Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Peanut Butter!



After that last disappointment, it was time for an easy crowd pleaser. It's my husband's birthday this week so I let him choose the next recipe. Apparently peanut butter cookies are his favorite. Who knew?
Although we are a tried and true hippie dippy organic fresh-ground peanut butter family, the KAF Cookie Companion  suggested that the store bought peanut butter is better. I guess there's just something about those emulsifiers and partially-hydrogenated fats. So I got me a big ol jar o Jif.
Here's a nifty tip from the KAF: spray your measuring cup with oil before trying to measure peanut butter (or other sticky ingredients). This makes it easier to scoop the peanut butter out. Or so they say. I read that tip AFTER I measured. . . .
Phoebe and I baked these before naptime this afternoon. They turned out great. I skipped lunch and ate about seven of them.

The Essential Peanut Butter Cookie
1 cup vegetable shortening (I used 2 sticks of butter)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
3 cups unbleached white flour (I ran out of white flour after 2 cups so the last cup was white whole-wheat - and it turned out fine)

  • Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease (or line with parchment paper) two baking sheets.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the shortening, sugars, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, salt and peanut butter. Add flour, stirring to combine.
  • Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheets. Press down each cookie with a fork to make a crisscross design. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, or until they're lightly browned. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool. 

Phoebe Factor of 5.

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