…use a name brand peanut butter and nothing “natural.” A store brand or natural peanut butter will give you a wet and oily dough!
Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Melted Chocolate (optional)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats if you wish (I usually skip this step…I don’t mind washing a couple of pans)
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.- Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until combined.
- Mix in the peanut butter then blend in the egg and vanilla.
- With the mixer on low speed, add in the flour mixture and mix just until combined.
- Refrigerate dough for about an hour.
- Scoop dough out and shape into balls (about 2 tablespoons) and place on baking sheets spacing them 2 inches apart.
- Using a long pronged fork, flatten the cookies slightly making the “criss cross” pattern in the top of each cookie (this is an important step as the cookie batter is very dense and won’t spread without that extra help).
- Bake cookies in the preheated oven, one sheet at a time, for about 10 minutes. The cookies will look a little pale, but that’s OK. They’ll continue to cook as they cool.
- Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- After completely cooled, you can drizzle them with melted chocolate for that extra bit of decadence. ENJOY!
