Super Peanut Butter Cookies

These cookies are amazing. We're just going to start by saying that. I also don't think I've EVER made just a single batch of them. They go SO quick, that if you want any for the next day, you HAVE to make a double batch. When I used to do my Christmas baking with my mom, we'd make a quadruple batch, and usually wind up making another double batch at some point. These are so popular with everyone that has ever tasted them (with the exception of my grandmother, who doesn't like peanut butter. I mean really, who doesn't like peanut butter?!), that I've been asked for the recipe more times than I can count. The original recipe came from my great-grandmother's community cook book. My mom found the book, modified the recipe so that it had a little less sugar (believe me, you wouldn't have any idea), and now it's BEYOND perfect. 


Ingredients:


1 cup butter or margarine (2 sticks)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt (if using unsalted butter)
1 cup rolled oats (optional)


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350º. 


Cream butter and sugars. Add peanut butter, mix until well blended. Stir in eggs and vanilla. 


On top of the wet batter, dump 1 1/2 cups of the flour plus the baking soda, powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir gently on top of the wet ingredients with a spoon, spatula or your fingers. Once gently mixed, stir into wet ingredients. Once combined, add the remaining 1 cup of flour and rolled oats and mix until well combined. 


Let the batter rest for about 10 minutes before you try to roll it out. You can roll it out right away if you really want, but it will make it MUCH easier if you let it sit for a few. 


Roll the dough into 1 - 1 1/2 inch balls, place about 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Make criss-cross indentations on top of the cookies, but don't smush the cookies down too much or they won't be as fluffy. Bake for 12-15 minutes. 




Variations:

• Use fresh ground peanut butter in place of regular processed peanut butter, and substitute sugars for Splenda and Splenda brown sugar blend. This makes them a little less sweet, more peanut-y, and a lot healthier! I haven't found a substitute for the butter just yet, at least not one that works very well, but I'll let you all know if I ever do. 
• Dip half of the cookie in dipping chocolate and let dry on wax paper. I do this for my Christmas baking every year. You can even sprinkle some decorative sprinkles or colored sugar while it's wet to make it extra-festive. 
• You can roll the dough balls in sugar, like the Molasses Spice Cookies, if you're really dying for a sugar-fix. 

Almost every time I've made these and share, I get asked for the recipe. You can use crunchy peanut butter, smooth peanut butter, or as stated in one of the variations, fresh ground peanut butter (At my local grocery store, they have a grinder for both almond butter and peanut butter in the natural foods section). I suppose that that you could also make these with almond butter instead, I don't think I had even thought about it until now. I'm not a big almond fan though, so I suppose that's probably why. Anyways, that's an experiment for another day. 

One reason I love these cookies so much is because there is SO MUCH peanut butter in them compared to some of the other recipes I've seen. See?

Keep in mind that it sank down to the bottom of the bowl through the butter/sugar mixture. YUM. Have I mentioned yet that I LOVE peanut butter? Well, I do. A lot. 

Roll it.. and pat it.. 

And kill it with a fork! And then heat..

And then with your mouth! 

(Imagine picture of done cookies that my phone hasn't corrupted here..)

Word of caution with these cookies. They're crumbly. No if's, and's or but's about it. The upside? You can't give crumbly cookies away! You just have to eat them yourself! Oh, darn. What a tough thing, eh? 

Enjoy your broken cookies, and stay tuned for more great recipes!