Peanut Butter Cookies

What kind of peanut butter person are you - smooth or crunchy? We have an on-going argument in our house. SB, who consumes the vast majority of the peanut butter claims that there is no place for peanut bits in the peanut butter, but I disagree. I love peanut butter crunches in peanut sauce, in peanut butter cookies, in the filling of peanut butter pie, and in mouse traps ... but that's another story. So, I buy SB his jar of smooth and have on hand the smaller jar of crunchy for my consumption needs.

Today is a day to bake peanut butter cookies. I am using crunchy peanut butter because it makes a more interesting cookie, texturally speaking ... not to mention it tastes better. Silent Bob will come out to the kitchen when he smells that first batch and he'll ask for a sample. He'll pour a glass of milk, take a bite of the first warm cookie, and moan, "Not crunchy again!" I'll smile and nod emphatically. Then, he'll moan, "Oh, okay. I guess I can stomach that." This will be said in his very best Eeyore voice. Then, he'll nab a stack of two or three warm cookies and retire to the couch to watch a little football. And that will be that ... one more little salvo in the on-going peanut butter war.

These cookies are about two and a half inches across, crunchy and crackled on the outside with a thin inner layer of chewiness. So good with a glass of milk!

I remain emphatic. There IS a place for crunchy peanut butter in this world and today it is smack dab in the middle of my peanut butter cookie dough. Take that, SB! HA!

Peanut Butter Cookies - printer friendly

Betty Crocker's Peanut Butter Cookies

'with a little vanilla'

Makes: 2 - 3 dozen cookies

Bakes: 375°F oven for 10 minutes

Ingredients:

½ c. sugar

½ c. light brown sugar, firmly packed
½ c. shortening
½ c. peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1¼ c. flour
¾ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt

Making the Cookies:
1. Cream the sugars, shortening, and peanut butter until the mixture is smooth.

2. Add the egg and the vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.

3. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large measuring cup.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing between additions.

5. Roll the dough into small balls (about the size of a walnut).

6. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and tamp the balls down by crosshatching with a fork.

7. Bake for 10 minutes at 375°F.

8. Remove the baked cookies from the sheets upon removal from the oven, as they will get too crisp if allowed to cool on the pans.

9. Place them on a cool platter or rack to cool.