Peanut Butter Cookies

Is there another cookie, other than Chocolate Chip, that brings you back to your childhood more than Peanut Butter Cookies? As soon as I see the little criss-crosses on the top of the cookie I can’t wait to bite into it. Slightly crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy in the center. They are simple to make and delicious.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar or 1/4 cup honey
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Addional sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl beat margarine and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup of the flour, the sugars, egg, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla. Beat till thoroughly combined. Beat in remaining flour. If necessary, cover and chill dough till easy to handle. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. If desired, roll in additional sugar. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten by crisscrossing with the tines of a fork (dip fork into small bowl of sugar each time). Bake in a 375 degree oven for 7 to 9 minutes or till bottoms are lightly browned. Cool cookies on a wire rack. Makes about 36.

I usually bake 6-9 cookies and then freeze the rest. Just line your cookie sheet with wax paper. Prepare the cookies as usual, roll the dough into little balls, dip a fork into sugar and press down on the cookie, dip the fork into the sugar again and press down on the cookie in the opposite direction to make your criss-cross design. Freeze for a few hours and then gently pull off of the wax paper and place in a freezer zip top bag or sealed container. When ready for warm, chewy peanut butter cookies. Pull out of the freezer and place on the cookie sheet and bake as usual. You may or may not have to add an extra minute or two to the baking time to compensate for the frozen cookie.